Chem supply company busted

[Pinkavvy]

Operators of Chemical Supply Company Sentenced in Scheme to Distribute Chemicals Used to Manufacture Methamphetamine
Defendants Sold Thousands of Pounds of Chemicals that Would be Used to Manufacture Methamphetamine

OAKLAND – United States Attorney Kevin V. Ryan announced that David Conkey, 62, and Carol Conkey, 60, both of San Ramon, California, were sentenced today for their role in distributing chemicals that they had reasonable cause to believe would be used to manufacture methamphetamine. Senior U.S. District Judge D. Lowell Jensen sentenced Mr. Conkey to 1 year in prison and 3 years of supervised release. Ms. Conkey was sentenced to three years of probation. These sentences are the result of an investigation by agents of the California Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, DEA, IRS, and the Concord Police Department.

Mr. and Ms. Conkey were convicted for operating Alpha Chemical Supply, which from 1992 to 2001, distributed thousands of pounds of hydriodic acid, red phosphorous, and iodine. The jury found that Mr. and Ms. Conkey knew or had reasonable cause to believe that the chemicals would be used to manufacture methamphetamine.

“ Unfortunately, the ingredients required to make methamphetamine is not a secret. Regrettably, these individuals knew the ingredients and sold them to drug dealers, who in return used them to a make a toxic drug which has proven to be deadly. Their role in this horrible cycle cannot be denied, and today justice was served,” stated DEA Special Agent in Charge Javier F. Peña.

This conviction is one in a series of civil and criminal charges brought against chemical supply companies in Northern California for selling chemicals and/or equipment knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that the items would be used to manufacture controlled substances. The other companies include Custom Laboratory Supply, CFRI (Chemicals for Research and Industry), and All Discount Laboratory Supply. Custom Laboratory Supply was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, and the defendants received sentences between ten and twenty four years. The defendants associated with All Discount Laboratory Supply were convicted for possessing and distributing chemicals and equipment that they had reasonable cause to believe would be used to manufacture over 80 tons of methamphetamine.

On March 22, 2005, David Conkey was convicted of the following counts:

2 counts of conspiracy to distribute iodine and red phosphorous knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that it will be used to manufacture methamphetamine;
1 count of possession and distribution of iodine knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that it will be used to manufacture methamphetamine; and
1 count of money laundering.
Also on March 22, 2005, Carol Conkey was convicted of the following counts:

2 counts of conspiracy to distribute iodine and red phosphorous knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that it will be used to manufacture methamphetamine;
8 counts of possession and distribution of red phosphorous and iodine knowing, intending, or having reasonable cause to believe that it will be used to manufacture methamphetamine.
Mr. and Ms. Conkey were indicted by a federal grand jury in a superseding indictment on August 12, 2004.

http://www.dea.gov/pubs/states/newsrel/sanfran010606p.html

[DrugPhreak]

I wonder how much talking the owners of Alpha Chemical Supply did to receive such a sentence.

[glorf]

the indictment is interesting reading:

http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/can/press/...onkey_sind.pdf

[old hippie 56]

I would bet that the chemists that purchased from them are worried.

[Sitbcknchill]

That was a light ass sentence....lucky bastards...wonder who the lawyer was....

[Pinkavvy]

Swim thinks that there are a couple factors involved in that sentence.... 1st, their age; 2nd, they probably had to plea down; and 3rd if you read the indictment, they talked to the DEA pretty often.

[Sitbcknchill]

They talked to the dea but usually they would not comply with the requests....as for age I wouldn't really think that makes much of a difference when it comes to meth busts....they seem to rate that about as bad as murder these days.....but yeah they must have talked finally, prolly gave names, addresses and such to get them off....

[mick mouse]

There is a certain supply house in london that SWM has done business with several times, right up to the point where his house was surrounded by various law enforcement agencies. Chris Smythe, An England drug cop (don't exactly know what you call them over there) obtained the customer list, gave it to Doug Coleman-Washington DEA,who then distributed it to various task forces at a conference in Ohio 1 1/2 years ago. In Arizona, its the HIDTA task force, headed by Tracy McBride. In SWIM's case, it was RP-100 grams at a time. Interestingly enough, the supply house was "allowed" to remain open for business. Kind of makes you wonder.....Anyway, the HIDTA task force is somewhat stupid, unless they find an active process, they will make mistakes that can be exploited. As of todays date, it has been 1 year and 12 days since SWIMS experience, charges have been downgraded a couple of times, attornies come and go, yadda, yadda, yadda. Trial is scheduled for September. SWIM has utmost confidence in the outcome, because Tracy McBride and crew are morons! Everything that was found at SWIM's house was legal to possess, as long as there was nothing to tie it all together. After violating the rights of SWIM and his family on several occasions, they claim to have found 1(!) coffee filter, that had RP, iodine, and meth on it. This is what their case is built on! Now, SWIM found a paper on the bottom of his shoe on day that said if you combine RP and iodine, you get Hydriotic acic. Seems to me that any coffee filter would dissolve under those kind of conditions. The paper also said that iodine decomposes when exposed to light and air, kind of strange that it will just sit around on a coffee filter for an extended period of time and disobey the laws of chemistry. Bad HI! Note to noobies. It really isn't worth it. Just go to Dude and make the purchase, let someone else have the headaches! That said, you really haven't lived until you have defeated the drug companies, the process went smooth as butter, the odor of cat piss fills the air, and you see the Dragon! SWIM certainly has learned his lesson, though. On to bigger and better things!

[Beeker]

Just know man ... Karma ... So many lives ending in madness for money.

It's not funny when you watch your old High School buddy throw away his wife and son on a run away train ending at 28 outside a hospital in Texas.

Pretty much right here is where I draw the line when it comes to these subjects. I can't stand people who can rationalize making money knowing the end results on humanity.

Miss you Matt..