CHICAGO — A drug trafficker who conspired along with his father and several other others to function a cocaine supply service within the Chicago space has been sentenced to seven years in federal jail.
TONY J. CAYUELA, also called “Tone Kapone,” 43, of Chicago, operated a drug trafficking group that in 2018 distributed cocaine to lots of of shoppers within the Chicago space. Tony J. Cayuela packaged wholesale portions of cocaine into one-gram luggage for retail sale and dispatched drivers to finish deliveries to prospects. One of many drivers was Tony Cayuela’s father, TONY F. CAYUELA, 68, of Chicago.
Federal regulation enforcement shut down the drug trafficking group throughout a multi-year investigation often known as “Operation Flawed Deal.” Throughout the probe, authorities seized a number of financial institution accounts, greater than a kilogram of cocaine, a Mercedes G63 sport-utility car, and two handguns. All 18 defendants charged within the investigation, together with the Cayuelas, pleaded responsible and admitted their roles within the trafficking operation. Along with the drug conspiracy, Tony J. Cayuela additionally pleaded responsible to a cash laundering cost.
U.S. District Choose Jorge L. Alonso sentenced Tony J. Cayuela on Dec. 6, 2022. The opposite 17 defendants have been beforehand sentenced, together with ANEES USMANI, also called “Ace,” of Chicago, who obtained eight years in jail.
The case was a part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Process Drive operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug trafficking organizations and different prison networks that threaten america through the use of a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency strategy that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and native regulation enforcement companies.
The sentence was introduced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Lawyer for the Northern District of Illinois; John S. Morales, Appearing Particular Agent-in-Cost of the Chicago Discipline Workplace of the FBI; Robert J. Bell, Particular Agent-in-Cost of the Chicago Discipline Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; and Justin Campbell, Particular Agent-in-Cost of the IRS Legal Investigation Division in Chicago. Beneficial help was offered by the Chicago Police Division, Evanston, Sick., Police Division, Skokie, Sick., Police Division, Lincolnwood, Sick., Police Division, Palatine, Sick., Police Division, and Des Plaines, Sick., Police Division. Assistant U.S. Lawyer Charles W. Mulaney represented the federal government.
“The convictions and federal jail sentences on this operation ought to function a warning to those that distribute poison in our communities: We are going to prosecute you to the fullest extent of the regulation,” mentioned U.S. Lawyer Lausch. “Our federal and native regulation enforcement companions on this operation carried out exemplary work to dismantle a major drug trafficking group.”
“Operation Flawed Deal ought to function a beacon of hope to our group, a message that we can’t tolerate medicine in our neighborhoods, and people who disobey the regulation might be dropped at justice,” mentioned FBI Appearing SAC Morales. “The FBI is honored to work with our state, native, and federal companions to guard the American folks day by day.”
“This sentencing indicators an necessary victory for the American public,” mentioned IRS-CI SAC Campbell. “The position of IRS Legal Investigation in narcotics investigations is to observe the cash and financially disrupt and dismantle main drug trafficking organizations. One of many authorities’s strongest weapons is the power to grab the belongings related to narcotics-related crime. We’re proud to work hand-in-hand with our regulation enforcement companions to convey these criminals to justice.”