Federal Jury Convicts Tempe Designer Drug Manufacturer/Distributor of Federal Controlled Substance.

Newsflash from your Hollywood Attorney:

One of the nation’s first federal convictions under the analogue provision

JULY 22 (PHOENIX) –On July 19, 2013, Michael Rocky Lane, 51, of Cave Creek, Arizona, was found guilty of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute controlled substance analogues and possession with the intent to distribute controlled substance analogues by a federal jury in Phoenix. The case was tried before U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell from June 25, 2013 through July 19, 2013. Sentencing is set before Judge Campbell on October 21, 2013.

“This verdict serves notice to those who are contemplating entering this emerging area of the illegal drug industry,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Doug Coleman.   This DEA-led investigation and trial brought to light the fact that controlled substance analogues are highly addictive stimulants and no different than cocaine or methamphetamine.  The criminals behind the importation, distribution and selling of these drugs have scant regard for human life in their reckless pursuit of illicit profits.”

“The manufacture and distribution of designer drugs, which are often mislabeled as innocuous household items and contain chemicals similar to scheduled drugs, are a tremendous problem in our community and across the United States.  Individuals who manufacture and distribute these mislabeled designer drugs are responsible for products that have been linked to overdoses, deaths, and hallucinations.  My office stands ready to enforce the Analogue Enforcement Act and combat this growing problem,” said John S. Leonardo, U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona.

The evidence at trial showed that, beginning in early 2011, Michael Rocky Lane worked with Nicholas Pascal Zizzo at Consortium Distribution in Phoenix, Arizona.  Consortium Distribution manufactured a designer drug called “Eight Ballz Bath Salts,” which contained a powerful stimulant MDPV.  In October of 2011, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) entered an emergency order temporarily making MDPV a Schedule I controlled substance.  Once MDPV became a Schedule I controlled substance, Lane worked to find a replacement chemical to use in a new designer drug, which was re-labeled as “Eight Ballz Ultra Premium Glass Cleaner.”  Consortium’s products were designed to specifically get people high and were never intended as a legitimate glass cleaner or bath salt.
           
In the fall of 2011, Lane had a falling out with Zizzo, left Consortium Distribution, and started up his own designer drug manufacturing company in Tempe called Dynamic Distribution.  There, Lane and Dynamic Distribution manufactured and distributed other mislabeled designer drugs like “Amped Lady Bug Attractant Exuberance Powder,” “White Water Rapid Lady Bug Attractant Exuberance Powder,” and “Snowman Glass Cleaner.”  None of these products were legitimate glass cleaners or insect attractants.  Instead, these products were all powerful stimulants that contained substances similar to scheduled drugs like APVP, APVP, MPPP, and Pentedrone.  Lane obtained these chemicals from individuals in China and Minnesota, was addicted to his own products, and made nearly $8000 a day based upon internet sales of these products to individual customers across the country alone.

The operations at both Consortium Distribution and Dynamic Distribution ended on July 25, 2012, when DEA executed hundreds of search warrants at these and other locations across the country as part of “Operation Log Jam.”  “Operation Log Jam” was a nationwide, coordinated investigation led by the Department of Justice and DEA to combat the growing epidemic of designer drug manufacturing and distribution here in the United States.

Other conspirators who were prosecuted in this investigation and who are awaiting sentencing include, Nicholas Pascal Zizzo of Phoenix; Benjamin Joshua Lowenstein of Phoenix, Arizona; Vincent Collura of New Jersey; David Titus of Phoenix; Andrew Scott Freeman of Minnesota; Clinton Strunk of Mesa; Scott Stone of Minnesota; and Daniel Pollock of Escondido, California.

A conviction for conspiracy to manufacture and distribute a controlled substance analogue carries a maximum penalty of 20 years, a $1,000,000.00 fine or both.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and was assisted by the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the Phoenix Police Department, and the Buckeye Police Department. The prosecution was handled by D. J. Pashayan and Theresa Rassas, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

Source.... DEA

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Disneyland Arrested Scammer Again for Selling Drugs

Alisa Yenokyan, 22, was arrested on suspicion of selling drugs from her mother's Glendale home. (Courtesy of the Glendale Police Department)

A Hollywood woman who was convicted in May for selling bogus Disneyland tickets to families, was arrested this weekend and charged for the third time in Glendale after allegedly peddling drugs from her mother's condominium, police said.

Alisa Yenokyan, 22, was also charged with two counts of possessing a controlled substance for sale and one count of possessing ammunition following her arrest on Sunday, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.

She and two men — Oganes Davityan, 22, and Eduard Hakopyan, 26 — were taken into custody about 4 p.m. in connection with drug sales after police received an anonymous tip about suspicious people hanging around the 300 block of West California Avenue, according to Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz.

They reportedly had been seen in neighborhood for the past few weeks and were suspected of being engaged in drug activity.

When officers arrived, police said they noticed a plastic bag containing a white powdery substance inside the garage where Yenokyan and the men were gathered.

After getting permission from Yenokyan's mother to search the garage, officers discovered two meth pipes, small packages of cocaine, a large rock of cocaine, a paperclip with heroin attached to the tip and a small baggie of meth, police said.

That same day, officers obtained a warrant and allegedly found more heroin, meth and cocaine — some of which had been individually packaged.

They also discovered a digital scale, methadone pills and a needle, police said, as well as 120 rounds of ammunition in a purse.

Inside the home, police said they discovered a pay and owe ledger, and Disneyland tickets stemming for the earlier scam.

Hakopyan and Davityan denied any association to the drugs, police said. But according to police, Yenokyan was not cooperative and refused to talk.

Yenokyan's latest run-in with Glendale police comes three weeks after she was arrested at the Americana at Brand on suspicion of robbery after she allegedly punched a loss prevention worker who saw her stealing beauty cream products.

She is still expected to appear in court July 2 in that case, and has yet to be sentenced for selling the fake Disneyland e-tickets for $50 to at least a half dozen families via Craigslist.

Yenokyan is scheduled to be sentenced June 21 on seven felony counts of forgery and one felony count of grand theft for the fraud scheme, which police say went on for years.

http://www.glendalenewspress.com/news/tn-gnp-me-disneyland-scamster-arrested-again-20130611,0,4080485.story

Law Offices of Jonathan Franklin
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Call Us Now (310) 273-9600   
 http://www.jonathanfranklinlaw.com