Jose . Texas Sheriff Calls Methamphetamines A 'Clear And Present Danger' After And while they were at it, they grabbed 65 vehicles, nearly 200 animals, and close to . Federal authorities arrested 21 individuals yesterday, including several Central Texans, on federal drug trafficking charges, announced U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff, Drug Enforcement . If convicted, Beck, Penaloza-Calderon, Neely, Hale, Peterson, Loza and Thomas could face from 10 years to life in federal prison based on the amount of methamphetamine involved. In a recent drug bust in Texas, federal and local law enforcement recovered more than a kilogram of cocaine, half a kilogram of methamphetamine, 14 firearms, and nearly $1.6 million in cash during a drug bust in southeast Dallas, Texas. Kayli Marie Guthrie of Temple, 21, is named in an indictment charging possession of a firearm by a convicted felon that alleges she was in possession of a .45 caliber Colt handgun on May 21, 2020 after she was convicted on March 27, 2020 in Bell County of possession of a controlled substance and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. "We still have more targets in our sights," Chavez said. This is a highly addictive drug that can lead to mental illness, increased risk of contracting HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular disease, and more. Barton, who was arrested earlier, faces 10 years to life in prison if convicted. Im just proud of our officers and the work they put together with other agencies We want to make it as difficult as we can for them to get their dope.. The separate but related investigations were conducted by the FBI, Temple Police Department, Killeen Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety Narcotics Division and Drug Enforcement Agency. Federal, state and local officials held a news conference in Punxsutawney Tuesday to announce charges against several area residents allegedly connected . Bobby Quinton Gentile, age 43 of Holland; Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Smith-Burris is prosecuting these cases. If convicted, Barton faces btween 10 years and life in federal prison. In total, nearly 30 pounds of cocaine, half a pound of meth, more than a pound of brown heroin, three ounces of black tar heroin, two ounces of Fentanyl, $330,000 in cash, nine firearms and three . Deputies confiscate $1.3 million worth of heroin and other narcotics in The amount of drugs seized was so large, a hazmat crew from the Houston Police Department were called in to assist.4, Investigators with Homeland Security Investigations conducted what they claimed to be the largest meth seizure in Houstons history. Almost all of our crime is connected to drug trafficking, the Sheriff said during the news conference. The alleged leaders of the drug distribution ring, Jose Maldonado-Ramirez, 33, and his fianc, Iris Amador-Garcia, 30, of Bellflower, California, were arrested October 28, 2021. Four other conspirators were taken into custody last week including: Amado Pedro Castillo, 59, Brooklyn, New York, Fernando Alcides Lopez-Mendez, 37, Los Angeles, CA, Justino Cruz-Victorio, 34, Joshua Tree, CA. Suite 115 In 2011, Lewis was convicted on federal charges of manufacturing counterfeit currency. Major Susan Cotter (@HCSO_Patrol) September 1, 2021 This is no Tenaha PD joke-of-a-bust . The White House did not immediately respond to The Posts request for comment on the matter. (210) 384-7257 U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP . "Unfortunately, methamphetamine is one of the largest threats in North Texas, so we would anticipate that a lot of it was destined for the market here.". Jose Gutierrez, Crigger and Lewis were already in custody prior to yesterday. During this investigation authorities seized approximately four kilograms of cocaine, approximately seven kilograms of methamphetaine and a half a dozen firearms. February 21, 2023. If convicted, Lewis faces up to 10 years in federal prison. All the suspects were charged with drug crimes, with most in connection to a wide-scale trafficking ring in Leon and Gadsden counties. November 11, 2021 / 11:37 AM Updated: Jun 22, 2021 / 11:41 AM . SAN ANTONIO - Three people are in custody and are expected to face federal charges following a drug bust on the North Side, according to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Aware of some of the groups trafficking, law enforcement seized 10 pounds of methamphetamine in a traffic stop on May 16, 2020. 3 arrested in drug bust on North Side - KSAT Joe David Beck, age 50 of Temple; By Tamlyn Cochran. February 27, 2023. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Barton was previously arrested. While meth and cocaine are central nervous system (CNS) stimulants that increase activity in the brain, opioids like heroin reduce nerve activity in the brain, producing a euphoric and calming high. The third federal indictment charges 43-year-old Lori Oliphint of Temple with intent to distribute under 50 grams of methamphetamine on August 19, 2020. According to a release from the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, the Drug Enforcement Admiration arrested 13 people as part of Operation Hartbreak Kid, which was named after the man agents believe to be the lead defendant in the case, 27-year-old Derrick Hart. The U.S. Attorney's Office said both amounts would be the largest seizures of either drug in the U.S. in both 2020 or 2021. . In total, more than 1,930 pounds of meth stuffed into 663 packages were pulled from the vehicle. Unaccompanied minors, they surge the border, Border Patrol officers get fully occupied simply processing, the people coming across the border, he continued. Approximately four kilograms of cocaine, roughly seven kilograms of methamphetamine and half a dozen firearms were seized during the investigation. of Public Safety. All rights reserved. The 18-month investigation revealed the drug trafficking organization was also distributing drugs to locations in the Southeastern United States including Florida, Arkansas and Tennessee. "No doubt, this got his attention. Anthony Gutierrez, Jose Gutierrez, Crigger, Gentile, Sutton and Warrick face between 10 years and life in federal prison upon conviction because the quantity level charged is at least 500 grams. The U.S. One operation began with a street level narcotics seizure. The most recent tally shows they found 6,000 pounds of meth, increasing the street value to about $1 million. (KWTX) - Federal agents swept through Central Texas on Thursday and Friday and arrested 15 area residents named in sealed drug trafficking and firearms indictments, the U.S. Attorney's Office . While officials would not confirm how many people were arrested, they did say they believe the narcotics are from a cartel. During a traffic stop involving a refrigerated tractor-trailer, law enforcement found 1,950 pounds of drugs (worth about $45 million), making it the biggest methamphetamine seizure in North Texas. The 32 kilos of narcotics seized have a street value of $2 million, police said. Amid an 800 percent surge in seizures of fentanyl statewide due to porous borders, Texas will create a new criminal offense for the manufacture or delivery of the drug, the governor has announced. Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America, Report Waste, Fraud, Abuse or Misconduct to the Inspector General, Find Help and Information for Crime Victims, Register, Apply for Permits, or Request Records, Monitor Selection for Corporate Criminal Enforcement, USAO/WDTX Media Relations Sign up and receive email updates on the latest news, events, and more! Greg Abbott said he planned to soon sign a bill that had passed the Texas Senate, as overdose cases on the synthetic opioid spike. 3. BOSTON - Two members of a Cape Cod heroin trafficking ring have been sentenced to 10 years and nine years in prison for their roles in a violent kidnapping captured on video. |, 2020 Drug Enforcement Administration National Drug Threat Assessment, Cocaine, Firearms, $1.6 Million Cash Recovered In Drug Bust, DEAs Dallas office announces seizure of $45 million in meth, heroin its largest bust ever, $1 million meth bust in Liberty County could be biggest one ever in countys history, More than $3.4 million in methamphetamines, other narcotics seized in north Houston, What You Should Know About Drug Metabolism. Drug Bust in Eastland County - Fentanyl and Meth Confiscated Updated: Jan. 6, 2021 at 1:53 PM PST. More than $45 million of methamphetamine has been seized in a drug bust in Texas. By Dave Huddleston, WSB-TV November 19, 2021 at 7:22 pm EST. According to new data provided by the Texas DPS on Thursday, Operation Lone Star has seized 160 pounds of fentanyl within its targeted area. If convicted, Oliphint faces up to 20 years in federal prison. 950 N Federal Highway The operation was conducted by members of the McLennan County Sheriffs Office Organized Crime Unit, the sheriffs offices SWAT, and the Waco Police Departments Drug Enforcement Unit, along with the Texas Dept. It is between 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. We can help! Cory Joe Barton, 35, of Gatesville was named in a separate indictment charging conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine that alleges he possessed at least 500 grams of meth on Nov. 11, 2020. The amount of heroin seized by DEA Field Divisions increased by 30% from 2018 to 2019, with the largest amounts of heroin seized in Texas, California, Arizona, and New York. Chavezs bond was set at $50,000 and and he bonded out on June 9, 2022. 