Seven sentenced on federal drug conspiracy charges

The Tribune-Star, Terre Haute, Ind.
·2 min read

May 25—Federal prosecutors on Wednesday announced seven people — a Brazil man among them — have been sentenced for or conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including methamphetamine and marijuana.

The government says the drugs were sold in Indiana towns including Brazil, Muncie, Anderson and Gosport.

The defendants had previously been indicted on their charges in 2019 and 2020.

According to court documents, starting in June 2019 and continuing through December 2019, the group conspired to traffic methamphetamine and marijuana. Large quantities of methamphetamine and marijuana were being shipped from California to addresses in Muncie and Anderson, and those drugs then sold there and elsewhere in Indiana. Multiple members of the conspiracy possessed firearms to protect the organization's drugs and money, the government says.

Authorities said they have to seized about 1.3 kilograms of methamphetamine, as well as marijuana, as a result of this investigation. They also have seized over $15,000 in drug proceeds and seven firearms, including one AK-style, short-barrel rifle.

To date, Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt has sentenced the following individuals:

—Christopher Bays, 36, Brazil, 16.5 years in prison, five years supervised release;

—James Briscoe, 39, Muncie, 23 years in prison, 10 years supervised release;

—Damarus Page, 40, Anderson, 10 years in prison, five years supervised release;

—Bradley Clephane, 37, Gosport, 262 months (over 21 years) in prison, five years supervised release;

—Jeremi Zarco, 31, Woodland Hills, California, 200 months (over 16 years) in prison, five years supervised release;

—James Bell, 43, Muncie, eight years in prison, three years supervised release;

—Mikhail Mgebrov, 39, Tarzana, California 10 years in prison, five years supervised release.

Zachary Myers, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, made the announcement and was joined by Michael Gannon of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Rodney Hopkins of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

The DEA and the Postal Inspection Service investigated. Assisting were Muncie Police Department, Anderson Police Department, Terre Haute Police Department, Clay County Sheriff's Office and Indiana State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendra Klump prosecuted. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces investigation.