Sale or possession with intent is a serious drug charge. 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. An official website of the United States government. At least two dozen people allegedly participated in a major Glynn County-based drug-trafficking operation for a lengthy amount of time, law enforcement officials said Wednesday. The massive operation was led by 29-year-old Humberto Morales of Tennessee who has been incarcerated at the Tennessee State Prison since 2014. The operation included more than 40 agents, deputies and officers from the West Tennessee Drug Task Force, Dyer and Lake County Sheriff's Departments, and . 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. RELATED: THP dashcam video shows chase, shootout on Highway 27, RELATED: Corryton man shot after chase ends in shoot-out with THP troopers. 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. Smith was arrested by the U.S. Both men remain in theShelby County Jail on $1 million bonds each. 2. A low level operative would not be trusted to hold $18 million of drugs in a house. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); In early January, multiple law enforcement agencies joined together to arrest nine men and women who were smurfing purchasing pseudoephedrine products in order to manufacture methamphetamine. During the course of the undercover investigation, Jenkins indicated that he and his co-conspirators had used the Overhill apartment as a stash house and that fentanyl valued at $700,000 had been taken by robbers or law enforcement. The drugs in that bust were seized at the Otay Mesa port of entry to San Diego. "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. U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin, joined byFBI Special Agent in charge of the Memphis Division Douglas Korneski and DEA Special Agent in Charge of the Louisville Division J. Todd Scott, commended the investigative work of the agencies involved. The concern there is that they are very violent and theyre very aggressive and they are largely responsible for much of the meth in this country, said Shea. 719 Church St., Suite 3300 Pleasant residents Brandon Willie Earl Dailey, 40, Henry Hank Davis, 42, Vincent Roe Conner, 37, Derrick Chewy" Nixon, 54, Shanika Butterball Odom, 31, Terry Goldie Mac Strayhorn, 41 and Samuel Abernathy, 44. Magana is a central figure in the alleged operation, records indicate. The TBI does not independently verify the convictions, and cannot guarantee their accuracy. Hardin County Government - Hardin County, Tennessee - Official . Two vehicles used for the sale of illegal narcotics and several weapons were also seized. But after a local and A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. The individuals in question now face charges ranging from possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia to promotion of methamphetamine manufacture and felony evading arrest. Troy remained the county seat until 1890, when it was moved to Union City following a contentious legal dispute. tennessee narcotic drug bust in which has been filed a felony counts of!. . Cruz and Dominguez have a preliminary March 19. And you know some people turn to drugs to deal with that.. Phone: (615) 476-7333, Copyright Law Offices of Adrian H. Altshuler & Associates | Sitemap, Adrian and Caroline made the process of my divorce far more comfortable than I imagined. Follow him on Twitter at @MikeChristenCDH and on Instagram at @michaelmarco. Law enforcement across Tennessee has seen "fake pills" manufactured to look like prescription medications (i.e., Percocet, Hydrocodone, Xanax) through the use of pill presses. Middle District of Tennessee Federal Agencies and Law Enforcement Partners. Its important to know also that possession can mean anything from having the drugs in your pocket to having them in your car or even near you. Narcan is an opiate antagonist that acts by blocking the effects of opiate drugs and reversing the event of an overdose. Among those named in the recent indictments, Columbia resident Keadrick Kebe Duke, 40, who faces charges for possession with intent to distribute and the distribution of crack cocaine stemming from a November 2018 event. Agents seized 106.5 lbs. Christopher Mantooth, 38, Sarah . During the press conference, Shea mentioned last weeks second-largest border seizure of meth in which federal agents confiscated more than 3,000 pounds of meth, heroin, fentanyl powder, and pills laced with fentanyl. Our hands are tied with a near century old law that could not have foreseen the problem of illegal cell phones inside prisons in 2021.. Sixteen people are behind bars after a drug bust in Putnam County. Shea said that the capture of the drug kingpin Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, interrupted the Sinaloa Cartels operations, making room for rival Jalisco Cartel to rise and clash. The drugs were seized on October 2. Counterfeit Pills 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. In 2020, Allen said the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation saw 17 cases fatal and non-fatal involving nitazenes. The multi-year investigation carried out by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), according to ICE. According to Washington County Sheriff Ed Graybeal, an ongoing collaboration between area law enforcement officials has resulted in the conviction in a methamphetamine conspiracy of nearly 57 defendants with the possible subsequent federal sentence of more than 300 . Thats a significant amount of meth, Timothy Shea, the DEAs acting administrator, said at a press conference on Wednesday. Harper alerted the agents "to the presence of a narcotic containing odor coming from the vehicle," task force officials said in a news release. 