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SALT LAKE CITY — Ten people have been federally indicted in a major marijuana operation stretching from Utah to California.
The federal grand jury indictment was filed and sealed in 2011 and unsealed just last week.
Joshua Wayne Cooper, Tyler Robert Cooper, Jonathan Isaac Clements, Joseph Andrew Clements, John Paul Diller, Fabrico Henrique Jesus, Tyson Lytle, Jedediah Andrews Mossi, Karl William Piette and Michael Ray Stallings each face charges of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, conspiracy to manufacture marijuana, and conspiracy to possess marijuana with the intent of distributing.
The alleged operation may have been going on since 2008, according to court records. If convicted, count one carries a mandatory-minimum sentence of 20 years, and counts two and three carry 10 year minimum-mandatory sentences.
The U.S. Attorney's Office of Utah declined Tuesday to talk about the quantity of marijuana being distributed. Court records indicate, however, it was at least 1,000 kilograms or more. Most of the marijuana was believed to have been cultivated in California.
At least two of the defendants were arrested last week in California. Another surrendered Monday.
Charging documents allege Joshua Wayne Cooper, of Wanship, Utah, and Tyler Robert Cooper, who lives in California, were the organizers and supervisors of the operation.
Initial appearances were expected later this week in federal courts in Utah and California. The California arrests were reportedly in Humboldt County.
