Griffin also is charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in Howell County, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. "They pray that their deals go down with no trouble," says Task Force Officer-In-Charge Dan Cummings. TEXAS COUNTY, Mo. LEXINGTON, Mo. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Rodriguez, who has previously been convicted of at least one felony offense, allegedly was in possession of a Taurus .410-caliber revolver on Jan. 4, 2019. translation. Western District of Missouri FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, January 13, 2020 Eleven Area Residents Indicted for $1.7 Million Meth, Heroin Conspiracy, Numerous Firearms Officers Seized 77 Firearms, Large Amounts of Illegal Drugs During the Investigation Throughout the 1990s and into the early 2000s, the Task Force and other local law enforcement agencies concentrated on shutting down meth labs operating inside the county. If you test positive and you are fired, your replacement is going to be there, taking your phone, taking your car keys, taking you out of there and taking over your business immediately. Drug Task Force Seizes 3,000 Pills Laced With Fentanyl, Drug Task Record-Setting $30.4 Million In Seizures, County Drug Task Force 'Striking' At Criminals Crossing State Lines, Equivalent Of More Than 250,000 'Doses' (144lbs.) Above, the seal of the DOJ is pictured. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Just two milligrams of fentanyl can be a deadly dose. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. A Kansas City, Mo., man who was arrested last night during the police standoff in the 2300 block of Blue Ridge Boulevard has been charged in federal court for offenses A Joplin and Webb City, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for drug trafficking and illegally possessing firearms. A cartel CEO enforces his personnel rules with violenceextreme violence. The emergence of the cartels has changed the way the Jackson County Drug Task Force goes about conducting its business. Theyll want to know if were satisfied with how the deal went down. January 17, 2020 11:40 am. 1 drug problem. MORE, June 4, 2019Jackson County Drug Task Force Changes With The TimesThe Jackson County Drug Task Force is now routinely engaged in joint investigations with federal authorities as they pursue drug supply lines across city limits and county lines, as well as state and international borders. Lock In his now 38 years of law enforcement experience25 of the 38 dedicated almost entirely to drug-law enforcementCummings is more convinced than ever there will always be some demand and abuse of drugs. Yet he remains fervent about his work. Please visit the resources page for information on education and linkage to care programs. They want our repeat business. St. Louis drug trafficking leader pleads guilty Drug Enforcement Administration Michael A. Davis Special Agent in Charge St. Louis July 09, 2020 Contact: Andree Swanson Phone Number: (571) 362-5149 For Immediate Release St. Louis drug trafficking leader pleads guilty Seizures included cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and $2 million ST. Rodriguez also is charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in Howell County, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Drug task force officers who worked the largest meth bust in Northeast Wisconsin say the drugs came from the Mexico Drug Cartel and were trafficked from Missouri to Wisconsin. Lock Of Meth SeizedThe COMBAT-Funded Jackson County Drug Task Force seized 144 pounds of methamphetamine during a recent search of a Kansas City property. Shirley J. Hicks, 61, Raymon F. Ortega, 63, Benny D. Griffin, 57, Jose I. Gonzales, 37, Jordan W. Gutierrez, 25, and Shaun M. Ross, 39, all of West Plains, Missouri; Fontella J. Noose, 38, of Springfield, Missouri; James E. Cooper, 52, of Mountain View, Missouri; and Luis Ortiz Rodriguez, 36, address unknown, were charged in a 19-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Springfield on Tuesday, Aug. 20. Troopers made the stop in Lafayette County, east of the Kansas City metro Wednesday. 9. A release from the sheriff's office said 20-year-old . Task Force Trying To Stay Ahead Of Drug Cartels Focused On Doing Business In Jackson County. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. Updated: Dec 8, 2020 / 03:23 PM CST. Nine large baggies filled with cash, a half-dozen weapons, a bulletproof vest and a police scanner were taken by police "after a lengthy narcotics investigation . It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the FBI, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Mid-Missouri Drug Task Force. "In terms of quantity, meth is still our biggest. Law enforcement investigators were conducting surveillance at Alihodzics residence on Feb. 19, 2019. Breaking down drug overdose deaths by drug type can sometimes be complicated as many times more than one drug may be identified, however, most drug overdose deaths (over 70%) do involve opioids. The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. Lewis, Neal and Hawkins are presumed innocent unless proven guilty by a court of law. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. "After a nearly yearlong investigation, our law enforcement partners worked together to take down a significant drug-trafficking organization and reduce the threat of violent crime in our neighborhoods.". I cant give you a statistic for it, but I can guarantee we prevent some peoplekidsfrom having an opportunity to try these drugs for the first time., March 8, 2022149% Increase In Overdose Deaths Linked To Fentanyl Just a speck of fentanylseven hundred thousandths of an ounce (0.00007)can kill a person, but drug dealers are using the synthetic opioid more and more to manufacture counterfeit pills or to mix it with other drugs (like a fentanyl-meth combo being distributed in baggies with a "red lips" logo). Sign up for FOX4 email alerts to have breaking news sent to your inbox. Federal agents heard popping noises similar to that of a firearm and the screaming sound of human voices. Several of the defendants had been stopped by law enforcement officers in the past with drugs and firearms on them. Weve had years when weve confiscated 150 to 200 pounds of meth. 2020 / 03:23 PM CST. Updated December 19, 2017 2:52 PM. U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Missouri, Nine Southern Missouri Residents Indicted for Meth Conspiracy, KC Man Charged with Drug Trafficking, Illegal Firearm After Arrest During Police Standoff, Joplin, Webb City Man Indicted for Drug Trafficking, Illegal Firearms, KC Man Sentenced to 21 Years for Heroin, Cocaine Conspiracy, Nine Southern Missouri Residents Indicted For Meth Conspiracy. Nine individuals, primarily from West Plains, Mo., have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Howell, Greene, and Texas counties. The suspects also had $7,400 in cash with them. 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Both Foreman and Highley are from Nevada. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. Thats why the Jackson County Drug Task Forces seizure of 3,000 pills stamped as OxyContin but laced with fentanyl almost certainly saved livesand sounded alarms. Between 2011 and 2018, the Task Force took part in investigations that led to 1,238 federal prosecutors, compared to 568 state cases. During the organizations annual conference, the Missouri Narcotic Officers Association (MNOA) named the task force the Law Enforcement Unit of the Year for the fifth time in the last 10 years. With the local supply all but eliminated, the cartels have stepped in to continue feeding Jackson Countys meth addiction. Additional items are still being logged into evidence. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Their objective is to "get the head of the snake," rather than just chasing the tail. The drug remains a stubborn scourge in southwest Missouri, according to Tim Garrison, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. The COMBAT-Funded Jackson County Drug Task Force seized 144 pounds of methamphetamine during a recent search of a Kansas City property. Domestic Cannabis Suppression / Eradication Program, Red Ribbon Toolkit - Resources For Your Community, DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, Intelligence Research Specialist Job Announcements, Schedule A Hiring Authority: Intelligence Research Specialist, Privacy Impact Assessment and Management Information Systems, Victim Witness Assistance Program Resources. Official websites use .gov If you or someone you know is struggling or dealing with a substance abuse crisis, help is available. The forfeiture is based on a conservative street price of $2,300 for 226 grams (a half-pound) of methamphetamine and the total conspiracy distribution of nearly 979 kilograms (978,859 grams) of methamphetamine, totaling approximately $9,961,839. Agents also seized $73,960.00 in drug proceeds as a part of the investigation. Francisco Manuel Mata-Martinez, 41, of El Paso, was indicted. According to the DEA, counterfeit pills are widely available and more lethal than ever before. Seizures of phony pills containing fentanyl have increased 420% since 2019. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Down 19, Mizzou comes back to beat LSU, 81-76, OFallon girls basketball makes first trip to state, How much? John E. Johnson, 29, was charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. Lewis, Neal and Hawkins were sent to the Texas County Jail and placed on 24-hour holds. The State of Missouri has no control over the nature, content, and availability of the service, and accordingly, cannot guarantee the accuracy, reliability, or timeliness of the as with certain file types, video content, and images. Alihodzic was taken into custody; no evidence of a violent act was immediately observed. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Missouri ranked 32nd among all states and DC for drug overdose death rates in 2020 and is the #1 leading cause of death among adults age 18-44 in Missouri. