Domingo Baez, Maurisio Ramirez, and Gilberto Acevedo Found Guilty in U.S. Federal Court
The United States Attorney's Office announced that on March 11, 2010, in Billings, after a 4-day federal district court trial before Senior U.S. District Judge Jack D. Shanstrom, DOMINGO BAEZ, a resident of Billings, MAURISIO RAMIREZ and GILBERTO ACEVEDO, residents of Wenatchee, Washington, were found guilty as follows:
BAEZ and ACEVEDO were found guilty of one count of conspiracy with the intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of distribution of cocaine.
RAMIREZ was found guilty of one count of conspiracy with the intent to distribute cocaine. RAMIREZ was acquitted of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and distribution of cocaine.
Sentencing is set for June 16, 2010. They are currently detained.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph E. Thaggard prosecuted the case for the United States.
They each face possible penalties of a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and could be sentenced to life, a $4,000,000 fine and at least 5 years supervised release.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Drug Enforcement Administration, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, U.S. Marshals Service, City-County Special Investigation Unit in Billings, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Billings Police Department, Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office and the Montana Highway Patrol.
