CORPUS
CHRISTI, Texas – Eight Corpus Christi residents have been sentenced to
serve between six and more than 21 years in federal prison for
conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute synthetic cannabinoids.
The most recent sentence was handed down Tuesday.
U.S. Immigration
and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
in Corpus Christi, Texas, led the year-long investigation known as
“Operation Done Wrong” with assistance from the following: U.S. Marshals
Service; Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol; Corpus
Christi Police Department; Texas Department of Criminal Justice; Bureau
of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Texas Department of Public
Safety; Kleberg County Narcotics Task Force, and the Drug Enforcement
Agency (DEA).
James Roye Bryan Townzen, 30; Victoria Martinez, 24;
Michael Llamas, 29; Benjamin Llamas, 35; Raymond Reyes, 38; John Perez,
28; Raymond Shane Townzen, 29; and Joe McNabb, 30, pleaded guilty April
16, 2019. Charles Warren Callis, 42, entered his plea Aug. 19, 2019.
- Feb.
18 - Callis was sentenced to serve 226 months in federal prison for his
involvement with the synthetic cannabinoid offense. He also pleaded
guilty to an unrelated charge of possessing with intent to distribute
cocaine but proceeded to trial on a related charge of possessing a
firearm in furtherance of cocaine trafficking. A jury convicted him of
that charge July 30, 2019. He received a sentence of 166 months for
cocaine trafficking to be served consecutively to another 60 months for
the firearm conviction. That total sentence will be served concurrently
to the 166-month sentence imposed in the synthetic cannabinoids case for
a total 226-month sentence. - December 2019 - James Townzen
received a sentence of 222 months in prison. Raymond Townzen was
sentenced to 150 months, while Reyes, Perez and McNabb were ordered to
serve respective terms of 84, 72 and 156 months in federal prison.
Martinez and Michael Llamas received 160 and 200 months, respectively,
for the drug charge in addition to another 60 months for possessing a
firearm that must be served consecutively for a total 220- and 260-month
terms of imprisonment, respectively.
Callis was ordered to
serve five years of supervised release while the remaining defendants
will serve three-year terms following their respective sentences.
- Benjamin Llamas is set to be sentenced next month.
At
the sentencing hearings, the court heard from a DEA expert witness who
provided testimony about how the agency handles newly emerging synthetic
narcotics, their adverse effects, and the imminent hazard they present
to public safety. An HSI special agent also testified as to the impact
synthetic cannabinoids have on the local community.
In handing
down the sentences, the court acknowledged the significant danger of
synthetic cannabinoids as well as the large scale of the operation,
specifically the steps taken to import the chemicals and produce such a
large quantity of product that was distributed within the community.
In
January 2018, officials intercepted an international package from China
sent to Corpus Christi that contained a kilogram of the synthetic
cannabinoid 5F-MDMB-PINACA, a Schedule I controlled substance.
The
investigation determined James Townzen was ordering illegal chemicals
from overseas and using them to manufacture synthetic marijuana, or
Kush, inside a room at Callis’ business Done Right AC. The finished
product was then provided to Michael Llamas and others who would
advertise and sell the illegal substance through online social media
platforms, such as Facebook.
Further, authorities discovered that
after James Townzen was taken into custody for unrelated state
violations, he continued to run and direct the operation. While in
custody, he provided detailed instructions to Martinez who continued to
order the chemicals, manufacture the products inside Done Right AC and
distribute them through Llamas. Other members of the conspiracy were
responsible for picking up the international packages or purchasing the
material and equipment needed to complete the process.
Law enforcement officials estimate the organization produced and sold more than 300 pounds of the illegal substance.
Synthetic
cannabinoids are chemical compounds that mimic the psychoactive
ingredient in marijuana. These chemical compounds can be applied to
carrier mediums such as plant material and ingested using rolling
papers, pipes, vaporizers or otherwise taken orally. Synthetic
cannabinoids are usually sold in small, foil or plastic bags containing
dried leaves (resembling potpourri) and is marketed as incense that can
be smoked. It is commonly sold and known on the street as synthetic
marijuana, fake weed, legal and by its popular brand names such as
Spice, K2, Kush, Klimaxx and many others.
All defendants have been and will remain in custody.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Watt is prosecuting the case.
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