United States Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan announced today, August 13, 2008, that 15 individuals in the United States and Canada have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of conspiracy to distribute marijuana.

The one-count indictment named Cuong D. Nguyen, age 32, of Pittsburgh, PA; Hau Duy Bach, age 19, of Allison Park, PA; Dung Minh Tran, age 33, of Pittsburgh, PA; Magdi Milad Louis, age 35, of Pittsburgh, PA; Viet Vuong Le, age 24, of Orlando, FL; Peter Nguyen, age 25, of Winter Park, FL; Christopher George Leventis, age 34, of Pittsburgh, PA; Giacinto Rocco Derenzo, age 29, of Cranberry Township, PA; Gordon Sample, age 39, of Oshawa, Ontario, Canada; Wen Jing Maggie Leung, age 23, of Windsor, Ontario, Canada; Thang Dihn Le, age 36, of Maple, Ontario, Canada; Karen Yau Tai Chu, age 54, of Thornhill, Ontario, Canada; Kieu Dang Cao, age 41, of Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada; Nguyen An Thai, age 48, of Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada; and Evan Wilfred Thomas, age 56, of Ohsweken, Ontario, Canada.

According to the indictment, between 2004 and July 2008, in the Western District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere, the defendants conspired to distribute 100 kilograms (220 pounds) or more of marijuana.

Assistant United States Attorney Gregory J. Nescott, who presented the case to the grand jury, indicated that the law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 5 years in prison, a fine of $2,000,000, or both.  With a prior felony drug conviction, the law provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years to life in prison, and a fine of $4,000,000.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration (Pittsburgh and Buffalo), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Cleveland), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Greater Toronto Area Drug Section, the Asian Organized Crime Task Force of Ontario, and the Canada Border Services Agency, along with the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the City of Pittsburgh Police conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.