(WFRV) – Fourteen people in Wisconsin as well as others in Tennessee were arrested stemming from federal search warrants for cocaine trafficking.

According to officials, on the morning of Oct. 20 law enforcement officers from multiple agencies including the FBI, Racine Police Department, Racine County Sheriff’s Office, Mount Pleasant Police Department, Sturtevant Police Department, Caledonia Police Department, New Berlin Police Department, Milwaukee Police Department, the North Central HIDTA, Kenosha Police Department, Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) simultaneously arrested people in Wisconsin as well as Tennessee.

The following people were charged in the indictment:

  • Gerado Lara (a.k.a. ‘Migo’, a.k.a. ‘Dineroo’) – Franksville
  • Sarah Beckius – Kenosha
  • Plaze Anderson – Milwaukee
  • Jasmine Gonzales – Racine
  • Debra Urness – Racine
  • Marquan Washington (a.k.a. ‘Munch’) – Racine
  • Mario Johnson (a.k.a. ‘RO’, a.k.a. ‘Roegotti’) – Racine
  • Ashley Westmoreland – Racine
  • Michael Hardin (a.k.a. ‘Mojo’) – Racine
  • Terry Brumby Jr. (a.k.a. ‘T-Nice’) – Racine
  • Carl Grayson (a.k.a. ‘Pops’) – Racine
  • Brian Phillips (a.k.a. ‘B’, a.k.a. ‘Brittle’) – Racine
  • Michael Wright Jr. – Racine
  • Jeri Balderas – Racine

The law enforcement agencies executed 18 federal search warrants, which resulted in the recovery of multiple firearms and controlled substances. According to court records, the majority of the people arrested are alleged to be members of the Vice Lord and Gangster Disciple street gangs. They reportedly worked together to further their drug trafficking organization.

“We will continue to work collectively with all of our partners on the FBI Milwaukee Area Safe Streets Task Force (MASSTF),” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hughes.

The investigation of the case was done by MASSTF, which is made up of personnel from the FBI, Racine Police Department, Racine County Sheriff’s Office, Mount Pleasant Police Department and Sturtevant Police Department.

“This morning’s operation was the culmination of almost 12 months’ worth of investigative work between local, state and federal law enforcement officers to hold members of these two violent organizations accountable. The execution of arrest and search warrants was as close to flawless as any I’ve seen in my 19-year career,” said Racine Chief of Police Maurice A. Robinson. 

If they are convicted of the drug trafficking conspiracy, each defendant faces a minimum of ten years in prison with a maximum of life, a $10,000,000 fine and between five years and life on supervised release.

Balderas is additionally charged with structuring a financial transaction to avoid a reporting requirement and faces a maximum of five years in prison for that charge.