Ventura County Sheriff's Department

The Ventura County Combined Agency Team (VCAT) is a county wide narcotics taskforce comprised of investigators from local and federal law enforcement agencies who are committed to working together toward the mutual goal of investigating, arresting, and prosecuting those persons and/or drug trafficking organizations (DTO's) that are engaged in drug trafficking activities impacting our communities. The agencies participating in the taskforce include: the Ventura County Sheriff's Department, the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, the Oxnard Police Department, the Simi Valley Police Department, and the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

Approximately seven months ago, investigators from the VCAT narcotics taskforce and the DEA Ventura Office began an investigation into a narcotics trafficking organization (DTO) that chartered private jets in order to ship large amounts of cocaine from the Los Angeles area to the East Coast.

Today, a Federal Grand Jury in Los Angeles indicted 14 defendants on drug trafficking and money laundering charges that could send the defendants to prison for the rest of their lives.

During this investigation, VCAT investigators obtained evidence that the DTO was responsible for moving more than 390 kilograms of cocaine to the Baltimore area while returning with well over $4 million in drug proceeds. During a recent six-week period, investigators intercepted and seized over 200 kilograms of cocaine and $1.1 million in cash. Five defendants were arrested two weeks ago and numerous others have been named in the federal indictment.

This afternoon a Federal Grand Jury indicted 14 subjects for their involvement in the sales and distribution of cocaine:
• Ricky James Brascom, as known as "DP," 28, formerly of Hollywood and now residing in Woodland Hills, the "CEO" of Behind da Scenes Entertainment and the alleged leader of the drug trafficking ring;
• Charles Dwight Ransom Jr., 36, of Hollywood, another "CEO" of Behind da Scenes Entertainment who allegedly shipped cocaine to his own distributors in Baltimore and shepherded cocaine shipments for Brascom;
• Darrin Ebron, 43, a DJ who moves between Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, and who allegedly acted as a drug distributor for Brascom;
• Heriberto Lopez, also known as "The Boss" and "Big Dog," 42, of Chatsworth, who allegedly was Brascom's primary cocaine supplier;
• Leonardo Concepcion, 50, of Downey, a pilot allegedly hired by Brascom to fly loads of cocaine to Baltimore and drug proceeds back to Los Angeles;
• Jerome Mondale Brascom (Ricky Brascom's brother), also known as "Bro-Bro," 30, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, who was allegedly his brother's top lieutenant, assisting in the distribution and storage of cocaine in Baltimore, as well as collecting drug proceeds;
• Marlon Parris, 30, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, who allegedly accompanied a shipment of drugs to Baltimore and a shipment of drug proceeds to Los Angeles on a commercial flight;
• Steven Velazquez, 31, of San Fernando, an alleged courier for Lopez, who was arrested on October 30 after Sheriff deputies found 120 kilograms of cocaine in a vehicle he was driving;
• Alberto Cruzado, 57, of Sylmar, an alleged courier for Lopez who was taken into custody along with Velazquez; and,
• Five unnamed defendants, all of whom distributed cocaine for Brascom in the Baltimore / Washington DC area.

Ricky and Jerome Brascom, Leonardo Concepcion, Steven Velazquez, and Alberto Cruzado were previously taken into custody and were initially charged in a criminal complaint filed in United States District Court. Five additional defendants are still outstanding and were identified in the indictment.

The indictment lists a series of incidents involving large shipments of cocaine and money between the Los Angeles area and Baltimore. The indictment specifically alleges:
• The Brascom brothers flew with $1.245 million drug cash proceeds on a chartered flight from Baltimore to Los Angeles on September 21;
• Ransom possessed 48 kilograms of cocaine in two suitcases that were seized by authorities on September 28 when the jet he flew in stopped to refuel at the Salina Municipal Airport in Kansas;
• Ebron received 40 kilograms of cocaine sent by Ricky Brascom on September 28;
• Lopez went to Brascom's apartment complex in Hollywood on September 21 to pick up his share of approximately $1.2 million in drug proceeds that had been flown in from Baltimore;
• Parris possessed 118 kilograms of cocaine during an October 1 flight from Los Angeles to Baltimore on a plane piloted by Concepcion;
• Parris was carrying nearly a quarter million dollars in cash on October 7 when the money was seized by authorities at the Phoenix International Airport;
• During a traffic stop on October 30, authorities seized approximately 120 kilograms of cocaine and nearly $10,000 in cash from Cruzado and Velazquez, who were allegedly transporting the drugs on behalf of Lopez to Ricky Brascom , and later seized another 30 kilograms of cocaine and numerous firearms in a storage unit rented by Velazquez;
• The organization shipped approximately 34 kilograms of cocaine to Baltimore and brought drug proceeds back to Los Angeles on October 31 and November 1; and
• Concepcion flew J. Brascom to Ontario International Airport on November 2, when authorities seized $763,815 in drug proceeds in a suitcase, another $24,366 hidden in a backpack, and $40,000 hidden in the plane's microwave oven.

In addition to the narcotics and cash seized, authorities seized a number of vehicles linked to the drug ring, including two 2010 Aston Martin Rapides, a 2008 Mercedes CL63 AMG, and a 2009 BMW 750Li.

The seven-count indictment specifically charges conspiracy to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, conspiracy to launder money, and felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of items related to the alleged drug conspiracy, including cash and weapons.

The Brascom brothers, Concepcion, Velazquez, and Cruzado are scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment on Monday, November 22, 2010.

Additional agencies that assisted in this investigation include: the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD), and the Air & Marine Operations Center (AMOC).

Date & Time: November 16, 2010 @ 1700 hrs
Unit Responsible: Ventura County Combined Agency Team (VCAT)