A 58-year-old Lafayette, La., man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales.
Christopher Omigie, a Nigerian native and naturalized U.S. citizen, pleaded guilty on Oct. 28, 2014 to conspiracy to distribute cocaine was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.
According to information presented in court, Omigie presented himself to drug traffickers as a witch doctor and was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to provide supernatural protection from law enforcement. Omigie was consulted by drug traffickers in the Cesar Barrera and David Bazan drug trafficking organizations on a daily basis and before, during and after each drug transaction.
The supernatural protections rendered involved card readings, massages (by Omigie) with magic ointments, cutting of the skin with razor blades and the topical application of magic powder, the use of magic amulets, magic belts, magic coconuts and magic rocks (that those being treated were required to talk to). Drug traffickers were required by Omigie to go without bathing and intercourse for a period of time following magic treatments so as not to diminish the potency of those ministrations.
Magic “law stay away” candles were also burned in order to protect drug traffickers from law enforcement detection. Omigie would regularly return to Africa, at drug traffickers’ expense, to re-new his supernatural powers. Omigie was indicted by a federal grand jury on Sep. 5, 2013.
Cesar Barrera and David Bazan have since both pleaded guilty to schemes involving the trafficking of more than 1,000 kilograms of cocaine each.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Craft.
