Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda J. Klopf prosecuted the case. They were discovered hidden in a truck delivering medical supplies from Mexico. NEW YORK, NY FEBRUARY 04: A sign is posted outside the Metropolitan Detention Center on February 4, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. "An extensive search of the vehicle disclosed a natural void located within the vehicle that had been converted into a compartment to transport contraband," the task force said. Did you encounter any technical issues? Inside the Doritos bag in his vehicle, authorities found 1.5 kilos of meth and about 500 grams of heroin, the affidavit states. . He utilized a large distribution network that ranged from Western Kentucky to Northwest Mississippi. In order to complete its mission, the division has original jurisdiction in opening cases involving illegal drugs and at any time could have more than 600 active cases. The defendants appeared Tuesday in federal court in Knoxville. Knoxville FBI Special Agent in Charge Rick Lambert said, "Drug trafficking enterprises are responsible for as much as 80% of the crime in many communities ranging from street corner narcotics. The Governors Task Force on Marijuana Eradication (GTFME) was created by Executive Order No. In addition, TBI Agents participate in a variety of collaborative efforts to address the drug issues in Tennessee. The arrests are touted as the result of a multi-agency investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Columbia Police Department, the Hohenwald Police Department, the Spring Hill Police Department, and the Williamson County Sheriffs Department. The motto of the Tennessee Dangerous Drugs Task Force continues to be Protect, Enforce, and Educate., The Tennessee Alliance for Drug-Endangered Children(TADEC) is comprised offederal, local, and state agencies who share a goal to prevent drug-related harm to children and rescue, shelter, and support Tennessees children who suffer physical and psychological harm caused by the manufacture, distribution, sale, and abuse ofprescription drugs and alcohol.. The drugs in that bust were seized at the Otay Mesa port of entry to San Diego. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Protecting children by combating the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes. The night of Jan. 9, Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers tried to pull Seals over in Hamilton County on Highway 27. CLINTON, Tenn. (WVLT) - Multiple agencies including the Anderson County Sheriff's Office, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the Smoky Mountain Fugitive Task Force completed an investigation that ended in the arrests of several drug trafficking suspects. A locked padlock Someone whos responsible for this quantity of drugs is someone who is very, very trusted by the cartels, Bodner said. The Jefferson City Police Department Aggressive Criminal Enforcement unit has ended a lengthy undercover operation that resulted in 31 Jefferson County grand jury indictments for the sale and. By ClarksvilleNow.com January 28, 2020 12:47 pm. In 2021, the TBI investigated 131 cases. There are currently six DID Special Agents dedicated to combating prescription drug diversion and are stationed throughout the state. Hardin County Government - Hardin County, Tennessee - Official . The massive operation was led by 29-year-old Humberto Morales of Tennessee who has been incarcerated at the Tennessee State Prison since 2014. In one incident, the organization kidnapped a woman who lost drug proceeds and used a hatchet to chop off one of her hands, before leaving her lying on the street, the DOJ said. All four charges for possession with intent are classified as felonies. He added that treatment options for addicts and people struggling have been limited due to restrictions in place because of the coronavirus. The organization allegedly has ties to MS-13, Sur-13 and a host of other street gangs that distributed thousands of illegal narcotics, according to the DOJ. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Criminal enterprises that distribute harmful drugs into West Tennessee can no longer hide. U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Tennessee, Kilos of Heroin, Fentanyl & Cocaine Distributed in the Nashville Area, Lengthy Prison Sentences For Three Nashville Drug Dealers, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Last Of Gangster Disciples Sentenced In Racketeering & Drug Trafficking Conspiracy, Nashville Trio Facing Federal Human Trafficking & Drug Distribution Charges, Mid-State Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Distribution And Firearms Charges. It just wouldnt happen. Convictions for third and subsequent possessions are class E felonies, and they will land you one to six years in prison, a fine of up to $3,000, or both. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. WBBJ 7 Eyewitness . Updated April 24, 2020 2:19 PM. In response to the threat of overdose to law enforcement and lab personnel, the TBI has issued its agents Narcan dispensers for emergency use to assist in the lifesaving efforts of personnel and public. If youve been charged with drug possession, you face serious repercussions if you are convicted. The increase of heroin abuse has created an epidemic rate increase of overdoses and deaths. Main Office: Authorities find 3,100 pounds of meth and other drugs hidden in truckload of medical supplies, These two seizures are more than enough to provide a dose of meth, for every man, woman, and child in the United States and Mexico. Federal officials say late Monday and early Tuesday they served a search warrant on a "stash house" in Conyers, Ga., that Magana had frequently visited. First and second convictions for drug possession are a class A misdemeanor and the penalties include a jail term of up to one year, a fine of up to $2,500, or both. An additional 8 individuals were charged in separate indictments throughout March, according to the DOJ. WASHINGTON COUNTY -- More than $400,000 worth of illegal drugs and $250,000 cash were seized in a major drug bust in Washington County, part of a 20-month investigation into an alleged. Narcan They were watching her some weeks later when they saw Seals -- the Knox County man -- pull up to an unidentified hotel in northern Georgia where Magana was staying. The task force is made up of TBI Special Agents and officers from local law enforcement agencies. . 