Case 3:16-cr-00477-VC Document 1 Filed 04/14/16 Page 1 of 6 A0 9 (Rev. ll/ll) Criminal Complaint L: UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT APR 4 2016 for the SUSAN Y. SOONG Northern District of California United States of America v. SK CHANTA HOPKINS 3 case NoDefendanr(s) CRIMINAL COMPLAINT l, the complainant in this case, state that the following is true to the best of my knowledge and belief. On or about the date(s) of April 11, 2016 in the county of San in the Northern District of California ,the defendant(s) violated: Code Section Offense Description 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1) and Possession with the Intent to Distribute 28 Grams or more of Cocaine Base Maximum 40 Years' Imprisonment; Minimum 5 Years' Imprisonment; Maximum Fine of $5,000,000; Minimum Supervised Release of4 years; Mandatory $100 Special Assessment This criminal complaint is based on these facts: Please see attached affidavit of Deputy U.S. Marshal DEA Task Force Of?cer Joseph Palmer. Approved as to form Q52 2 1 k; AU A Shailika S. Kotiya if Continued on the attached sheet. Complainant 's signature Joseph Palmer, DEA Task Force Officer Printed name and (We Sworn to before me and signed in my presence. Date: Maxim Judge '3 Signature City and state: San Francisco. California Hon. Sallie Kim, Magistrate Judge Printed name and tide Case 3:16-cr-00477-VC Document 1 Filed 04/14/16 Page 2 of 6 AFFIDAVIT OF DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION TASK FORCE OFFICER JOSEPH PALMER 1, Joseph Palmer, Deputy United States Marshal and Task Force Of?cer (TFO) with the United States Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), do swear and af?rm as follows: INTRODUCTION 1. I make this af?davit in support of an application for a criminal complaint and arrest warrant alleging that defendant CHANTA HOPKINS possessed with the intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1) and AGENT BACKGROUND 2. I am a Deputy United States Marshal and Task Force Officer (TFO) with the DEA, San Francisco Field Divisional Of?ce, and have been so employed since August 2012. As a Deputy United States Marshal, my duties include the following: task force operations with DEA, fugitive apprehension, investigations into violations of the Court?s orders, court operations, prisoner production, prisoner processing, and the maintenance of prisoner records. Deputy United States Marshals are commissioned federal law enforcement officers of the United States and are authorized to carry firearms, execute warrants, make arrests for offenses against the United States of America, and perform other law enforcement duties as authorized by law. 3. From March 2010 through July 2010, I attended the United States Marshals Training program at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Georgia. While at LETC, I completed the Marshals Pre-Basic Program, the Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP), and the United States Marshals Basic Training Course. The CITP course involved narcotic investigative matters including, but not limited to, drug interdiction, drug detection, money laundering techniques and schemes, smuggling and the investigation of Case 3:16-cr-00477-VC Document 1 Filed 04/14/16 Page 3 of 6 individuals and organizations involving the smuggling, cultivation, manufacturing, and illicit traf?cking of controlled substances. 4. I make this af?davit in support of a criminal complaint against CHANTA HOPKINS and an arrest warrant for HOPKINS alleging the criminal violations set forth in this af?davit. APPLICABLE LAW 5. Title 21, United States Code Section 841(a)(1) prohibits a person from manufacturing, distributing, dispensing, or possessing with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense, a controlled substance. 6. Title 21, United States Code Section 841(b)(1)(B) provides that the penalty for a person who violates subsection as outlined above, involving a drug quantity of 28 grams or more of cocaine base, shall be a minimum of ?ve years? imprisonment, and a maximum term of 40 years? imprisonment, a minimum term of four years? supervised release, and a maximum ?ne of $5,000,000. FACTS ESTABLISHING PROBABLE CAUSE 7. I make this application and af?davit based on personal knowledge obtained as a result of my direct participation in this investigation, conversations with other law enforcement of?cers who are familiar with this investigation, and upon information obtained from, but not limited to, the following sources which I believe to be reliable: - Oral and written reports about this investigation from various law enforcement agencies; 0 Physical surveillance conducted by federal agents and/or state and local law enforcement of?cers; Case Document 1 Filed 04/14/16 Page 4 of 6 As a result, I am familiar with all aspects of this investigation. 