18 people indicted in federal drug trafficking case in central, southern Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS — A total of 18 people are named in a federal indictment unsealed Friday stemming from an investigation into drug trafficking and money laundering across central and southern Indiana.

The indictment names 15 individuals taken into federal custody Thursday in several Indiana cities and Detroit and three others who are still at large, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Southern District of Indiana.

Each person was charged after a federal investigation which led to the seizure of narcotics and other drugs, thousands of dollars in cash and several firearms, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

The following suspects are in custody on charges including conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and launder monetary instruments, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office:

• Isaias Gonzalez-Torres, 30, of Indianapolis
• Erlin Lucero-Asencio, 29, of Indianapolis
• Abel Ayala-Garcia, 31, of Columbus, Ind.
• Luis Daniel Hernandez, 24, of Indianapolis
• Andrew Calix-Maldonado, 27, of Indianapolis
• Julio Vicente-Guox, 33, of Indianapolis
• Eduardo Rodriguez, 25, of Indianapolis
• Kenia Acosta, 38, of Indianapolis
• Jeami Waleska Sevilla-Luna, 27, of Indianapolis
• Victor Vazquez-Hernandez, 41, of Seymour, Ind.
• Allison Perdue, 24, of Seymour, Ind.
• John Whiffing, 47, of Terre Haute, Ind.
• Claudio Garcia-Morales, 35, of Columbus, Ind.
• Eulailo Murillo-Resura, 31, of Indianapolis
• Jendry Medina, 20, of Indianapolis

The others, Edeer Avila, 38, of Mexico; Martin Felix-Garcia, 33, of Phoenix; and Abner Rodas-Abelardez, 36, Indianapolis, were still wanted as of Friday.

If convicted of conspiracy with intent to distribute a controlled substance, each person faces between 10 years to life imprisonment with no less than five years supervised release and a $10,000,000 fine. A conviction on the money laundering charge holds a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison with up to three years of supervised release and a $500,000 fine.

Additionally, prosecutors in Jackson and Bartholomew counties have filed state charges of dealing methamphetamine against a total of six others, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The case was investigated by the DEA in conjunction with the IRS, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and several Indiana law enforcement agencies.

The case is prosecuted by assistant U.S. attorneys Michelle P. Brady and Patrick G. Gibson. The prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces investigation.