30 pounds of THC-laced Skittles, sour chews seized in Tennessee drug bust, police say By Tanasia Kenney. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. Six people from Mexico are in federal custody in East Tennessee after a bust led to the discovery of more than 900 kilograms of methamphetamine with an estimated value of. Narcan is an opiate antagonist that acts by blocking the effects of opiate drugs and reversing the event of an overdose. Those who are faced with the chargeinclude Columbia residents Brent Smiley" Burns, 38, and Tristen Jolly Tisby, 29, and Mt. Elsewhere they found another 52 kilos of meth. Your email address will not be published. Jenkins then called another individual and directed him to turn over $230,030 to law enforcement. ( Drew Angerer/Getty Images), This is just another example of illegal cell phones being used by convicted felons to communicate and conspire with criminals in the free-world to proliferate criminal activity, Tennessee Department of Corrections Commissioner Tony Parker said in a statement. Task Force Director Johnie Carter said he was ecstatic with the coordinated operation. Officials have detained suspects and will continue to make arrests as the investigation continues. Doug Overbey, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee, made the announcement Thursday. Special Agents assigned to the Drug Investigation Division cooperate with local, state, and especially federal law enforcement agencies, such as the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Tennessees United States Attorneys offices. - [Google Review], What to Do if You are Pulled Over for DUI, Finding the Right Criminal Defense Lawyer, Drug Bust in West Tennessee Yields Drug Crime Charges Against Nine. February 8, 2023 The defendants are identified as Jose Cruz Landeroz-Tovar, Mariono Gonzales, Luis Albert Cruz, Aldolfo Dominguez, Luis Fernando Pena-Fierro and Maria Magana. The operation included more than 40 agents, deputies and officers from the West Tennessee Drug Task Force, Dyer and Lake County Sheriffs Departments, and police from Newbern, Tiptonville and Ridgely. TBI spokesperson Leslie Earhart said the 2022 Enhanced Criminal Enforcement Operation centered around pursuing illicit drugs in seven East Tennessee counties. Example video title will go here for this video. Established in 1998, the Appalachia HIDTA is comprised of sixty-five, predominately rural counties located within the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Shelby County Jail records confirmed Cruz and Aguiarviera were booked into the Shelby County Jail on Friday and charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture or sell. Undeterred by the loss, or the possibility that law enforcement was aware of the illegal drug activity, during the undercover investigation Jenkins also agreed to purchase 10 kilograms of cocaine for $240,000. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) - January 28, 2020 - Nine people have been indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with conspiracies to . I commend the outstanding investigative efforts by DEA and our state and local law enforcement partners in this important and impactful case.". Task force director Johnie Carter said the numbers were "absolutely terrifying.". While we continue to make progress reducing prescription drug issues, illicit opioid drug use continues to spawn the proliferation of heroin/fentanyl. A Warner Bros. Further investigation revealed that Terry Smith a/k/a "Ali," a/k/a "Cockeye", Chief of Security for the Vice Lords street gang, arranged large quantities of methamphetamine, marijuana, cocaine, heroin and fentanyl to be shipped into the Western District of Tennessee from Texas and Arizona. Brentwood, TN 37027 29 of these counties are in Tennessee. Phone: (615) 510-6404, 604 N High St Hidden on the property in various vehicles, including a bus, they found a total of 864 kilograms of meth, according to records. But after a local and An investigation carried out by federal and local law enforcement has resulted in the indictment of 22 individuals for illegally distributing substantial amounts of controlled substances in Maury and Lewis counties. Have a question about Government Services? Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Announces Major Drug Bust Involving Fentanyl and Fentanyl Laced Drugs, Union City Boys Knock Off 5th Ranked Gibson County; Girls Fall to Lady Pioneers, Kolitsch named acting provost and senior vice chancellor, Stewart County Dispatch Breaks Record During Storm, Suspected Tornado Touchdown Damages Homes, Band Students Represent Districts Best At All West, Weakley County Students Celebrate Reading In Unique Ways, Speakers remember Martin Luther King, Jr. during annual celebration. "Operation Thundering Justice," led by special agents with the Drug Investigation Division of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Carroll County Sheriff's Office, the Huntingdon Police Department, the McKenzie Police Department, and the Henderson County Sheriff's Office, began in January 2020. Agents had been tracking Magana for weeks through wire intercepts and other means, according to records. A 28-year-old woman was arrested Saturday following a drug bust during which police found more than 183 grams of suspected heroin/fentanyl, the Anne Arundel County Police Department said. The following individuals have been arrested and charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana into and throughout West Tennessee. 29 of these counties are in . The most serious of which are pills containing Fentanyl. "Seals emerged from his vehicle with an assault rifle and fired a very large number of shots at the troopers," according to an affidavit from Ted Francisco, a task force officer with Homeland Security Investigations. The drugs were found packed inside 25 duffel bags and ready for distribution, according to authorities. Tennessee Drug Offender Registry Disclaimer The information contained in the Tennessee Drug Offender Registry is provided to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation by the appropriate clerk in each county. The TDDTF educates the public about the dangers of all scheduled drugs and works to support law enforcement and other stakeholders by supplying equipment, training, intelligence, and investigative tools to assist in strategically identifying, targeting, and prosecuting drug offenders. 