8. Because I submit this af?davit for the limited purpose of seeking authorization for a criminal complaint and arrest warrant, I have not set forth each and every fact learned during the course of this investigation. I have only set forth those facts that I believe are essential to establish probable cause that the defendant Hopkins committed the offense alleged herein. 9. A review of HOPKINS criminal history indicates that he has previous arrests for narcotics and fraud related conduct, amongst other things. Additionally, it appears that HOPKINS was convicted in 2009 of a violation of CA HS 11351.5 Possession of Cocaine Base for Sale, a felony, to which he was sentenced to four years? imprisonment. 10. The DEA and other law enforcement agencies are investigating the drug traf?cking activities of HOPKINS in the Northern District of California. 11. On Monday, April 11, 2016, of?cers and agents with the United States Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force in the Northern District of California responded to 45 Lansing Street, San Francisco, CA, in an effort to locate and apprehend fugitive HOPKINS, who was wanted on outstanding warrants from Placer County, CA. 12. Upon arriving at 45 Lansing Street, which is a high-rise residential building, U.S. Marshal Task Force Of?cers contacted employees of the building, who positively identi?ed HOPKINS as the current resident of unit 3306. 13. Additionally, the property manager gave US. Marshals Task Force Of?cers access to unit 3301, which is currently vacant, and is directly across the hallway from unit 3306. From that location, of?cers were able to establish surveillance on the front door of 3306. 14. Of?cers witnessed HOPKINS exit unit 3306 and walk down the hallway toward the elevator, where of?cers took HOPKINS into custody. Case 3:16-cr-00477-VC Document 1 Filed 04/14/16 Page 5 of 6 15. HOPKINS was then brought back to unit 3301, where he was thoroughly searched incident to arrest. On his person, of?cers located, amongst other items, several with HOPKINS picture and various aliases. Two of the were from the state of Oklahoma and in the name of Timothy Griego. Multiple credit cards were also located bearing the name Timothy Griego. A third ID. was located with the name Dennis Earl Martin Jr., with HOPKINS picture. Credit cards matching that name were also found on HOPKINS person. 16. Based on the items found on HOPKINS at the time of arrest, and the fact that of?cers observed HOPKINS exit unit 3306, a search warrant for unit 3306 was obtained in San Francisco County. 17. Upon execution of the search warrant, of?cers located, among other items, a large bag of suspected cocaine, weighing approximately 511 grams, on a top shelf in the kitchen. Additionally, of?cers located two small bags of suspected crack cocaine on the shelf. In the freezer, of?cers located two large bags, each containing four individually wrapped bags with approximately one ounce of crack cocaine each, for a total of at least 200 grams of crack cocaine. While on-scene, DEA TFO Palmer used a kit to conduct a presumptive test on the large bag of suspected cocaine. The presumptive test yielded a positive result for the presence of cocaine. 18. On the same shelf as the large bag of suspected cocaine and the two small bags of crack cocaine, of?cers located a digital scale which was covered in a white powder residue. Based on my training and experience, possession of digital scales in connection with, and, here, in close proximity to, drugs indicates intent to distribute those drugs. Additionally, of?cers located on the same shelf a kitchen knife, strainer, and graduated cylinder, all of which appeared Case 3:16-cr-00477-VC Document 1 Filed 04/14/16 Page 6 of 6 to have cocaine residue on them, and all of which are known by TFO Palmer to be equipment used to convert powder cocaine into crack cocaine. 19. On April 13, 2016, while preparing?the evidence exhibits for transportation to the DEA lab, DEA TFO Brit Elmore used the TruNarc detection device to conduct a presumptive test on the suspected narcotics. When utilized on the large bag of suspected cocaine, the TruNarc device indicated the presence of Cocaine HCL. When used on the smaller bags of suspected crack cocaine, including the eight individually wrapped bags of suspected crack cocaine, the TruNarc device indicated the presence of Cocaine Base. CONCLUSION 20. Based on the aforementioned facts and circumstances, my training and experience, and consultation with other agents and officers experienced in narcotics investigations, I submit there is probable cause to believe that CHANTA HOPKINS possessed with the intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1) and I declare under penalty of perjury that the above is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. Dated: 4? (vb Drug Enforcement Administration SUBSCRIBED TO AND SWORN TO BEFORE ME THIS I DAY OF APRIL 2016. THE HONORABLE SALLIE KIM United States Magistrate Judge