US Attorney’s Office announces massive takedown of deadly opioids in the Manhattan area

It’s being called one of the largest federal drug busts in Kansas history.

At a news conference Wednesday in Topeka, US Attorney for Kansas Stephen McAllister announced that 54 people have been indicted on federal charges as a result of a three-year drug trafficking investigation involving heroin and fentanyl concentrated in the Manhattan area.

So far, 35 are in custody, with more arrests to come. McAllister says one of the 13 grand jury indictments announced Wednesday charges five conspirators in connection with the 2017 death of 18-year-old Kansas State University student Maxwell Dandaneau.

Michael Calvert, Sylvester Calvert, Henry Clark, James Toliver and Blake Woodyard, are each charged with conspiring to distribute fentanyl and heroin resulting in Dandaneau’s death, as well as other charges. Woodyard is charged with directly distributing the fentanyl that led to the fatal overdose. Each faces up to 20 years in prison and up to a $5 million fine if convicted. Dandaneau was found unresponsive September 26, 2017 in the 1100 block of Pioneer Lane. Multiple others are charged with distribution, firearms, and other drug-related counts. (See list below)

The investigation, dubbed Operation Chicago Connection, noted some traffickers were making regular trips to Chicago, bringing heroin and fentanyl to the Manhattan area along with other drugs, including ecstasy, marijuana, methamphetamine and hydrocodone. Drug Enforcement Agency Special Agent William Callahan says through the cooperation of multiple agencies, the investigation led to identifying a network of individuals involved in the trafficking of these drugs in the area.

McAllister says they seized an opportunity once it became clear there were a number of individuals cooperating with a network of distributors.

Riley County Police Department Director Dennis Butler says while the indictments are satisfying, their work is not over.

Butler went on to say these indictments served as an important, teachable moment for the public on the dangers of opioid drugs.

The case was jointly led by RCPD, the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the Riley County Attorney’s Office, Junction City Police, the Geary County Sheriff’s Office, the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Highway Patrol, FBI, US Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the US Postal Inspection Service and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

The full list of defendants are as follows.

DEFENDANTS

Indictment No. 1 (Nine defendants, conspiracy, overdose death, heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana, $30,000 forfeiture)

Henry Clark, 42

Sylvester Calvert, Jr., 31, Manhattan, Kan.

Michael Calvert, 28, Manhattan, Kan.

James Toliver, 39, Manhattan, Kan.

Blake Woodyard, 23

Kimberly Obrecht, 33

Robert Houston, Sr., 39

Prianna Baggett, 24, Manhattan, Kan.

Jeremy Richmond, 27

Indictment No. 2 (Five defendants, heroin, fentanyl, firearms, $30,000 forfeiture)

          Kevin Henderson, 48, Topeka, Kan.

          Kenneth Shorter, 57, Manhattan, Kan.

          Wayne Ingram, 24

          Quinton Shorter, 65, Manhattan, Kan.

          Shirley Moton, 60, Manhattan, Kan.

Indictment No. 3 (21 defendants, methamphetamine, heroin firearms, $50,000 forfeiture)

          Dontae Patterson, 39

          Michael Walker, Jr.,26

          Joseph Hammond, 48, Manhattan, Kan.

          Dawn Cyphers, 41

          Paul Goodman, III, 48, Junction City, Kan.

          Sasha Soules-Jones, 31

          Deanna Curry, 44

          Henry Jones, 33

          Reginald Carter, 35

          Earnest Johnson, 55, Manhattan, Kan.

          Mercyjazz Goodridge, 25, Manhattan, Kan.

          Derrick Blea, 26

          Jacob Alexander, 25, Manhattan, Kan.

          Scott Alexander, 25

          Austin Rowzer, 26

          Jerome Glaspie, 48

          Taylor Hodges, 21

          John Leroy Cody Deem, 28

          Elizabeth Hoover, 27 Manhattan, Kan.

          Nicholas Hodges, 26, Saint George, Kan.

          Luke Johnson, 56

Indictment No. 4 (Seven defendants, heroin, $30,000 forfeiture)

Christopher Williams, 48, Manhattan, Kan.

Diana Moorman, 58, Manhattan, Kan.

Michael Murphy, 51, Ogden, KN.

Melissa Henderson, 36

Quinton Watts, 30

Allison Krosschell, 24, Manhattan, Kan.

Timothy Lanshaw, 26, Manhattan, Kan.

Indictment five (One defendant, firearms)

Frederick Swinson, 31

Indictment six (One defendant, heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, drug involved premise)

          John Thompson, 59, Manhattan, Kan.

Indictment seven (Four defendants, methamphetamine, marijuana, hydrocodone, firearms, felonious use of a communication device)

          Paige Jonas, 26, Manhattan, Kan.

          Trevonn Hall, 20, Ogden, Kan.

          Alyssa Hedmon, 28, Manhattan, Kan.

          Eric Jerome Tucker, 33

Indictment eight (One defendant, firearms, methamphetamine)

          Daniel Mainvlle, 35, Manhattan, Kan.

Indictment nine (One defendant, fentanyl, removal of property to prevent seizure)

          Chanel Toliver, 32, Manhattan, Kan.

Indictment ten (One defendant, methamphetamine)

          Damon Brown, 44, Westmoreland, Kan.

Indictment 11 (One defendant, heroin, felonious use of a communication device)

          Jason Simonds, 46, Manhattan, Kan.

Indictment 12 (One defendant, felonious use of a communication device)

          Jerah Gasser, 26

          Indictment 13 (One defendant, firearms)

                   James Atkinson, 50, Manhattan, Kan.

Upon conviction, the crimes in the 13 indictments carry the following penalties:

• Conspiracy to distribute heroin resulting in bodily injury or death (Clark, S. Calvert, M. Calvert, J. Toliver, B. Woodyard): Not less than 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $5 million.
• Conspiracy to distribute heroin resulting in bodily injury or death (K. Obrecht): Not less than five years and not more than 40 years, and a fine up to $5 million.
• Distributing heroin resulting in bodily injury or death (B. Woodyard): Not less than 20 years and a fine up to $5 million.
• Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: Up to 20 years and a fine up to $1 million.
• Conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl: Not less than five years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million.
• Unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking: Not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000.
• Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine: Not less than 10 years and a fine up to $10 million.
• Unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
• Maintaining a drug involved premise: Up to 20 years and a fine up to $500,000.
• Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine: Not less than five years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million.
• Conspiracy to make a false statement to obtain a firearm: Up to five years and a fine up to $250,000.
• Using Facebook Messenger in furtherance of drug trafficking: Up to four years and a fine up to $250,000.
• Removal of property to prevent seizure: Up to five years and a fine up to $250,000.