San Francisco Man Pleads Guilty To International Methamphetamine Conspiracy
NEW ORLEANS - Drug Enforcement (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Keith Brown and U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that Naser Yousef Gheith, a/k/a “Nick,” age 37, from San Francisco, California, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Gheith was a member of a methamphetamine distribution ring that extended from California to Louisiana and Germany. The seizures in this case included approximately two pounds of methamphetamine recovered in Texas from a vehicle that was en route from San Francisco to New Orleans, as well as shipments of methamphetamine that were intercepted in Cologne, Germany, by the German Customs Investigation (the Zollkriminalamt or ZKA).
Gheith is the second of three defendants to have pleaded guilty in this case. Previously, Christopher Byron Fritchie pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Sentencing for Fritchie is set for April 20, 2016. A third defendant, Ryan Ernst Nyberg, is still at large and is believed to be residing in Germany.
Gheith faces a mandatory minimum term of 20 years in prison and maximum of life imprisonment, followed by a minimum of 10 years supervised release, and a maximum fine of $20,000,000. There is also a mandatory $100 special assessment associated with this guilty plea. A U.S. District Judge set sentencing for April 20, 2016.
The DEA New Orleans Division Office investigated this case with assistance from the DEA Frankfurt, Germany Country Office and the DEA San Francisco Division Office. Assistance was also provided by the German Customs Investigation (the Zollkriminalamt or ZKA) and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Parents and children are encouraged to educate themselves about the dangers of drugs by visiting DEA’s interactive websites at www.JustThinkTwice.com, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com and www.dea.gov.
