Peace Garden News

Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl has announced the arrest of nine individuals in connection with a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. The arrests were made as part of a multi-state law enforcement operation beginning on May 15, 2025, following indictments by a federal grand jury in the District of North Dakota. The defendants are alleged to have connections with the Almighty Latin King Nation criminal street gang.

The individuals arrested include Ricardo Jaquez from Oakes, North Dakota; Israel David Flores, also known as Izzy, and Michelle Lee Fuller from Audubon, Minnesota; Jose Manuel Jaquez, known as Cash, and Jacob Edward Lambert from Oakes, North Dakota; Ashley Marie Bleecker from Belcourt, North Dakota; Alfredo Hernandez Jaquez, referred to as Freddy, and Wesley Wayne Tolleson from Wells, Minnesota; and Jason Leonard Gulden from Aberdeen, South Dakota.

All defendants have appeared in federal court in North Dakota. If convicted, they face sentences up to life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum of ten years.

This case is part of Operation Crown Down under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), which targets high-level drug traffickers and criminal organizations using a collaborative approach involving multiple agencies. The task force aims to identify and dismantle networks that pose threats to the United States.

It is important to note that an indictment is not proof of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

The investigation involves several agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement; Homeland Security Investigations; local police departments and state bureaus across North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota.

Assistant United States Attorney Matthew P. Kopp is prosecuting the case.