Members and associates of various white supremacist organizations get lengthy sentences in north Texas for roles in drug trafficking conspiracy

DALLAS — Two individuals, who were arrested during a law enforcement operation in which 37 individuals were charged with felony offenses stemming from their respective roles in a drug distribution conspiracy that operated in North Texas and elsewhere from January 2013 to October 2014, were sentenced Thursday to lengthy federal prison sentences.

These sentences were announced by John Parker, Acting U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Texas.

This investigation is being led by the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division (DPS-CID) Gang Unit with assistance from the following agencies:  Dallas Police Department’s Criminal Intelligence Unit, the Garland Police Department’s Neighborhood Police Officer Unit, the Mesquite and Rockwall police departments, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Brandon Crow, 30, of Garland, Texas, was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison, and Rhonda Long, aka “Queen Saltine,” 51, of Mesquite, Texas, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison. Both pleaded guilty in January 2015 to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. 

DPS-CID led the November 2014 law enforcement operation in which the defendants were alleged to be members of, or associated with, various white supremacist organizations, including the “Aryan Brotherhood of Texas” (ABT), the “Aryan Circle,” the “Irish Mob,” and the “Dirty White Boys.”  Despite their differences, they would often collaborate for purposes of drug distribution or other illegal ventures.

According to the indictment, since January 2013, the defendants conspired together, and with others, to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The indictment alleged that the defendants used stash houses and other locations to store quantities of methamphetamine.  Each co-conspirator was linked to one another either directly or through another co-conspirator.  Certain co-conspirators acted as hubs for narcotics trafficking, supplying methamphetamine to numerous other co-conspirators. Throughout the investigation, more than 16 pounds of methamphetamine and five firearms were seized.

To date, 34 of the 37 charged defendants have pleaded guilty and 12 have been sentenced. The following defendants also received lengthy prison sentences:

• William McDowell, aka “Scout,” 33, of Mesquite, Texas, sentenced to 188 months,
• Christy McCellon, aka “90,” 38, of Quitman, Texas, sentenced to 222 months,
• Eliezer Jarillo Gonzalez, 22, of Dallas, sentenced to 180 months,
• Javier Dominguez, 23, of Dallas, sentenced to 120 months.          

One defendant is scheduled to enter a guilty plea next week, one defendant remains set for trial, and one defendant remains a fugitive.

Assistant U.S. Attorney P. J. Meitl, Northern District of Texas, is prosecuting this case.