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United States Attorney’s Office ALEXANDRIA NEWPORT NEWS NORFOLK RICHMOND UNITED STATES ATTORNEY CHUCK ROSENBERG |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jim Rybicki
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September 12, 2007 |
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(Alexandria, VA) – Seventeen individuals were arrested today on charges of participating in a methamphetamine conspiracy and trafficking in firearms. The eighteenth individual, Jovito Matas Binoya, II, 39, of Springfield, Virginia, was arrested on related charges on July 12, 2007. The 17 defendants were expected to appear today before United States Magistrate Judge Barry R. Poretz for an initial appearance. Chuck Rosenberg, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Joseph Persichini, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington Field Office; and, Colonel David Rohrer, Chief of Police, Fairfax County Police Department, made the announcement.
According to court documents, Pablo Abulencia, 50, of Germantown, Maryland; Corazon Abulencia, 54, of Silver Spring, Maryland; Miguel Adecer, 30, of Falls Church, Virginia; Alvin Anioay, 26, of Chantilly, Virginia; George Banzon, 44, of Alexandria, Virginia; Gracia Evangelista, 50, of Germantown, Maryland; Gilberto Evaristo, 34, of Alexandria, Virginia; Ronaldo Glory, 30, of Germantown, Maryland; Froilan Manansala, 49, of Springfield, Virginia; and, Edgar Mesina, 37, of Silver Spring, Maryland are charged with being part of a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from January 2006 through the present. Court documents allege multiple purchases of methamphetamine from members of the group by an undercover officer and multiple gun sales to the undercover officer by members of the group.
The remaining defendants: Christopher Aguda, 31, of Alexandria, Virginia; Michael Canda, 31, of Alexandria, Virginia; Raymond Ching, 28, of Arlington, Virginia; Margarito Duran, 53, of Silver Spring, Maryland; Gregory Miravite, 48, of Burke, Virginia; and, Arnel Sambile, 44, of Fairfax Station, Virginia, are charged separately with being part of a methamphetamine conspiracy. Additionally, Victoria Baker, of Sterling, Virginia, is charged with selling a .50 caliber sniper rifle to an undercover officer on May 31, 2007.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation; Fairfax County Police Department; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office; and, Montgomery County, Maryland, Police Department all are investigating the case and participated in the arrests today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Grooms.
All defendants are presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.