FORT WORTH -- A River Oaks woman who said she was a heroin addict but not a drug trafficker has been convicted in federal court of participating in a heroin distribution ring with connections to the Bandidos motorcycle gang.

Dorothy Frazier Wiseman, 57, was found guilty Tuesday by a jury in U.S. District Judge Terry Means' court.

The jury deliberated 30 minutes before convicting Wiseman on a charge of conspiring to possess heroin with intent to distribute it, according to a news release from the U.S. attorney's office. The maximum sentence on the charge is 30 years in prison and $1 million in fines. Sentencing was set for Jan. 28.

A two-day trial included testimony from the daughter and the girlfriend of John Pena Medellin, also known as Papa John or Uncle John, according to Wiseman's attorney, Andrew Ottaway of Granbury.

Authorities say Medellin is the ringleader for whom Wiseman and others worked.

"Our defense was that all she is is a user and she just buys for herself and her husband and brother," Ottaway said. "They're all heroin addicts. The jury didn't believe us."

Medellin's organization sold black tar heroin in the area from 2009 until 2011, according to federal court records. Medellin was arrested at his home on Ben Day Murrin Road in Benbrook on Sept. 27 and awaits trial on federal charges.

The news release said that Wiseman was among 28 defendants arrested in what was described as a "large-scale roundup of members and affiliates of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club." All have been convicted except Medellin.

The case was investigated by a task force including Fort Worth police officers, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI and other agents.

In a sworn statement submitted in federal court, Fort Worth police officer Perry Moore -- who was working with the DEA -- said the Medellin group distributed "large quantities" of black tar in the Fort Worth area. One informant told authorities that he collected more than $12,000 a week by delivering heroin to several distributors. The informant said he then turned the money over to Medellin in exchange for food and lodging in the Benbrook home.

Ottaway said Wiseman was a longtime addict who weighed only 75 pounds when she was arrested. He said she has since withdrawn from heroin and has gained 40 pounds while awaiting trial.

Ottaway said the two women connected with Medellin testified that they would go to Wiseman to buy heroin when they ran short. "Everybody knew Dorothy because she'd been around for too long," he said. "She was just an addict, and she never profited from any of this but just knew too much."

He said Wiseman, her brother and husband were not part of the Bandidos or the drug gang.

Dianna Hunt, 817-390-7084

Twitter: @DiannaHunt

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