38-year-old Andre L. Hutchins and his 31-year-old wife, Talitha N. Hutchins ran a sophisticated cocaine-trafficking ring from their home
Friday 29 May 2009
38-year-old Andre L. Hutchins and his 31-year-old wife, Talitha N. Hutchins ran a sophisticated cocaine-trafficking ring from their home in the 2700 block of Jacobs Creek Run, according to court documents.The 61-page federal criminal complaint released Thursday outlined the activities of the other members of the conspiracy, much of which was captured through cell phone conversations intercepted through numerous wire taps, according to court documents.Andre Hutchins’ 73-year-old mother, Arielean Hutchins, was also charged, accused of letting her son use her John Street home as a stash house, according to court documents.Also charged in the trafficking scheme are Charles Dies, 52; Paris Jones, 37; Takiesha McGlaston, 34; Adrian Lee, 37; Kevin Porter, 51; John Minniefield, 31; Greg Johnson, 38; Derrick Tennant, 32; Lakeshia Dominguez, 31; Frederick Parrish, 29; Michael Watson, 33; Brad Moore, 23; and Michael Lamb, 47.Earlier this week, officers served a number of search warrants at 15 locations throughout Fort Wayne, including two storage units. According to court documents, officers found $7,200 in cash and guns in the Hutchins’ home, bundles of cash in the two storage units used by Jones, as well as another $37,000 and a handgun at Jones’ home in the 13100 block of Bolinni Lane. At Dies’ Decatur Road home, police found a kilogram of cocaine and $30,000 in cash.The investigation began through the undercover work of the Fort Wayne Police Department about eight months ago as they looked at the activities of Watson, officials said."Fort Wayne police alone could not have taken this investigation this far," Police Chief Rusty York said.Through that investigation, the other law enforcement agencies became involved, culminating in a string of federal wire taps earlier this year, undercover drug buys and surveillance of the parties involved, according to court documents.
Andre Hutchins organized the enterprise, according to federal officials, lining up orders and arranging distributors via throw-away cell phones, Capp said."There were hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of phone calls," Capp said. "It was non-stop. … Sometimes the principals in the conspiracy never, ever touched the dope."Thomas Gancarz, The FBI’s Indianapolis Division assistant special agent in charge, said the criminal charges were first public work of the Safe Streets Task Force, which has officially operated since late April.And standing before the bank of microphones and TV cameras, Gancarz issued a warning to those involved with drugs and violent crimes in Fort Wayne."This behavior will not be tolerated," he said.The U.S. Attorney’s Office will seek to have all those arrested held in jail pending trial, Capp said.
The 16 people named in the complaint are all charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine from July 2008 to May 2009. Dies, Lee and Porter are also charged with possession of a firearm in the furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Jones was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
