WICHITA, Kan. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned three related indictments charging a total of 12 people following a large-scale law enforcement investigation into an alleged drug trafficking ring.
In the first indictment, Rafael Turner, 33, of Phoenix, Arizona, and formerly of Wichita is charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl, two counts of attempted distribution of fentanyl, two counts of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, and four counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The grand jury also indicted Rafael Turner on 24 counts of use of a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking, one count of maintaining a drug premises, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit fraud in relation to identification documents, and six counts of money laundering.
Andrea Bohanon, 33, of Wichita is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of maintaining a drug premises, and six counts of money laundering,
Antwain Gails, 33, of Wichita is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, nine counts of use of a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit fraud in relation to identification documents.
Antonio Turner, 55, of Wichita is charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, and nine counts of use of a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking,
Wayne Turner, 30, of Wichita is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
As part of a second indictment, William Parks, 27, of Salina was indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and attempt to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and three counts of use of a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking.
Santino Dupree, 29, of Wichita was indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and attempt to distribute fentanyl, and three counts of use of a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking.
Tehran Wilson, 30, of Wichita was indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and attempt to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of use of a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking.
Justice Johnson, 27, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
In a third indictment, a federal grand jury charged Kayla Dean, 21, of Southfield, Michigan, Isaiah Gails, 34, of Wichita, and Marquez Gails, 42, of Wichita on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit fraud in relation to identification documents.
Dean was also indicted on six counts of money laundering, and Isaiah Gails was also indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Wichita Police Department, Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deb Barnett and Ola Odeyemi are prosecuting the case.
OCDETF STRIKE FORCE CASES
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location.
This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The specific mission of the OCDETF Kansas City Metro Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle major criminal organizations and subsidiary organizations, including criminal gangs, transnational drug cartels, racketeering organizations, and other groups engaged in illicit activities that present a threat to public safety and national security and are related to the illegal smuggling and trafficking of narcotics or other controlled substances, weapons, humans, or the illegal concealment or transfer of proceeds derived from such illicit activities in the Western District of Missouri and District of Kansas.
The OCDETF Kansas City Metro Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Kansas City, Missouri; the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); the United States Marshal Service (USMS); the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Missouri (USAO-WDMO); the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas (USAO-KS); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service/Criminal Investigation Division (IRS/CID); the United States Secret Service (USSS); and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
The prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Kansas.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
