AUTHORITIES SAY CHARGES SIGNAL DEATH OF DRUG RING

NEW PORT RICHEY - With four more people charged, authorities announce
the demise of an east Pasco County drug ring.

The wife and three brothers of a Sebring man convicted earlier this
year of drug and murder charges are now accused of having active roles
in a methamphetamine-marijuana ring based in Dade
City.

A federal grand jury delivered indictments Tuesday against Marilyn
Clemente, 37, and Rudy Clemente, 22, both of Sebring, and Adam
Clemente, 23, and Ramiro Clemente, 26, both of Dade City.

The four are charged with conspiracy to possess, possession with
intent to distribute, and distribution of methamphetamine.

Ramiro Clemente was already in a Hillsborough County jail on a
carjacking charge, Marilyn and Rudy Clemente were arrested in Sebring,
and Adam Clemente remained at large, authorities said.

Pasco County Sheriff Lee Cannon announced the arrests Tuesday at the
department's New Port Richey headquarters, praising the efforts of his
detectives and those from the Tampa and Sebring police
departments.

The three-year investigation, dubbed ``Operation Crankville,'' also
involved the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, U.S. attorney's
office and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

In addition to Tuesday's arrests, roughly 30 others have been charged
or convicted for involvement in the ring, which was responsible for
putting at least 1,000 pounds of methamphetamine, or ``crank,'' and
another 5,000 pounds of marijuana on the streets, Cannon said.

``Has crank been eliminated from the streets? No, I won't tell you
that,'' Cannon said. ``Has a significant impact been made against
crank? Yes.''

The investigation started with a tip passed on from a Tampa detective
to a multiagency drug task force, said Vincent Mazzilli, special agent
in charge of the Miami Field Division of the DEA.

From there, Cannon said, a series of small drug buys by undercover
detectives eventually led authorities to the top of the ring, led by
Louis Clemente, 25.

Clemente received three life sentences Friday from U.S. District Judge
Richard Lazzara.

Clemente pleaded guilty in February to charges relating to the
methamphetamine ring and the February 1998 murders of Wauchula
brothers Omar and Jesus Sanchez.

Authorities say Clemente owed the brothers $35,000 for two pounds of
methamphetamine they sold to Clemente, who, according to authorities,
admitted he arranged for the two men to be killed when he was unable
to pay the bill.

The brothers were shot in Sebring and buried in a Highlands County
orange grove, where their bodies were discovered three months later.

Two men accused of shooting the Sanchez brothers - Cesar Lynch-Mayo
and Willie Hernandez-Miranda - remain at large.

Hector Duran, Louis Clemente's uncle, was also charged in the murders.
Duran was sentenced in March to 14 years in prison for his role.