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U.S. Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation

In Reply, Please Refer to Release No.

219 South Dearborn Street Chicago, Illinois 60604

July 24, 2003 Nine from Chicago Area Arrested in Nationwide Drug Sweep Thomas J. Kneir, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Richard W. Sanders, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Terry G. Hillard, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department (CPD) announced today the arrest of eight Chicago area residents as part of a nationwide investigation targeting the importation and distribution of illegal drugs into the Chicago area. A criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago on Tuesday by Patrick J. Fitzgerald, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, charged 25 individuals from throughout the United States with various violations of federal drug laws. According to the complaint, those charged were involved in a multi-national drug smuggling operation, which used the Chicago area as its main trans-shipment point in the U.S., for multi-kilogram quantities of both cocaine and marijuana. The investigation leading to these charges, code named "Operation Corner Pocket", was initiated in 1997 and was coordinated nationally by the Chicago FBI. Narcotics Investigators from the CPD and Special Agents from the DEA provided invaluable assistance with this investigation. Extensive use of both physical and electronic surveillance resulted in much of the evidence that was gathered in this case. In announcing these arrests, Mr. Kneir said "This investigation demonstrates the FBI's commitment and ability to target and dismantle significant criminal enterprises operating in the United States. Additionally, an investigation of this size and scope is not possible without the cooperation of our law enforcement partners, both locally and nationwide." Those arrested in Chicago on Tuesday are identified as:           Joseph Dominguez, age 35, 460 West 29th Street, Chicago           Joaquin Mendez Garcia, age 47, 1916 North Keystone, Chicago           Daniel Mercado, age 41, 3059 West 38th Street, Chicago           Louis Mercado, age 52, 3059 West 38th Street, Chicago           Manuel Rodriguez, age 45, 2245 South 49th Avenue, Cicero           Humberto Segura, age 38, 3410 South Wood Street, Chicago Chicago residents Magin and Nicol Villasenor, ages 31 and 32 respectively, both of 1114 West 19th Place in Chicago were arrested by FBI Agents in South Padre Island, Texas on Tuesday afternoon. A ninth Chicago resident, Thomas Gutierrez, age 38, of 2738 South Springfield, surrendered to the FBI on Wednesday. Additionally, Chicago resident Mario Rivera, age 53, whose last known address was 3632 South Parnell in Chicago, was also charged and has avoided capture. Rivera is now the subject of a nationwide fugitive investigation. Ten additional arrests were made in Dallas and San Antonio, Texas; Lansing, Michigan and Elizabeth, New Jersey. Numerous weapons and several kilograms of cocaine were recovered nationwide while over 3 million dollars in U.S. currency was recovered following the New Jersey arrest. The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt and that all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. EDITOR's NOTE: A copy of the complaint filed in this case is available from the Chicago FBI Press Office at (312) 786-2645.

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