Pubdate: Fri, 10 Nov 2000 Source: Austin American-Statesman (TX) Copyright: 2000 Austin American-Statesman Contact: P. O. Box 670 Austin, Texas 78767 Fax: 512-445-3679 Website: http://www.austin360.com/statesman/editions/today/ Author: Andrea Ball 8 AUSTINITES ACCUSED OF DRUG SMUGGLING Eight Austin residents have been indicted on charges of conspiring to funnel 10 tons of marijuana into the country since July 1999. The alleged operation may have generated $5 million in drug sales, according to the indictment. "That's a good amount," said Kevin Rapp, a federal prosecutor from Phoenix, where authorities say the drugs were smuggled before arriving in Austin. "We have evidence from seizures and money, and amounts that they talked about delivering." The indictment, made available this week in U.S. District Court in Austin, charges Eric William Griffin, Gregory Kevin Keville, Reginald James Linack, Jaomi Frank Brasher, Billy Nichols Jr., Harrison Myles Walsh, Doris Marie Newby and Shauna Adamcik. Federal authorities could not provide the ages of the accused. Several others were indicted, but their names were not released. If convicted, each would face 10 years to life in prison. Federal investigators say couriers in Mexico hid the marijuana in tractor-trailers, smuggled it into Phoenix and hid the stash in rental homes and warehouses. The drugs were repackaged in vacuum-sealed Mylar bags, called "silver bullets" by the suspects, then taken to Austin. Payoffs from drug sales occurred in private homes and hotel rooms, according to the indictment. The drugs ended up in New York, Arizona, Texas, California and Ohio. During the investigation, federal agents arrested a truck driver in Kansas City, Mo., who was carrying 2,500 pounds of marijuana. Another man was discovered with 1,000 pounds of marijuana in his tan Chevy van. Although the group is from Austin, they will be prosecuted in Phoenix, Rapp said. Agents from the Austin offices of the Internal Revenue Service and the Drug Enforcement Agency participated in the investigation. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh Sutcliffe