Raid nets 3 from Warren

Many area law enforcement agencies participated in the investigation.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Federal and local law enforcement officials arrested three city residents accused of being part of a cell within one of the largest Mexican drug cartels operating in the United States.
Operation Trifecta was a three-year investigation.
It involved the Youngstown Drug Enforcement Task Force; city police; Drug Enforcement Administration task forces in San Diego and Tucson, Ariz.; and Beaver Township, Salem, Youngstown, Poland, Boardman, Canfield and Champion police.
Also participating were the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Pennsylvania State Police, Internal Revenue Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Early Thursday, task force members arrested Dianna Palmer, 40, of Rex Boulevard N.W.; James Leigh Jr., 36, of Glendale Avenue N.W., and Bert Reghetti, 46, of East Center Street, charging them with federal charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. The residences of the three also were searched and more charges could be filed, authorities said.
Others were arrested in California, Arizona and Mexico.
Gary Oetjen, acting special agent in charge of the DEA Detroit Field Division, said the investigation shows how extensive the drug organizations operate, branching out to various cities.
Cooperation
Oetjen said it took cooperation among law enforcement agencies to dismantle the Ismael Zambada-Garcia Organization, which authorities say is responsible for distributing thousands of pounds of cocaine and marijuana throughout the country.
Oetjen and Kenneth McHargh of the U.S. attorney's office, who works with the office's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, both credited city police and Chief John Mandopoulos for their work.
The cell that operated in the city was responsible for transferring large amounts of money from New York drug sales to the southwest border, authorities said. It also orchestrated shipments of drugs from the border through Warren on the way to Buffalo, N.Y., with portions of the shipments to be sold in the Mahoning Valley.
More than $1.5 million and about 975 pounds of cocaine were seized in the investigation.
In May and July, authorities obtained court orders to intercept telephone con- versations from Palmer's cellular and home phones. They also were authorized to document calls to both of Palmer's phones, Leigh's home phone and the phone where Reghetti lives.
According to an affidavit signed by Melanie A. Gambill, a task force agent, Palmer is "involved in this organization's transportation and distribution network involving cocaine and marijuana and the proceeds derived from their sale."
Reghetti is involved as a member of Palmer's cell and believed to be aiding in the distribution of narcotics supplied by one of the lieutenants of a Mexican cell.
According to information from DEA agents in Cleveland and Youngstown, Warren police and the Trumbull County Drug Task Force, Reghetti has been "distributing cocaine and large amounts of marijuana on a monthly basis" since 1994, and authorities believe Reghetti is supplied by Palmer, according to the affidavit.
Sources have told authorities that "Reghetti is a local distributor of multiple pounds of marijuana and some cocaine" in the Warren area. "However, sources are unwilling to testify against Reghetti due to his violent history," the affidavit said.
Suspect's background
In 1981, Reghetti was arrested by the Ohio State Highway Patrol for breaking and entering and other charges. He retaliated by "blowing up one of their official vehicles," the document says.
He was convicted of aggravated arson in that case. A 1973 armed robbery conviction, 1976 attempted burglary conviction and other charges also dot Reghetti's criminal history.
Two other men, one from Mexico and one from San Diego, were identified as couriers within the organization and were stopped in June by the state patrol at DEA Youngstown's request. More than $312,400 was seized from their vehicle. The affidavit doesn't indicate where the stop occurred.
"Although the significant members of narcotics organizations are not as visible to the public eye as a local resident who is operating a crack or marijuana house, they are responsible for more havoc and misery being placed upon communities because of their status and role within the organization," Oetjen said.
denise.dick@vindy.com