U.S. Department of Justice

United States Attorney
District of Kansas

District of Kansas

www.justice.gov/usao/ks

For Immediate Release

September 19, 2012

Federal Drug, Gun Charges Filed Against Former Topeka Correctional Employee

TOPEKA, KAN. – A former employee of the Topeka Correctional Facility has been indicted on federal charges of drug trafficking and firearms violations, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.

Anastacio D. Gallardo, 33, Topeka, Kan., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Aug. 8, 2012, in Topeka.

Gallardo, who formerly taught classes on plumbing at the Topeka Correctional Facility, was convicted in 2008 in Shawnee County District Court on two felony counts of trafficking in contraband in a penal institution and one felony count of unlawful sexual relations with an inmate.

If convicted on the federal charges, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison and a fine up to $2 million on the methamphetamine charge, a penalty of not less than five years and not more than life and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of carrying a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of unlawful possession of a firearm.

The Topeka Police Department and the ATF investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Hendershot is prosecuting.

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.

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