HOUSTON - Two separate indictments have been returned resulting in the arrests of 11 Huntsville area residents on charges of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana and illegal possession of weapons, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. The two sealed indictments were returned by a grand jury on Sept. 26, 2012.

Those arrested today include Jeramy Jerome Gage, 31, Mark Wayne Wheeler, 42, Annie Mae Ball, 54, Jeffrey Ray Johnson, 26, Lawrence Perry, 33, Ramola Kaye Brown, 30, Samira Mailka Bonds, 33, Kenneth Ray O’Bryant, 30, Michael Andrew Williams, 23, Lloyd Glen O’Bryant, 33, and Gregory McFadden, 31. All are residents of the Huntsville and Houston areas and are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mary Milloy at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow. 

Three others - Herratio Hans Hedspetch, 39, Dennis Rogers Haynes, 53, and Scotty Porter, 24, are considered fugitives and a warrant remains outstanding for their arrests. Photos are attached. If anyone has information as to their whereabouts is asked to contact the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) at 281-716-8230 or the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) at 713-693-3000.

The first indictment alleges Gage, Wheeler, Ball, Johnson, Perry and Brown conspired to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and more than 50 kilograms of marijuana since 2011. Wheeler was additionally charged with being a felon in illegal possession of a weapon. In a separate, but related case, Kenneth O’Bryant, Lloyd O’Bryant, Williams, McFadden, Hedspetch, Haynes and Porter are alleged to have conspired to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine from early 2011 until the time of the indictment.

If convicted, each defendant faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison as well as a $10 million fine. The United States is also seeking a money judgment of $500,000 in the first indictment and $200,000 in the second.

This case is a result of a two-year Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation led by the ATF, DEA, Texas Department of Public Safety, Walker County Sheriff’s Office, Huntsville Police Department, Madison County District Attorney’s Office and the United States Marshals Service with the assistance of Houston Police Department, the sheriff’s departments in Montgomery and Harris Counties, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Office of Inspector General as well as the Madison and Walker County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant United States Attorneys Shelley Hicks, John Jocher and Rick Hanes are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted through due process of law.