The haul was the largest meth bust in North Texas's history. The remaining defendants face between five years and 40 years in federal prison if convicted because the quantity level charged is at least 50 grams. 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 . Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a27ab7d5bde3e31 After the tractor was referred to a canine and non-intrusive imaging system inspection, 43 packages containing 113.89 pounds of cocaine were found in the trailer. 950 N Federal Highway Liberty County officials were asked to assist in a search warrant led by the DEA out of Houston to seize what they estimated to be $500,000 worth. DEA Takes Down Major Drug Ring in the Heart of Texas. File photo showing packages of methamphetamine crystals. 25 kilograms of meth seized in Cloverleaf area, Texas DPS says. This federal grand jury indictment charges 21-year-old Kayli Marie Guthrie of Temple with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Fifteen local residents --Jose Francisco Gutierrez, 33 of Killeen; Sarah Elizabeth Crigger, 30 of Nolanville; Bobby Quinton Gentile, 43 of Holland; Ashley Nicole Sutton, 31 of Belton; Wesley Warrick, 50 of Cameron; Carlos Avila, 38 of Buckholts; Joe David Beck, 50 of Temple; Lesleigh Arianne Bittner, 33 of Belton; Aleah Freitag, 29 of Rockdale; Kimberly Lee, 26 of Gatesville; Colton Lane Lewis, 30 of Temple; Angela Loy, 32 of Temple; Frank Medina, Jr, 43 of Temple; Timothy Neal Nyquist, 36 of Temple; and Trisha Ann Sanchez, 40 of Temple--are named in indictments alleging they conspired since January 2020 to distribute multiple kilogram quantities of methamphetamine in Bell County and surrounding areas.. Sign up below to receive 10% OFF your entire order! 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. The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland . Lewis is accused of possessing a .380 caliber pistol on December 21, 2021. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Let's put the drug bust into perspective. 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.". WACO, Texas (KWTX) - McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara is praising the work of his deputies and fellow law enforcement officers after an operation - hailed as the biggest meth bust in the history of the McLennan County Sheriffs Office - led to three arrests and the seizure of more than $500,000 in methamphetamine. 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.. Drug and alcohol addiction is a nationwide epidemic, please reach out if you or a loved one is suffering. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Texas ranch of late oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens sells after $80M price cut, Severe weather outbreak produces hurricane-force winds, tornadoes, Cops quit woke Austin in droves, plunging city into crisis: If youre conservative, its a hostile place, High school star of Friday Night Lights fame arrested for allegedly choking ex-wife. Authorities have seized nearly 200 pounds of drugs valued at more than $1.6 million following three separate searches at the Laredo Port of Entry in Texas. Unaccompanied minors, they surge the border, Border Patrol officers get fully occupied simply processing, the people coming across the border, he continued. When drug overdose deaths are nine or fewer per year, the state does not . 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. Copyright 2022 KWTX. Carlos Avila, age 38 of Buckholts; 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. Aleah Freitag, age 29 of Rockdale; Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. Indictment #1 U.S. v. Gutierrez, et al. A total of 50 people were arrested following one of the largest drug busts in south Texas in recent years, according to Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery and Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of . A locked padlock Lori Oliphint, 43, of Temple was named in an indictment charging possession with intent to distribute less than 50 grams of methamphetamine. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. In the home, law enforcement found five gallon-sized plastic bags filled with drugs, which were stashed in the master bedroom along with other smaller-sized plastic baggies of assorted colors. 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. 27, law enforcement officers with the Drug Enforcement Agency, Texas Rangers, Texas Department of Public Safety, Brady . 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. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said its Dallas division made the biggest . Later that evening, officers encountered a daily express consignment truck hauling a shipment of vinyl samples arriving from Mexico. Its clear that Bidens open border policies are unleashing deadly consequences right here in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Abbott told the room of reporters. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Smith-Burris will be prosecuting the cases. Timothy Neal Nyquist, age 36 of Temple; and "We continue to seize these large amounts of drugs, and what we want our constituents to know and the good citizens of Tarrant County to know [is that] this is a clear and present danger to us until we continue this fight," said Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn. The GBI said they seized more than 38 kilograms of methamphetamine worth about $530,000, marijuana, illicit pharmaceuticals, 11 firearms, 34 vehicles bought with money from drug proceeds, and . The indictments were unsealed Friday, April 16, 2021, in Waco. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 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. March 27, 2021 3:10 PM in News. If convicted, Anthony Gutierrez, Jose Gutierrez, Crigger, Gentile, Sutton and Warrick face between 10 years and life in federal prison because the quantity level charged is at least 500 grams. Operation No Warning began in June 2020, according to FDLE . The seizure totaled out to $3.4 million of meth. 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 indictment alleges that on December 21, 2020, Lewis possessed a .380 caliber pistol. The 34-year-old singer was found dead in his bathtub in November 2022. This story has been shared 144,036 times. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. The men are currently being held on $250,000 bonds each. The indictments also named Anthony Gutierrez, aka Cuzzo, 34 of San Juan in Hidalgo County. If youve heard of heroin but dont know what it is, its a powerful opioid that works differently from meth or cocaine. It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. According to records filed in the case, the investigation began in February 2020. 