INDIANAPOLIS — 29 convicted drug dealers have been sentenced to a combined 378 years in federal prison after a major drug trafficking ring is busted in central and southern Indiana.

Court records show the drug ring stretched from Evansville and into Kentucky, but the two ring leaders were in Indianapolis.

Prosecutors believe the drugs in this case were initially being brought in from a Mexican cartel before the group began pressing their own illegal pills.

Investigators seized a pill press in 2021 when federal agents dismantled a large drug ring and recovered several bags of meth, as well as 30 guns, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash.

“We’re targeting and taking out organizations that are affiliated with the Sinaloa cartel so that’s a big win. That’s a big win for all of us,” said DEA assistant special agent in charge Mike Gannon.

Gannon says from 2020 to 2021 two Indianapolis men spearheaded the illegal drug operation.

The federal indictment claims Jeramey Smith bought drugs from Julian Green, as well as from a Mexican cartel, and then worked with dozens of associates to distribute nearly 500 pounds of meth and fentanyl around southern Indiana and Kentucky.

Smith also produced and sold fake prescription pills which were laced with fentanyl.

“You see people like this that think they’re chemists, but they’re not chemists,” said Gannon. “They could be making mistakes and someone could have a pill with hardly any fentanyl in it and another could be loaded with fentanyl and that’s where things can get very scary.”

Because just a tiny amount of fentanyl can be deadly, the case again illustrates why the DEA reminds everyone that One Pill Can Kill.

“You just never know about the quality, care and control when people are trying to manufacture fake pills and put fentanyl in it,” said Gannon. “That’s why we say there’s never been a more dangerous time in this country to use drugs.”

Even before they were busted for this case, several members of the drug ring were convicted felons. As a result, 21 of the 29 suspects were sentenced to at least 10 years behind bars.

In all, the following suspects were sentenced in the case:

• Jeramey Smith was sentenced to 240 months (20 years) with 5 years supervised release.
• Julian Green was sentenced to 210 months (17.5 years).
• Hannah Kissel was sentenced to 97 months (8 years) with 3 years supervised release.
• Jordan Wilson was sentenced to 216 months (15.7 years) with 5 years supervised release.
• Timothy Rice was sentenced to 204 months (17 years) with 5 years supervised release.
• Archilles Johnson was sentenced to 180 months (15 years) with 5 years supervised release.
• Deonte Howard was sentenced to 180 months (15 years) with 5 years supervised release.
• Julie Hunt was sentenced to 60 months (5 years) with 3 years supervised release.
• Torrance Mimms was sentenced to 180 months (15 years) with 5 years supervised release.
• Keisha Jewell was sentenced to 108 years (9 years) with 3 years supervised release.
• Davion Hays was sentenced to 144 months (12 years) with 5 years supervised release.
• Jason Mitchell was sentenced to 204 months (17 years) with 5 years supervised release.
• Denny Taylor was sentenced to 180 months (15 years) with 5 years supervised release.
• Aaron Hardiman was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) with 5 years supervised release.
• Roman Wills was sentenced to 180 months (15 years) with 5 years supervised release.
• Michael Sanders was sentenced to 168 months (14 years) with 5 years supervised release.
• Gregory Snyder was sentenced to 36 months (3 years) with 4 years supervised release.
• Joshua Gahagan was sentenced to 180 months (15 years) with 5 years supervised release.
• Gregory Markey was sentenced to 168 months (14 years) with 5 years supervised release.
• L.C. Moore was sentenced to 120 months (5 years) with 5 years supervised release.
• Dominique Baquet was sentenced to 57 months (4.7 years) with 3 years supervised release.
• Antonio DeJarnett was sentenced to 264 months (22 years) with 5 years supervised release.
• Ryan Pinkston was sentenced to 240 months (20 years) with 5 years supervised release.
• Robert Embry was sentenced to 60 months (5 years) with 5 years supervised release.
• Becky Edwards was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) with 5 years supervised release.
• Edward Meredith was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) with 5 years supervised release.
• Joshua Wilson was sentenced to 30 months (2.5 years) with no supervised release.
• Tabitha Seabeck was sentenced to 180 months (15 years) with 5 years supervised release.
• Zachary Addison was sentenced to 300 months (25 years) with 5 years supervised release.

“The members of this conspiracy will spend decades in federal prison for pumping pounds of methamphetamine and fentanyl onto our streets,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Drug use devastates so many families and kills hundreds of Hoosiers every year. That’s why we will work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to dismantle armed organizations trafficking in deadly drugs. The sentences imposed in this case demonstrate our continued commitment to protecting the public from these dangerous criminals.”

“This sentencing is a significant victory in the relentless fight against the trafficking of deadly drugs and underscores the FBI’s commitment to pursue those who wreak havoc on our communities through their illegal drug trade,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure those who endanger public safety and contribute to this crisis are held accountable.”

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Evansville Resident Office, with the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Evansville Vanderburgh County Joint Task Force, DEA Indianapolis and Indianapolis Metro Drug Task Force providing valuable assistance. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Matthew P. Brookman.