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. Marshals Service (USMS). 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. Acting DEA Administrator Timothy Shea announced the bust at a press conference Wednesday. In that case, the driver, a 47-year-old Mexican citizen, was arrested and turned over to a joint federal agency investigative team, according to a US Customs and Border Protection statement. 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. Drug Seizure Statistics FY2023 As of 15 December 2021 the Drug Seizures dashboard now includes seizures of all drug types. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. Agents recovered fentanyl, heroin and thousands of pills believed to be Oxycodone. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Criminal enterprises that distribute harmful drugs into West Tennessee can no longer hide. The Governors Task Force on Marijuana Eradication (GTFME) was created by Executive Order No. Demographic conditions of the Appalachia HIDTA, including relatively high unemployment and low median family income, create an environment where illegal activities and corruption can flourish. These seizures are significant not just because of the sheer volume, but because its a sign of a deeply concerning trend meth is pouring into the United States through our southern border and is destroying too many communities and more importantly, too many lives, said Shea. A second indictment charges seven individuals with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances, including heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, crack cocaine, oxycodone, and marijuana, between October 2017 and November 2020. Example video title will go here for this video. TBI DID has one Special Agent Criminal Investigator assigned full-time to the Border Enforcement Security Task Force. 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. In total, the task force officers foundfive pounds of fentanyl, one pound of black tar heroin and approximately 2,500 unidentified pills. Authorities say around 90 arrests are expected in the end of a methamphetamine drug investigation. The post Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Announces Major Drug Bust Involving Fentanyl and Fentanyl Laced Drugs appeared first on Thunderbolt Radio. This operation should be a message to the bad guys that if theyre thinking they can come out to the rural areas of West Tennessee to sell their drugs, commit violent crimes or hide out, it wont be tolerated, Carter said. The 29 individuals were arrested on a combined total of 221 charges for distribution of drugs such as heroin, methamphetamine, and prescription medications. Nashville, Tennessee 37203, Telephone: 615-736-5151 The federal indictment also charges 14 individuals with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana, between March 2018 and September 2019. A lock ( . A Warner Bros. Law enforcement is also witnessing, with heroin, an increase in the presence of Fentanyl (a powerful synthetic oppiate analgesic similar to but more potent than morphine), and its analogs. February 8, 2023 As of the 2020 census, the population was 26,831. It doesnt matter why you had the drug or what you were going to do with it. - [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. Drug Investigation Division Special Agents assigned to the Appalachia High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area focus their efforts on drug trafficking in counties throughout East and Upper East Tennessee. Attorneys Robert S. Levine and Nani Gilkerson are prosecuting these cases. Assistant U.S. Someone whos responsible for this quantity of drugs is someone who is very, very trusted by the cartels, Bodner said. The primary objective and mission of the GTFME remains to provide public safety for the citizens of Tennesseethrough: Go to Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). Main Office: Jackson, TN Seventeen individuals have been charged in federal court with operating a multiplestate drug trafficking organization. Authorities seized methamphetamine,. The defendants are identified as Jose Cruz Landeroz-Tovar, Mariono Gonzales, Luis Albert Cruz, Aldolfo Dominguez, Luis Fernando Pena-Fierro and Maria Magana. 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. The penalties for these felonies range in length: Class B Felony: 8 to 30 years. Required fields are marked *. CONTACT:Tabatha Curtis,Statewide Coordinator. On May 4, 2021, Jacob Mosely was sentenced to 210 months in prison and Howard Dowell was sentenced to 135 months in prison. Brentwood, TN 37027 TBI reports said a multi-agency investigation into drug overdoses in Middle Tennessee, resulted in the arrest of two individuals from California with ties to the Sinola Cartel. 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. 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. 