2023 www.commercialappeal.com. Class D Felony: 2 to 12 years. The six were arrested Tuesday in northern Georgia. Cruz and Dominguez have a preliminary March 19. (RELATED: I Want To Shove The Drugs Right Up The Noses Of The Gringos: Honduran President Accused By US Prosecutors Of Trafficking Drugs). tennessee narcotic drug bust in which has been filed a felony counts of!. Federal Agencies and Law Enforcement Partners. Pulaski caregiver charged with stealing painkillers from an elderly patient, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. "It takes us a long time from the time we first know someone is dealing drugs, to. Official websites use .gov Middle District of Tennessee An official website of the United States government. This is enough dope to provide a dose of meth for every man, woman and child in the United States and Mexico, Shea said. Published DYERSBURG, Tenn. Nine individuals have been arrested on drug and weapons violations following a law enforcement saturation in Dyer and Lake Counties, according to a news release. Please use another browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge) to view. Inside the house, they found equipment with possible residue "that can be used to convert liquid methamphetamine into crystal methamphetamine," an affidavit from Ted Francisco, a task force officer with Homeland Security Investigations, states. "Once opened, the compartment was found to contain the suspected fentanyl and black tar heroin, as well as thousands of 30-milligram tablets believed to be Oxycodone.". The TBI does not independently verify the convictions, and cannot guarantee their accuracy. Magana is a central figure in the alleged operation, records indicate. Christopher Mantooth, 38, Sarah . Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect. Los Angeles, one of nine cities targeted by Operation Crystal Shield, is a hub for drug traffickers because of the proximity to numerous freeways and airports. Mike Christen. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Last month, Attorney General William Barr and Shea announced that in six months of the operation, agents seized more than 28,000 pounds of meth, $43.3 million in drug proceeds and 284 firearms. The technology would essentially jam the signals of cellphones smuggled into prisons. Besides the meth, the DEA found more than 880 pounds of cocaine. The seizure was part of the DEAs ongoing initiative Operation Crystal Shield, which is targeting cities where meth is often trafficked in bulk. Tri-City Metro Drug Task Force seized cash and more than 15 pounds of methamphetamine and 10 pounds of marijuana in a drug bust this week. Franklin, TN 37064 The estimated total street value of the drugs is more than $13 million, according to Overbey's release. ROGERSVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) - Three Hawkins County deputies were injured while conducting a drug investigation according to Sheriff Ronnie Lawson. Less than a quarter of a milligram of fentanyl could kill the average person, and the amount seized here is enough for every person in Shelby County to overdose more than nine times over. At about 4:20 a.m. Thursday, deputies with the HCSO narcotics and tactical units along with agents of the Third Judicial Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force and officers with the Rogersville. Among those with ties to the alleged meth ring is a Knox County man named Cody Seals, 22, who in January got into a shootout with Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers in Hamilton County while carrying meth he'd just gotten from Magana, according to records and previous reports. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. Six people from Mexico are in federal custody in East Tennessee after a bust led to the discovery of more than 900 kilograms of methamphetamine with an estimated value of more than $13 million, authorities say. The release states about 65 traffic stops resulted in the confiscation of 143 ecstasy pills, a pound of marijuana, crack cocaine and methamphetamine, and several thousand dollars in drug proceeds. June 24, 2020 Authorities charged 47 people and seized more than $1.7 million worth of methamphetamine following a nine-month drug investigation across the state, officials said Wednesday.. As of the 2020 census, the population was 26,831. The multi-year investigation carried out by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), according to ICE. As a result of the search warrant, agents located and seized 12 ounces of marijuana, three grams of heroin and 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine from the residence. I am quite pleased with the end result. The drugs were seized on October 2. The men wereidentified as Jovanni Aguiarviera, 27,and Luis Cruz, 28. Tennessee, U . It's still an "ongoing investigation," according to Overbey's release. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); West Tennessee Drug Task Force; Jackson Police Department; Jackson-Madison County Metro Narcotics Unit; Madison County Sheriffs Department; Paris, Tennessee Police Department; Henry County Sheriffs Department; Murray, Kentucky Police Department; Kentucky State Police; Arkansas State Police; Tennessee Department of Correction Office of Investigations & Compliance (TDOC-OIC); and the U.S. Mosley and Jenkins were charged with committing these crimes following a conviction for a serious drug felony. After the crash, the people in the vehicle ran away. Jenkins was also charged with attempted possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine following a conviction for a serious drug felony. Authorities say around 90 arrests are expected in the end of a methamphetamine drug investigation. According to a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation news release, 15 people are in custody as of Thursday afternoon. Counterfeit Pills A traffic stop on Interstate 40 in Shelby County last week led to a large drug bust,theWest Tennessee Judicial Violent Crime andDrug Task Force said Wednesday. Monday, October 5, 2020 Seventeen Charged in Poly-Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Spanning Multiple States Jackson, TN - Seventeen individuals have been charged in federal court with operating a multiple-state drug trafficking organization.