Last updated on March 4, 2020
SENTENCING – SHERMAN LAKEITH ROSS
On February 24, Sherman Lakeith Ross, 45, was sentenced to 11 years and 5 months for possession with the intent to distribute heroin and aiding and abetting. Ross and his coconspirators used cell phones to communicate about their drug enterprise, and these communications were intercepted by the police. Law enforcement seized the drugs distributed from multiple customers, and after confirming that it was heroin, arrested Ross while he was in his probation officer’s office. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by AUSA John Kull.
SENTENCING – NEFTALI ABONZA
On February 26, Neftali Abonza, 30, was sentenced to 4 years and 2 months for conspiracy to commit money laundering. Abonza and his codefendants were involved in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in both Texas and Florida. The coconspirators would smuggle cash in bulk and use bank funnel accounts to profit from the proceeds. Abonza was arrested when attempting to deliver two kilograms of methamphetamine. He faces up to 20 years in federal custody. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and was prosecuted by AUSA Myra Boehm.
SENTENCING – HELEN KIM
On March 2, Helen Kim, 59, was sentenced to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for racketeering. Kim was apprehended by law enforcement in November, after a sting operation at a Dallas hotel liberated a number of foreign-born commercial sex workers. She agreed to accept over $40,000 in exchange for providing illicit sex services to a group of out of town “businessmen” partying at a local hotel. These “businessmen” were actually undercover law enforcement officers. Kim admitted that she employed more than 10 commercial sex workers, many of whom lived at the brothels to to cater to customers at all times of the day and night. This case was investigated by the Dallas Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and Homeland Security Investigations and is prosecuted by AUSA Ryan Raybould and AUSA Cara Foos Pierce. Click here to learn more about this case.
