INDIANAPOLIS — A federal judge has directed the court-appointed attorney for a former Columbus resident who authorities say had ties to the Sinaloa Cartel to meet with her client and report back to the court while the judge weighs her request to stop representing him.
U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II issued the instructions on Thursday to Indianapolis attorney Doneaka Rucker-Brooks, who is representing former Columbus resident Abel Ayala-Garcia, during an attorney-only telephone conference, according to filings in U.S. District Court in Indianapolis.
Rucker-Brooks had requested the conference after “certain issues arose that necessitate further discussion and clarification” during a May 20 hearing to determine whether Ayala-Garcia was aware that federal prosecutors had offered him a plea deal, according to court filings.
During the hearing, Ayala-Garcia “acknowledged his receipt and understanding of the tendered plea agreement” but “no change of plea was made.” The same day as the hearing, Rucker-Brooks filed a motion to stop representing Ayala-Garcia, telling the judge that “there has been a breakdown in attorney-client communication.”
The motion does not describe the nature of the communication breakdown, but Ayala-Garcia had sent the court a document on his own behalf earlier this month despite being represented by an attorney.
The document was forwarded unread to his attorney, who was instructed to “remind her client that he should not send letters/documents directly to the court,” court filings state. The contents of the document have not been publicly disclosed.
“A discussion was held regarding the pending motion (to stop representing Ayala-Garcia),” Sweeney stated in a court filing on Thursday. “…Ms. Rucker-Brooks is directed to meet with the defendant and provide the court with a status update.”
Ayala-Garcia is one of more than a dozen people who authorities say were part of a drug trafficking network that used a number of couriers and mailing companies to transport methamphetamine and other substances from the U.S.-Mexico border to Indianapolis.
From there, the drugs were handed off to other individuals to distribute in other areas of central and southern Indiana, including Bartholomew and Jackson counties.
Drug Enforcement Administration officials told The Republic last year that the members of the drug trafficking ring were “some of the biggest suppliers” of drugs in Bartholomew and Jackson counties — including methamphetamine and fentanyl — and had ties to the Sinaloa Cartel, which experts say controls a wholesale distribution network in the U.S. and elsewhere to get drugs into the hands of local street dealers.
Ayala-Garcia has been charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. He is facing 10 years to life in prison if convicted.
Several other local residents were arrested and have faced similar charges over their roles in the drug trafficking network, including Claudio García-Morales of Columbus, Víctor Vázquez-Hernández of Seymour, Allison Perdue of Seymour; and Erlin Lucero-Asencio, who was listed as an Indianapolis resident at the time of his arrest but has a criminal history in Columbus.
García-Morales was sentenced to 10 years, seven months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, including 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Vázquez-Hernández was sentenced to 10 years, seven months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Perdue is scheduled to be sentenced July 9.
Lucero-Asencio, for his part, recently requested a new attorney, rejected a plea deal from federal prosecutors and “chose to proceed to trial.” The trial is scheduled to start Aug. 26.