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. The arrests and drug seizure was made possible after agents developed information about a shipment of drugs being sent to Murfreesboro from California. They're charged in a complaint with taking part in a meth distribution ring. . 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. While the agency was given a grant to conduct a pilot program, the Communications Act of 1934 prevents the technology from being used, according to Parker. It's still an "ongoing investigation," according to Overbey's release. in Local News. A multi-agency drug investigation led to the discovery of nearly a half million dollars worth of cocaine and the arrest of . Columbia, TN 38401 Officers found the people who'd been in the vehicle, and they said they'd just been to northern Georgia to buy methamphetamine through a woman named "Maria," according to records. Mike Christen. The Middle Tennessee HIDTA Task Force is in the counties of Middle Tennessee as identified by the Appalachia HIDTA. Drug possession charges can be difficult to get dismissed because, unlike most crimes, the state does not have to prove your mental state or intent. The estimated total street value of the drugs is more than $13 million, according to Overbey's release. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has announced a major drug bust in Middle Tennessee. They were discovered hidden in a truck delivering medical supplies from Mexico. Agents had been tracking Magana for weeks through wire intercepts and other means, according to records. Note: Internet Explorer has problems displaying the following charts. In March 2019, a DEA investigation was initiated in the Jackson, Tennessee area. An investigation involving an alleged drug overdose at the Super 8 motel on East Andrew Johnson Highway Monday morning resulted in the arrest of four women, including three on heroin Those who are faced with the chargeinclude Columbia residents Brent Smiley" Burns, 38, and Tristen Jolly Tisby, 29, and Mt. According to court documents, the DEA and local law enforcement partners launched an investigation into the drug-trafficking organization in June 2019. He'd just bought drugs from a woman at the center of a federal investigation, officials say. The TBIs Drug Investigation Division (DID) investigates and assists in the prosecution of crimes involving controlled substances, narcotics, and other illegal drugs. 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. A second indictment charges seven individuals with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances, including heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, crack . Your email address will not be published. Frontiersman Davy Crockett was in attendance when the town was platted. Painkillers:Pulaski caregiver charged with stealing painkillers from an elderly patient. 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. Wayne County Sheriff Shane Fisher said a routine drug. Class D Felony: 2 to 12 years. TBI reports said officers made a seizure of drugs totaling approximately 47 kilograms, which included combinations of methamphetamine laced with fentanyl, cocaine laced with fentanyl, and pure fentanyl. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. NASHVILLE - Eric Jenkins, 40, of Nashville, Tennessee, the final defendant in a large drug distribution conspiracy was sentenced Tuesday to 210 months in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee. 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. Franklin, TN 37064 By ClarksvilleNow.com January 28, 2020 12:47 pm. Updated: Aug 11, 2021 / 10:08 PM CDT. In addition, TBI Agents participate in a variety of collaborative efforts to address the drug issues in Tennessee. 29 of these counties are in Tennessee. Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect. Troopers hit Seals with return fire for which he was hospitalized. Fentanyl Michael Sowell and Antonio Sowell also faces charges for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. The Daily Caller | 1775 Eye Street NW | Suite 1150-290 | Washington, DC 20006, (RELATED: I Want To Shove The Drugs Right Up The Noses Of The Gringos: Honduran President Accused By US Prosecutors Of Trafficking Drugs). ROGERSVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) - Three Hawkins County deputies were injured while conducting a drug investigation according to Sheriff Ronnie Lawson. All rights reserved. So far, they have not filed charges. 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. Hidden on the property in various vehicles, including a bus, they found a total of 864 kilograms of meth, according to records. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. 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. Please considersupportinghis work and that of other Daily Herald journalists by subscribing to the publication. Authorities, records indicate, first became aware of her after two people who'd just bought meth from her were in a crash Dec. 12, 2019, in East Tennessee. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - The University of Tennessee's campus police and Knoxville Police Department executed a search warrant for narcotics 1618 Forest Avenue in Knoxville on August 19 around 1 p.m. Savannah Padgett and Sophia Featherstone, both UT college students, lived at the same residence and were also on the search warrants as suspects. If youve been charged with drug possession, you face serious repercussions if you are convicted. According to a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation news release, 15 people are in custody as of Thursday afternoon. While we continue to make progress reducing prescription drug issues, illicit opioid drug use continues to spawn the proliferation of heroin/fentanyl. We believe there is only one viable solution in fighting the war on contraband cell phones in our facilities and that is through the deployment of shielded-micro jamming technology.. Its a massive amount.. He went into the building, and when he came back out he was carrying a Doritos bag, according to records. Seals started firing a pistol at them. More than 20 suspects arraigned in federal court following Middle Tennessee drug bust. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. But police found a pelican case they'd left behind that had about 500 grams of suspected methamphetamine, according to records. 7:33 PM EDT, Wed October 14, 2020. 21 year old Kevin Bucio-Arredondo of Tustin, and 20 year old Leslie Heredia of Los Angeles, were arrested in Murfreesboro and charged with one count of possession of Schedule II drugs for resale and one count of money laundering. The most serious of which are pills containing Fentanyl. Updated April 24, 2020 2:19 PM. These counterfeits are compiled of various concoctions and are not what they appear to be. Have a question about Government Services? Fax Line: 615-401-6626. Cody Seals got into a shootout with authorities in Hamilton County in January. So these are high-level individuals.. According to Monroe County Sheriff Tommy Jones, a deputy spotted a driver not. July 13, 2020. He does not appear to have been charged with a federal offense. Those indicted included Juan Carlos Brown, 34, of Muncie, who was charged with: A federal indictment unsealed Friday charged 27 individuals with a series of crimes including conspiracy to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). Established in 1998, the Appalachia HIDTA is comprised of sixty-five, predominately rural counties located within the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia. 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. It just wouldnt happen. MONROE COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) One person is facing charges Saturday morning after a drug bust in Monroe County. He's being held in Hamilton County. Second-Largest Border Meth Bust in History Announced Drug Bust Sep 16, 2020 CBP Finds $3.9 Million Worth of Meth, Cocaine in Boulders at Tecate Crossing Also seized were 893 pounds (405. The massive operation was led by 29-year-old Humberto Morales of Tennessee who has been incarcerated at the Tennessee State Prison since 2014. This was a seriously deadly load, he said. TADEC is passionately committed to protecting the drug-endangered children of Tennessee by generating a renewed collaboration of resources from multidiscipline organizations and jurisdictions in the responsibility of protecting these children. The population was 1,423 at the 2020 census. According to the task force, law enforcement agents stopped a 2010 Mercedes on I-40 near the Fayette County border Thursday for a violation of awindow tint law. of fentanyl, and 3.5 grams of heroin. Other agencies involved include the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service in Knoxville, the Drug Enforcement Administration in Atlanta, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Ninth Judicial Drug Task Force in Tennessee. TheTennessee Dangerous Drugs Task Force(TDDTF) is a partnership of federal, state, and local agencies collaborating to reduce the availability and illegal use of harmful scheduled drugs. Federal authorities have indicted 27 individuals in a massive, violent drug-trafficking scheme that operated out of a Tennessee state prison for years. Dec 31, 2014 Updated Oct 19, 2022. He added that treatment options for addicts and people struggling have been limited due to restrictions in place because of the coronavirus. Morales also instructed hitman Magdiel Pina Ramirez of Mexico to cut off part of his pinky finger to prove his loyalty, the DOJ said. From mid-February until this week, "law enforcement intercepted numerous conversations over wiretaps in which (Magana) coordinated the distribution of kilogram quantities of methamphetamine and other drugs," the Francisco affidavit states. 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. 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. MEMPHIS, Tenn. Seventeen people have been charged in federal court with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana into and throughout West. Tennessee, U . Did you encounter any technical issues? All four charges for possession with intent are classified as felonies. 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.. 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. Besides the meth, the DEA found more than 880 pounds of cocaine. Please use another browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge) to view. The drugs were found packed inside 25 duffel bags and ready for distribution, according to authorities. 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. ( 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.