Federal prosecutors say a covert cocaine operation that quietly operated out of a Near East Side business is no more, and four men are now headed to prison. Kristopher Chavez, Eric Kendrick, Delray Bragg and Joaquin A. Ramirez‑Molina were sentenced Tuesday in federal court after investigators uncovered what they described as a cocaine stash house serving central Indiana. The group was held responsible for repackaging and moving more than 55 kilograms of cocaine across the region, according to officials.
Sentences, names and prison terms
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Indiana, U.S. District Court Chief Judge James R. Sweeney II handed down the following sentences: Kristopher Chavez, 38, received 8 years, 11 months in federal prison; Eric Kendrick, 45, received 11 years, 8 months; Delray Bragg, 42, received 5 years, 11 months; and Joaquin A. Ramirez‑Molina, 41, received 4 years, 9 months. Each defendant will also serve supervised release, with terms ranging from three to five years, the office said.
How investigators say the ring worked
Court filings outline a May 31, 2023 delivery that helped unravel the operation. On that day, a courier brought two suitcases of cocaine to a commercial unit on Massachusetts Avenue that Kendrick had leased, along with repackaging equipment and a duffel bag containing cash. Investigators say Bragg left with 10 kilograms of cocaine and was soon pulled over by Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers. As Bragg was stopped, he texted co‑conspirators, and others fled the stash house, according to details reported by WTHR.
Seizures and agencies involved
Search warrants that followed turned up a sizable haul. Prosecutors say investigators seized $582,591 in cash, roughly 55 kilograms of cocaine, several handguns and three vehicles. The case drew a multi‑agency response, involving the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the Hamilton/Boone Drug Task Force. “The larger the number of drugs, the larger the threat to our community,” U.S. Attorney Tom Wheeler said in the press release.
Legal context
All four defendants either pleaded guilty or were convicted on federal narcotics charges that included conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and related offenses. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jayson W. McGrath and Matt Barloh. Officials note that the prison terms fall within federal ranges for multi‑kilogram cocaine trafficking cases and will be followed by supervised release as outlined in court. The U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Indiana said the prosecution is part of a continued effort to dismantle drug distribution networks that move large quantities of cocaine into Indiana.
