F.P. Report
Fargo: Acting United States Attorney Nick Chase announced that a federal grand jury has indicted five individuals for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Distribution of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine).
The indictment alleged that the following individuals conspired to sell methamphetamine:
• Uzziel Lucero Garcia, a/k/a O Girl, a/k/a Uzzi, age 25, Arizona
• Allan Gordon Widmayer, a/k/a Woody, age 57, Minot, North Dakota
• Corey James Baker, age 50, Sheyenne, North Dakota
• Nathan James Smith, age 40, Fort Totten, North Dakota
• Charlsie Marie Walking Elk, age 36, Tokio, North Dakota
The last of the charged defendants, Smith, appeared in federal court November 8, 2021.
In January of 2021, Nathan Smith was arrested on Spirit Lake tribal charges following a high-speed chase. A later search of his vehicle yielded 73 grams of methamphetamine. The investigation indicated that the methamphetamine came from Baker through Charlsie Walking Elk.
As a result of a traffic stop in Grand Forks in June of 2021, law enforcement seized eight ounces of methamphetamine and more than $27,000 in cash from Baker.
Baker’s sources were identified as “Woody” from Minot and “O Girl” from Arizona, later identified as defendants Allan Widmayer and Uzziel Garcia. A controlled buy and a search warrant on Widmayer’s house yielded more than 30 pounds of methamphetamine and more than $32,000 in cash.
Garcia was arrested after she had been in contact with Widmayer and had traveled to North Dakota to collect money.
The investigation indicated that Baker had been receiving 2-3 pounds of methamphetamine per month from Widmayer and Garcia since 2018, resulting in more than 350 pounds of methamphetamine. The methamphetamine was primarily distributed on the Spirit Lake and Turtle Mountain Reservations.
“This investigation is an incredible federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement endeavor, working together to dismantle a major narcotics trafficking ring from our North Dakota tribal communities,” said Acting United States Attorney Nicholas W. Chase. “This conspiracy is alleged to have been targeting North Dakota communities in multiple pound quantities and that translates to thousands of doses of drugs that have been intercepted and taken off the street before they could further fuel addition.”
“This indictment paints a tragic picture of a coordinated distribution effort to push this poison across tribal lands,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Paul. “We have seen a recent surge in both methamphetamine and opioid cases, and the FBI remains committed to working with our partners to arrest those responsible for threatening and exploiting tribal communities.”
Grand jury Indictments are allegations and are not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement, Ward County Narcotics Task Force, Grand Forks County Narcotics Task Force, Lake Region Narcotics Task Force, and Eddy County Sheriff’s Department, and the case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s office, with Assistant United States Attorneys Alex J. Stock and Lori H. Conroy assigned to the case.
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