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS If assistance is needed, please call 1-573-751-6400. A locked padlock Equivalent Of More Than 250,000 'Doses' (144lbs.) Lets say in that 150 pounds of meth we got off the streets, theres the quarter of a gram that might have been your daughters first taste of methamphetamine. Neither the State of Missouri nor its employees accept liability for any inaccuracies or errors in the translation or liability for any loss, damage, or other problem, Gutierrez also is charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in Texas County. (KY3) - Two men and a woman face charges following a drug bust in Camdenton. Hollywood has a criminal history, which includes convictions for armed robbery and a prior federal conviction for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in 2006. "This operation removed a large number of armed and dangerous drug dealers from the streets of our community," said U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. - Nine individuals, primarily from West Plains, Mo., have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Howell, Greene, and Texas counties. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program that identifies the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develops comprehensive solutions to address them. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( Vernon County Sheriff Jason Mosher said they had information about the distribution of large quantities of illegal narcotics . Two additional defendants were arrested as part of the investigation but were charged separately in federal indictments. After Missouri drug bust, man says religion, sovereign citizenship give him immunity By Max Londberg. Hollywood appeared beforeU.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on August 24, in Cape Girardeau. But in the last six or seven years, weve gotten to be very well known within the drug community. We now just have a new supply line meeting the demand.. Download the FOX4 News app to stay updated on the go. (KY3) - Police say a traffic stop led to a large drug bust in Lebanon. Since being approved in 1989, COMBAT has funded the Task Forces operations. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. Nine Southern Missouri Residents Indicted for Meth Conspiracy SPRINGFIELD, Mo. The drug epidemic affects all genders, races and many age groups in rural and urban Missouri communities. AwardsThe Task Forces work was been recognized repeatedly by its peers: For some drug dealers dealing drugs is more than a business. The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Ortega to forfeit to the government $10,924 that was seized by law enforcement officers; Hicks to forfeit to the government $20,393 that was seized by law enforcement officers; and Griffin to forfeit $16,078 that was seized by law enforcement officers. Cummings and his detectives are constantly vetting candidates among these low-level dealers, seeking out those who dont have the close family connections south of the border and, therefore, might be more cooperative. Cummings, representing the Independence Police Department, was among the first detectives assigned to the Jackson County Drug Task Force in the mid-1980s. GREENE COUNTY, Mo. 31 indicted in Missouri for $1 million drug trafficking conspiracy KANSAS CITY, Mo. Arizona authorities targeting the Sinaloa drug cartel have seized narcotics estimated to be worth more than $13 million, including more than 4.5 million fentanyl pills, 3,100 pounds of . They can use screen-captures. Just two milligrams of fentanyl can be a deadly dose. The Department of Justice announced the arrest of 25 people in Kansas City, Missouri, in connection to an armed and violent drug trafficking organization. Investigators also executed a search warrant at Alihodzics residence and seized additional methamphetamine and firearms. Detectives and other personnel assigned to the Task Force are from these Jackson County law enforcement agencies: The chiefs from these various police departments and the Jackson County Sheriff serve as the Task Forces Executive Team. Investigators said the members were known to sell marijuana, crack and powder cocaine, ecstasy pills, purported OxyContin pills and counterfeit Percocet pills believed to be laced with fentanyl. The data displayed here helps to tell the story so everyone interested in the topic can better understand past and current trends. When we come in to interrogate a dealer and say, How are you doing? The arrests happened Monday in the area of Ivey Lane. Nearly all 21st Century drug traffickers use cell phones, and some even arrange deals via Facebook. The criminals running these cartels think of themselves as being CEOsentrepreneurs, captains of industry, innovators. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the arrests and initial court appearances of Hicks, Ortega, Griffin, Cooper, and Ross. 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