United States Attorney Richard B. Roper
Northern District of Texas

GROUP ARRESTED FOR DISTRIBUTION OF ECSTASY

FORT WORTH, Texas — A group of 13 individuals in Tarrant County, Texas, Los Angeles County, California and Orange County, California, have been named in a federal indictment charging them with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine, known by the street name of ecstasy, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas.

Yesterday morning, Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, in conjunction with various local and federal law enforcement agencies, arrested 11 defendants in an operation dubbed “Taste The Rainbow,” an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCEDTF) investigation into the large scale importation and sale of ecstasy. Two other defendants were previously arrested in California. Defendants arrested are:

Ngoc Nguyen, 24 of Orange County, California
Stephen Sok, 25, of Los Angeles, California
Patrice Le, 36, of Dallas, Texas
Ruben Gutierrez, 30, of Plano, Texas
Chu Yoo, 32, of Euless, Texas
Long Tran, 21, of Arlington, Texas
Hieu Le, 21, of Grand Prairie, Texas
Jett Clifton, 23, of Dallas, Texas
Peter Tran, 21, of Garland, Texas
Michael Watkins, 21, of Dallas, Texas
Sabrina Satterfield, 23, of Dallas, Texas
Brian Dobbs, 28, of Grand Prairie, Texas
Michael Atchley, 22, of Euless, Texas

Beginning in January 2006, the defendants conspired to distribute ecstasy in the Fort Worth division of the Northern District of Texas. The investigation has shown that the organization distributed hundreds of thousands of ecstasy tablets in the local area.

An indictment is an accusation by a federal grand jury and a defendant is presumed to be innocent unless proven otherwise. Initial appearances for the defendants are scheduled for Thursday, November 6, 2008, before U.S. Magistrate Charles Bleil, in Fort Worth, Texas.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of the agents and officers of the DEA, Rockwall County Special Crimes Unit, Dallas County Constable, Garland Police Department, and the Arlington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Josh Burgess, of the Fort Worth, Texas U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.

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