Gulfport man’s trafficking network sent drug-infused mail to prisons nationwide, authorities say
The letters, greeting cards and other mail sent to prisoners in federal correctional facilities all over the country had ink or other marking drenched in synthetic cannabinoids, or spice, a Schedule 1 controlled substance, according to federal authorities.
The prisoners used encrypted emails and telephone numbers and code words like ‘“rims, cars, catalogs and pictures” to indicate they were ordering the drug-laden correspondence, the records say.
The base of operations for the drug-trafficking organization was a home in Harrison County, and its alleged leader was Johnson Tran, a 46-year-old Gulfport man already twice convicted of drug distribution in South Mississippi.
Tran got out of prison for trafficking marijuana and cocaine in Gulfport in 2016.
But Tran allegedly started hatching plans for his new criminal network with two other federal prisoners, identified in court papers as William Hernandez and Jermaine Jones, while incarcerated.
By 2018, the records say, Tran’s new drug operation was up and running and filling orders from prisoners all over the United States.
Some of the prisoners who received the correspondence sold them to other prisoners in exchange for postage stamps or payments made to someone outside of prison.
Tran and at least three of his co-defendants, identified as Ashley Magee, Jasmine Cooks and Denise Duran, were authorized to receive payments for the drugs electronically or to work with the buyers to make payments to someone outside of the prison. Other prisoners signed over government checks to Tran or his associates to cash.
Prison officials started finding the drug-laced correspondence during computer-generated mail scans that can detect drugs.
Some prisons where the mail was recovered were in Terre Haute, IN, Marion, IL and Lewisburg, PA.
Current, former federal prisoner among the indicted
In addition to Tran, 19 others were indicted for the crimes, though some of the accused have not yet been taken into custody. Here’s a list of the others:
Ryan Schmittaur, a man previously convicted of sexual exploitation of minors in Florida
Bobby Huneycutt. a federal prisoner convicted in a federal drug case involving meth distribution in Chesterfield County, South Carolina
Marcus M. Thames, a former federal prisoner convicted in an aggravated identity theft case in Michigan
Clarence E. Plato, a former federal prisoner convicted of drug trafficking in Illinois.
Chaze D. Lowery, a federal prisoner convicted in a drug case in the southern district of Texas.
Ryan Douglas, a former federal prisoner convicted in a drug case involving heroin in Indiana.
Jorge Pena, a former federal prisoner convicted of trafficking counterfeit goods in the central district of Florida.
Bryan Simmons, a federal prisoner convicted of meth distribution in the western district of North Carolina.
Salomon Alaya, a former federal prisoner in Indiana at Terre Haute USP
Jonathan Estrada, a federal prisoner convicted of racketeering in the southern district of Texas.
Stanley Spriggs, a federal prisoner convicted of sex trafficking in Oregon
Corderius Trammell, a federal prisoner convicted of meth distribution in the eastern district of Tennessee
Trae Short, a federal prisoner convicted of a meth distribution charge in the northern district of Texas
Allen Butler Jr., a federal prisoner
Jasmine Cooks, of Gulfport, released on $25,000 unsecured bond pending trial.
Ashley Magee, of Gulfport, released on a $25,000 unsecured bond pending trial.
Denise Duran, of Gulfport, released on a $25,000 unsecured bond pending trial.
A history of run-ins with law enforcement
Tran has spent a good portion of his adult life behind bars.
His first arrest came in 2004 in a cocaine trafficking case in Harrison County.
Tran pleaded guilty to one of the three federal drug charges and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, though he got out of prison early on that charge.
Tran was on probation for the cocaine conviction when Gulfport police officers and federal drug enforcement agents raided Martin’s Grocery, a store Tran had ownership interests in on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
At the store, authorities seized an estimated 30 pounds of high-grade hydroponic marijuana and spice, digital scales, cash, and other paraphernalia.
Tran returned to prison for distributing marijuana and spice and a probation violation for the 2014 charges, but was back in Mississippi by late 2016.
Less than two years later, authorities started investigating the drug-infused correspondence that resulted in Tran’s latest arrest.
Tran and the others charged in the three-count indictment handed down in April face a total prison sentence of up to 45 years and over $1 million in fines if convicted.
Tran is held without bond but has hired attorney Donald Rafferty to represent him.
