NAMES OF PROPERTY OWNERS, DEFENDANTS EMERGE IN CHALDEAN CRIME RING CASE
Names of 30 defendants made public
By Miriam Raftery
August 19, 2011 (El Cajon) – The property at 811 East Main Street in El Cajon which housed the Chaldean Social Club is owned by the Salim and Wadia Talia living trust, ECM research has revealed. The Club has been described as a "hub" of criminal activities centered around an Iraqi crime ring, according to law enforcement.
The building housed other businesses and it is unclear whether owners knew of the alleged criminal activities that resulted in 60 arrests ranging from drug trafficking to illegal weapons sales and gambling linked to the Chaldean Social Club. The Club has a history of other law enforcement crackdowns for illicit activities ranging from illegal gambling to drugs.
According to the San Diego County Recorder’s office, the same trust also owns a posh home at 6198 Chrismark Avenue in San Diego. The 5-bedroom residence, which measures 3747 square feet, has an estimated value of $832,700, according to the real estate site Zillow.
Names of many, though not all, defendants in the Chaldean crime ring are now being made public. The crime ring is linked to a Mexican drug cartel as well as a Chaldean organized crime ring in Detroit, Michigan, according to law enforcement sources.
According to Steve Walker, communications director for San Diego District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, the following 21 defendants in the “Operation Shadow Box” case will be prosecuted by Dumanis’ office:
Michael Acker, Robert Adams, Eddie Avila, Francisco Barba-Cantu, Hanna Sarmad, Phillip Heredia, Audrey Hobby, Jarquin Semein, Tyler Kellinger, Brittany Martin, Celina Martinez, Adriana Montez, Robert Perry (arraignment set for August 22), Edward Ranson, Rhonson Ramos, Lisa Schlegel, Angelica Silva, Steven Tausch, Herman Young, Bradley Vosika, and Agustin Villa-Torres.
Thirty suspects have been turned over to federal authorities for prosecution. Today, U.S. Attorney Laura E. Duffy announced the unsealing of four indictments charging nine individuals with violations of federal narcotics and weapons trafficking statutes and the unlawful possession of various firearms and explosives.
One of the nine indicted defendants, Nofel Noel Suleyman, was also charged with engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, which carries a mandatory-minimum penalty of twenty years in prison.
In addition to the indictments, five defendants were previously charged in a complaint with conspiring to possess nearly 1,000 pounds of marijuana as part of this joint investigation.
According to court documents, the majority of defendants face drug conspiracy and distribution charges, as well as the unlawful sale of firearms.
Defendant Suleyman is also charged with the unlawful possession of a destructive device, specifically a pipe bomb containing nails and designed for use as a weapon. The charges carry five- and ten-year mandatory-minimum terms of imprisonment for the drug distribution and conspiracy counts and, as indicated above, a twenty-year mandatory-minimum for the engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise charge.
The indictments are the culmination of a six-month investigation into narcotics and weapons trafficking in El Cajon and surrounding areas. The investigation utilized the joint resources of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the El Cajon Police Department, as well as other federal and state law enforcement agencies.
U.S. Attorney Duffy credited the joint efforts of federal and state law enforcement in achieving the goals of the investigation and having a positive impact in the community. U.S. Attorney Duffy said, “This operation highlights the excellent work by agents on both the state and federal levels in combating violence and drug trafficking in our neighborhoods. Our law enforcement community speaks with one voice in our commitment to investigate and prosecute dangerous offenders, throughout San Diego.”
The nine defendants facing federal charges are:
DEFENDANTS Case Number: 11cr3590-BEN
Nofel Noel Suleyman Age: 22 El Cajon, CA
Karar Alekabi Age: 19 El Cajon, CA
Alen Walid Jalu Age: 22 El Cajon, CA
Christopher Ball Age: 21 El Cajon, CA
Gordon Ralph Waits Age: 24 El Cajon, CA
DEFENDANTS Case Number: 11cr3585-BEN
Akil Al-Saedy Age: 26 El Cajon, CA
DEFENDANTS Case Number: 11cr3589-JLS
Faris Oraha Age: 23 El Cajon, CA
Hajar Haji
DEFENDANTS Case Number: 11cr3586-L
Jose Valerio-Vasquez Age: 36 El Cajon, CA