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Site Map "WELCOME TO TERRORLAND" APPENDIX |
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`Retired insurance executive' Wally Hilliard, who purchased a fleet of 30-40 planes after retiring to Florida, including several Lear jets like this one. DEA affidavit on the biggest seizure of heroin in central Florida history, found on Hilliard's Lear jet. STATE OF FLORIDA, COUNTY OF ORANGE CASE NO. 00-3098 AFFIDAVIT 1. I am a Special Agent (SA) with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). I have been so employed since February 1997. Prior to my appointment as a SA, I was a Task Force Agent (TFA) with DEA from October 1990 to 1997. I was a Deputy Sheriff with the Seminole County Sheriff's Office from 1982 to 1997. My duties include investigation of violations of federal criminal drug ___ and the collection of evidence related to such investigations. 2. The information and evidence in this affidavit was gathered through my personal investigation and observations and the observations of other law enforcement agents. 3. Between July 16, and July 25, 2000, a cooperating source (CS) had a series of telephone conversations at my direction. As a result of those conversations, the CS told me that an aircraft would be able to meet him at the Orlando Executive Airport (OEA) with approximately five kilograms of heroin. The CS was to pay $40,000 from a prior heroin debt during the delivery of the 5 kilograms of heroin. 4. On July 25, 2000, I accompanied the CS to the DEA. At approximately 7:10 p.m., an aircraft approached DEA. The aircraft landed and proceeded to the Executive Air Center (EAC). The CS identified EDGAR JAVIER VALLES and NEYRA RIVAS as they were leaving the aircraft as individuals who had delivered heroin to him in similar fashion on three separate prior occasions. Both individuals had luggage in their possession. They were detained as they approached the building at the EAC. 5. The luggage in possession of these individuals was searched at my direction. In the luggage were located certain forms of foot apparel which were similar to those previously associated with the CS and which each contained approximately one quarter to one half kilogram of heroin. I directed that one of the items be opened. Inside the item was a quantity of a white substance which appeared to be heroin and which field tested positive for heroin. The luggage which was taken off the aircraft contained approximately five kilograms of heroin. 6. The aircraft in which these individuals had traveled to Orlando is a white Lear Jet Model 35 with identification number N351WB on its tail assembly. The air crew, consisting of a pilot, copilot and flight attendant, and one other passenger were interviewed at the scene. These individuals stated that the Lear jet is a charter aircraft which had picked up the passengers in Caracas, Venezuela earlier on July 25, 2000. The jet was then flown to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and then to Orlando. 7. After RIVAS and VALLES-DIAZ were taken into custody, agents and uniformed officers approached the Lear Jet. As agents approached the aircraft DIEGO LEVINE-TEXAR, the pilot of the aircraft, frantically attempted to make a telephone call using a cellular telephone. LEVINE-TEXAR ignored agents and police officers who repeatedly ordered him to drop the telephone. Agents had to physically remove the telephone from LEVINE-TEXAR's hands. Agents then secured the remaining individuals on the aircraft. Based on my experience I know that narcotics traffickers and their associates maintain frequent contact with each other while transporting narcotics and currency. I believe that LEVINE-TEXAR attempted to contact other accomplices as to the presence of agents and other law enforcement officials. 8. DEA SA Rob Patterson interviewed LEVINE-TEXAR, who stated that he has known VALLES-DIAZ for approximately 9 months. He has flown VALLES-DIAZ to New York and Fort Lauderdale from Venezuela approximately 30 times during that time. LEVINE-TEXAR said that he and his company were paid a total of $500,000 for those trips and that he was going to be paid $50,000 for the current trip after arriving in Orlando. 9. DEA SA Steve Collins interviewed VALLES-DIAZ. VALLES-DIAZ told agents that he has known LEVINE-TEXAR for approximateloy 15 years. VALLES-DIAZ told agents that LEVINE-TEXAR has flown him to New York numerous times. VALLES-DIAZ told agents that LEVINE-TEXAR was introduced to VALLES-DIAZ' sources for heroin supply in Venezuela. According to VALLES-DIAZ, he told LEVINE-TEXAR that they were involved in the meat business. 10. On July 25, 2000 DEA TFA Burlin Webster interviewed NEYRA RIVAS. She told TFA Webster that she had accompanied VALLES-DIAZ from Venezuela to the United States to assist in the distribution of heroin. 11. On July 25, 2000 a search warrant was obtained for the aircraft. A search of the aircraft and its contents revealed approximately 8 additional kilograms of heroin hidden in several pairs of shoes and sandals stored in three separate suitcases. 12. LEVINE-TEXAR told U.S. Customs SA Tony Howell that he was introduced by VALLES-DIAZ to Ramon Cacho. LEVINE-TEXAR said that Cacho was VALLES-DIAZ' business-associate from Puerto Rico. LEVINE-TEXAR said that VALLES-DIAZ and Cacho hired him to fly routes from Caracas, Venezuela, to Puerto Ayacucho, Provo, Turk Caico, Ft. Lauderdale, and New Jersey and return. Hilliard's partners in American Jet Charters included the pilot, suspected by the DEA of being involved but never charged, as well as a Venezuelan currently incarcerated. Hilliard's Lear jet was supplied to him by the same source that years earlier supplied a Lear to the man called the "biggest drug smuggler in American history," Barry Seal. Aviation crime. Notice of seizure of Hilliard's Lear. (top.) Another Lear jet flown to Naples by Hilliard's chief pilot was suspected of having been stolen in Canada. In business with the CIA? Hilliard owns jets worth tens of millions with a Miami man, Mark Shubin, who was a CIA U-2 pilot over Russia. UN planes? The registration numbers of several of Hilliard and Shubin's planes end in UN, an unusual designation informed aviation observers have never seen before. "Its in the pouch." The UN designation for this $30 million plane owned by Shubin and Hilliard may have something to do with another of Shubin's companies: "International Diplomatic Courier Services, Inc." |