United States Drug Enforcement Administration

SACRAMENTO, CA - Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Anthony D. Williams and United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that a grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against two brothers, Masod Rahimi, 24, and Mansore Rahimi, 22, both of Union City, charging them in a conspiracy to distribute (Ecstasy).

According to court documents, in April 2010, law enforcement identified Masod Rahimi and Mansore Rahimi, as distributors of 3,4-methylene-dioxy-(MDMA), a popular club drug and controlled substance. The Rahimi brothers are believed to have been operating out of the San Francisco Bay Area, distributing throughout California, and in parts of Nevada and Georgia. They allegedly imported their Ecstasy directly from suppliers in Canada.

Investigators learned the Rahimi brothers were capable of distributing large quantities of MDMA on a monthly basis, and would often use the proceeds of their MDMA sales in Northern California to purchase methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexican-based drug trafficking organizations operating in Southern California and Mexico. The methamphetamine and cocaine were then transported to Canada, where it could be sold at a premium.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Fremont Police Department, and the Southern Alameda County Major Crimes Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Michael M. Beckwith is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory sentencing factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

The charges are only allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.