4 men arrested after DPS troopers announce fentanyl bust in NW Houston. Corporate Headquarters: Investigators did not reveal the name or location of the business or say where the alleged meth lab was located. 5:18 PM on Jun 11, 2021 CDT. During the investigation that led to the indictments, authorities seized about four kilograms of cocaine, seven kilograms of methamphetamine, and a half dozen firearms. The first indictment charges 16 Central Texans with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Click to reveal SAN ANTONIO - Six people are in custody, two of which are being held in a federal facility, following a drug bust on the North Side, according to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. Stimulant abuse involving cocaine and meth has also remained high. Agents at eight . ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) . The bust . Nhan Thanh Vo, 38, was charged with one federal count of . usatxw.mediainquiry@usdoj.gov. First published on November 11, 2021 / 11:37 AM. February 21, 2023. (KELO) -A major drug bust Tuesday night in Sioux Falls involving potentially dozens of deadly doses of fentanyl. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. The first indictment charges 16 Central Texans with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Below is a list of recent Texas drug busts that have seized record amounts of drugs. Homeland Security said the bust was part of a joint operation that included the DEA, ATF, Houston police and fire, Texas DPS and Harris County Pct. Central Americans looking for refuge from the Northern Triangle countries Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras have taken these policy moves, as well as the overwhelmingly more welcoming tone from Democrats, as a sign that Biden is inviting them to cross the border. Oliphint was arrested Thursday, April 15, 2021. So glad to get that off the street.. The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Seattle Field Division (SFD) Tacoma Resident Office (TRO) and Bremerton Police Department (BPD), with assistance from Tahoma Narcotics Enforcement (TNET); the Seattle, Puyallup, Auburn, Federal Way, Kent, Bonney Lake, Tacoma, and Lakewood Police Departments; the Pierce County Sheriffs Office; Washington State Department of Corrections; Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET): Centralia and Chehalis Police Departments; Valley Narcotics Enforcement Team (VNET); and Washington State Patrol; Thurston Narcotics Team (TNT), Kitsap County Sheriffs Office, and Mason County Sheriffs Office; United States Postal Inspections Service (USPIS), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) with support from Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas ( HIDTA). Officials say after getting a search warrant some 393 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine was found inside. The drugs are estimated to have a street value of $397,120. If convicted, Lewis faces up to 10 years in federal prison. Wesley Warrick, age 50 of Cameron; SIOUX FALLS, S.D. Eight additional firearms were seized at search locations in Washington and California. This is a highly addictive drug that can lead to mental illness, increased risk of contracting HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular disease, and more. US Customs and Border Protection reported a 1,066% increase in the amount of fentanyl seized in fiscal year 2021 in south Texas, the agency said this week in a press release . . During a search of the residence where Iris Amador-Garcia was living with her brother and co-conspirator, Mario Amador-Garcia, 31, and co-conspirator, Bayron Eberto . 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. Chavez is charged with manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance (penalty group 1) over 400 grams, a first-degree felony. The others face between five years and 40 years in federal prison if convicted because the quantity level charged is at least 50 grams. 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. According to this CBS News report, law enforcement officials busted the perps with nearly 375,000 marijuana plants, plus over 30,000 pounds of weed that was already harvested. The investigation began in June when law enforcement was tipped off about drug dealers operating out of a home in South Acres Drive in Dallas, TX. The FBI, Temple Police Department, Killeen Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety Narcotics Division and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted this investigation. Aware of some of the groups trafficking, law enforcement seized 10 pounds of methamphetamine in a traffic stop on May 16, 2020. It is unseen to the general public, but importantly, this unseen thing coming across the border is deadly dangerous, Abbott explained, referring to the drug. A seizure like this, he most likely got a phone call," Chavez said. Read More. Authorities arrested Lewis earlier today. The haul was so big that other agencies like the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Houston; Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Houston; Harris County Constables Office Precinct 1; Harris County Constables Office Precinct 3; Texas Department of Public Safety; Houston Fire Department; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and the Houston Police Department participated in the operation.5. Your IP: of Public Safety. 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. "[This] city-wide, cooperative law enforcement efforts to disrupt the methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking in our city was a tremendous success," Chavez said at the time. Showing 1 - 10 of 10953 results. It happened this week at . They are buying a death sentence, Abbott said. By Tamlyn Cochran. By KXII Staff. In the fourth federal grand jury indictment, 21-year-old Kayli Marie Guthrie of Temple is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The DEA has been contacted for further comment. We've received your submission. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized nearly 200 pounds of illegal drugs and arrested 23 fugitives last week. Washington, D.C. Man Convicted After Nine-Day Trial for Use of a Firearm in Connection with a Murder and a Robbery, and for a Drug Distribution Conspiracy. Posted on March 2, 2023 by Constitutional Nobody. 