5:18 PM on Jun 11, 2021 CDT. The Biden administrations undoing of former President Donald Trumps border policies has prompted a flood of Central American and Mexican illegal migrants at the US border, including thousands of unescorted children. If you know someone whos addicted to this drug, we offer heroin detox and addiction treatment at Banyan Treatment Centers Texas that can help. Copyright 2022 KWTX. "We take one of these seizures and try to expand the network, try to identify perhaps what other ones have gotten through.". Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( The Waco Texas Anti-Gang (TAG) Unit has been around for a few years here in McLennan County, and since their existence theyve been constantly working to remove drugs out of the area and remove gang members, and make the city and the county a little bit safer, so this just part of the operation they did, said Sgt. Nueces County District Attorney's Criminal Interdiction Unit: 5 major Texas Border Agents Seize $1.6 Million Worth of Drugs Smuggled in Denison police make largest drug bust ever - kxii.com FORT WORTH, Texas Tarrant County authorities have seized more than 1,400 pounds of liquid methamphetamine over the last five weeks, an estimated street value totaling $16 million, officials . Aaron Carter's mother has released graphic photos from the scene of his death as a ploy to motivate law enforcement to investigate the incident further. Oliphint, who was arrested Thursday, faces as much as 20 years in prison if convicted. Members of the ring tried to trade drugs for firearms ones they could transport to Mexico contributing to terrible violence south of the border. Read More. The DEA said the amount seized in Dallas equated to 20 percent of all the meth found in 2020. (Denison Police Dept.) Indictment #1 U.S. v. Gutierrez, et al. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized nearly 200 pounds of illegal drugs and arrested 23 fugitives last week. All rights reserved. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Banyan Texas is a rehab center in Waelder that offers various levels of substance abuse treatment to help people who are suffering from drug addictions and want to recover their sobriety. A major drug bust occurred in Eastland County. One additional defendant was arrested today with 2 pounds of methamphetamine, three rifles, and a shotgun. Last week, it was revealed that the the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's Dallas division had made a major drug bust in October, resulting in more than $45 million worth of methamphetamine being seized. OVer the past two days, federal, state and local authorities arrested 13 of the above defendants. New Zealand police find 3.5 tons of cocaine in Pacific Ocean. 30 pounds of cocaine, $330,000 in cash seized, 27 charged in North According to KNEL, on Apr. India News | Press Trust of India | Wednesday December 21, 2022. Deputies confiscate $1.3 million worth of heroin and other narcotics in major drug bust. Texas couple accused of dealing fentanyl to minors, causing 3 deaths. Law enforcement officers arrested Abel Chavez, Allen Roberts, and Marvin Keith on drug charges after the months-long operation resulted in the seizure of about 38.5 pounds of methamphetamine, 26 ounces of marijuana, nearly $18,000 in suspected drug proceeds, a Glock pistol, and an AR-15 style weapon, the sheriff said. In that time, DPS seized a staggering 95 pounds, enough to administer 21.5 million lethal doses. The east lane of FM 2271 was closed for several hours, and authorities funneled traffic into the west lane of FM 2271 on both sides of the Lake Belton Dam. The indictments were unsealed Friday, April 16, 2021, in Waco. The CPS said that the cocaine has an estimated street value of $878,220. Man charged in record-breaking drug seizure at U.S. border The indictment alleges that on November 11, 2020, he possessed at least 500 grams of methamphetamine. Various people working with law enforcement provided information regarding the drug distribution activities. Fentanyl is a highly addictive synthetic opioid. If convicted, he faces between 10 years and life in federal prison. Drugs Texas DEA Crime. The alleged leaders of the drug distribution ring, Jose Maldonado-Ramirez, 33, and his fianc, Iris Amador-Garcia, 30, of Bellflower, California, were arrested October 28, 2021. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. The agencies within the TAG came together and worked together and were able to find these drugs and get them off the street so McLennan County did great here also working in conjunction with the TAG, and so were just thankful for the work that they did to remove these drugs from getting in childrens hands, or anybody elses hands., Sheriff McNamara said the estimated street value of the methamphetamine seized is in excess of $530,000.