Northern District of Georgia | The drug trafficking organization in Atlanta was successfully dismantled

ATLANTA – Esteban Niere has been convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine. Kidney was a member of a drug trafficking organization operating in southwest Atlanta that was successfully dismantled after an investigation by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

“This group of drug traffickers targeted vulnerable communities in our district for distributing illegal narcotics,” said US Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Through the diligent efforts of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, we have dismantled the organization’s distribution chain and prosecuted the suppliers. This case demonstrates our commitment to removing dangerous drugs from our streets and from the dealers who sell them.”

“The DEA is committed to deploying resources to combat and disrupt the dangerous drug trafficking organizations that have established themselves in the Atlanta area,” said Robert J. Murphy, special agent in charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “We will continue to work vigorously to hold accountable those who smuggle dangerous drugs.”

According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information were presented in court: In 2019, DEA special agents identified a prolific drug trafficker, Kevin Clark, who coordinated multiple narcotics transactions in and around his southwest Atlanta home. Through a subsequent investigation, law enforcement managed to disrupt and eventually dismantle a drug trafficking organization made up of Clark’s supply sources, including Esteban Kidney, Alejandro Elias-Miranda, and Eduardo Gutierrez, and middle-class drug dealers, including Christopher Jones. Christopher Allen and Tierre Freeman. Law enforcement also seized several vehicles, firearms, cash and jewelry that were used in the commission of the crimes or purchased with the proceeds.

Each of the following defendants in the case pleaded guilty to the drug trafficking conspiracy charge and received the following sentences, handed down by U.S. District Judge Michael L. Brown:

• Kevin Clark, 46, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced to seven years, three months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.

• Esteban Niere, a/k/a “Perfecto Neri-Diaz”, 50, of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to drug traffick and was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.

• Eduardo Gutierrez, a/k/a “Santos Campos-Rios”, 43, of Morelia, Mexico, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to drug traffick and was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

• Christopher Jones, 42, of Norcross, Georgia, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release.

• Tierre Freeman, a/k/a “Tierre Ford”, 46, of Stockbridge, Georgia, pleaded guilty to the drug trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by four years of supervised release.

• Christopher Allen, 48, of Austell, Georgia, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced to two years in prison followed by four years of supervised release.

• Lamon Brown, 50, of Jonesboro, Georgia, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced to two years and seven months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

• Alejandro Elias-Miranda, 37, of Toluca, Mexico, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison, followed by eight years of supervised release.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, US Marshals Service and Georgia Bureau of Investigation, with valuable assistance from the Georgia State Patrol, Atlanta Police Department, Gwinnett County Police Department, Henry County Police Department, Douglasville Police Department, Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office, Cartersville Police Department, Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, Covington Police Department, Troup County Sheriff’s Office and Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant US Attorney C. Brock Brockington presided over the case.

This effort is part of an operation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-gathering, multi-agency approach. For more information about the OCDETF program, visit https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

For more information, please contact the US Attorney’s Office of Public Affairs at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The web address of the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.