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. The DEA said more than 1,930 pounds of meth were found stuffed into 663 packages in a hidden compartment of an 18-wheeler off Interstate 35 in Denton County. We can help! These indictments are an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. Denison police make largest drug bust ever. Agents swarmed a house at around 7 a.m. Thursday on FM 2271 just north of the Miller Springs Nature Center on the edge of Lake Belton in Temple, as part of the enforcement action. Trisha Ann Sanchez, age 40 of Temple. This story has been shared 168,313 times. The White House did not immediately respond to The Posts request for comment on the matter. Lewis was arrested on Friday, April 16, 2021. The giant haul had been divided into 633 packages that were stashed in a hidden compartment, each of which would have been repackaged for distribution in Texas, Chicago, St. Louis, and Atlanta. The Texas-Mexico border has been a hub for drug trafficking for years. Sheriff's say after an investigation and surveillance they located a lab where liquid meth was being converted into crystal meth. "It's a staggering amount to be seized at one time," Eduardo Chavez, the special agent in charge for DEA Dallas, told local TV station WFAA. Ryan Howard, spokesman for DPS. Today, law enforcement made additional arrests of the distribution network: Angelique Marie Easton, 51, Bremerton, WA, Douglas Bryan Healer, 47, Port Orchard, WA. Screenshot from Bexar County Sheriff video. Press contact for the U.S. Attorneys Office is Communications Director Emily Langlie at (206) 553-4110 or Emily.Langlie@usdoj.gov. Authorities arrested Oliphint yesterday. AUSTIN (KXAN) More than 20 people from in and around Austin were arrested Thursday on federal drug trafficking charges, according to the Department of Justice. Authorities arrested Oliphint yesterday. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Todays successful operation should give members of the community a level of comfort in knowing these violent offenders, who live and walk among us, wont be putting their lives in danger any longer., These warrants represent the continued efforts of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI) to ensure the safety of our communities, said IRS:CI acting Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes. In total, more than 1,930 pounds of meth stuffed into 663 packages were pulled from the vehicle. Texas couple accused of dealing fentanyl to minors, causing 3 deaths. Kimberly Lee, age 26 of Gatesville; Jose Gutierrez, Crigger and Lewis were already in custody prior to yesterday. 0:55. Please enter valid email address to continue. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, Anthony Gutierrez, aka Cuzzo, age 34 of San Juan, Jose Francisco Gutierrez, age 33 of Killeen, Sarah Elizabeth Crigger, age 30 of Nolanville, Lesleigh Arianne Bittner, age 33 of Belton. All the suspects were charged with drug crimes, with most in connection to a wide-scale trafficking ring in Leon and Gadsden counties. "The Yellow Rose of Texas is safer today as we bring justice to those drug traffickers who want to poison our communities and profit from those who struggle with addiction. It was at that location where officials say they found more than 190 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine, and nearly 60 kilograms of crystal meth. Additionally, on August 17, 2021, law enforcement seized 22 pounds of methamphetamine that conspirators attempted to mail to Fiji. Heroin is one of the many opioids that have contributed to the increasing rate of drug overdose deaths in the U.S. "They were like sausage links.". An official website of the United States government. Angela Loy, age 32 of Temple; 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Note: Internet Explorer has problems displaying the following charts. Deputies confiscate $1.3 million worth of heroin and other narcotics in major drug bust. Sign up and receive email updates on the latest news, events, and more! The Dallas division of the DEA has made the largest methamphetamine seizure in North Texas. "Investigators believe the seizure is the . This story has been shared 154,083 times. BRADY, TX - U.S. Authorities believe the drugs may have come from the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, or CJNG. Fentanyl is a highly addictive synthetic opioid. Young, unsuspecting Texans are buying drugs that are laced with fentanyl. Another 44 pounds of meth were seized in a stop on April 2, 2021, and 83 pounds of methamphetamine and 20,000 fentanyl pills were seized in a traffic stop on September 28, 2021. Barton, who was arrested earlier, faces 10 years to life in prison if convicted. The most recent tally shows they found 6,000 pounds of meth, increasing the street value to about $1 million. Twenty Central Texans are facing federal drug trafficking and firearms charges stemming from five separate, but related, federal grand jury indictments. The six indictments, returned by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on August 24, 2021,were unsealed today (August 31, 2021). Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. In May 2021, authorities seized 1,789 pounds of meth in north Houston, as well as large quantities of other narcotics, during an investigation near North Shepherd and I-45 in north Houston. 2023 Banyan Treatment Centers. Biggest bust: More than $500K in meth off Central Texas streets, Assistant district attorney from Williamson County suspended after DWI wreck in Hewitt, New non-profit coming to Bell County in fight against homelessness, Change was like night and day: Mother testifies in retrial of ex-Waco day care owner charged in childs overdose death, Impacts of four-day week on school support staff. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. If convicted, Oliphint faces up to 20 years in federal prison. 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. . According to the indictment, Guthrie was convicted on March 27, 2020, in Bell County, for possession of a controlled substance less than one gram and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. A major drug bust occurred in Eastland County. The 32 kilos of narcotics seized have a street value of $2 million, police said. ", Chavez added: "I see a lot of lives saved when we can stack up kilograms of drugs like this on a table. Barton is accused of possessing at least 500 grams of methamphetamine on November 11, 2020. 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.