News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 21, 2006
Contact: Joanna Zoltay
Number: 312-886-2597

Madison Residents Charged in Drug Conspiracy
Forty-two Kilograms Cocaine Seized by Law Enforcement

NOV 21 -- (Madison, WI) – Gary G. Olenkiewicz, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) along with Erik C. Peterson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin announced the arrests of three Madison men on the charge of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. If convicted, each man faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. Taken into federal custody were Jose Olivas-Lopez, Israel Aguilera, and Francisco Cazares-Olivas, aka “Pancho.”

A complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Madison alleges that Olivas-Lopez delivered one kilogram of cocaine on November 20, 2006. Aguilera and Cazares-Olivas were arrested on that same date when they attempted to collect the drug proceeds from the previously supplied kilogram of cocaine. A subsequent search warrant served at the residence of Aguilera and Cazares-Olivas resulted in the additional seizure of 41 kilograms cocaine, $25,000.00 in U.S. Currency and other drug paraphernalia, including a scale.

The investigation was worked jointly by agents and officers of the DEA Madison office, the Dane County Narcotics and Gang Task Force, and the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigations-Narcotics Bureau. “This is a significant seizure for the Madison area,” stated James Bohn, the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Milwaukee DEA Office. “The success of this operation is due to the cooperative teamwork of DEA, the Dane County Narcotics and Gang Task Force, and the Wisconsin DCI Narcotics Bureau. We will continue to work with our partners in the law enforcement community to aggressively pursue criminals who peddle narcotics in our community.”

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea.

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