tennessee drug bust 2020

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS 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. Nashville, Tennessee 37203, Telephone: 615-736-5151 The Gulf Coast HIDTA encompasses designated counties/parishes across the six states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. One trooper was shot in the leg. Between the fiscal years 2017-2019, DEA domestic seizures of meth increased 127% from 49,507 pounds to 112,146 pounds, according to the DEA. In 2020, Allen said the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation saw 17 cases fatal and non-fatal involving nitazenes. All four charges for possession with intent are classified as felonies. 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. 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. Please considersupportinghis work and that of other Daily Herald journalists by subscribing to the publication. "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. "The drugs are getting more and more. Painkillers:Pulaski caregiver charged with stealing painkillers from an elderly patient. While we continue to make progress reducing prescription drug issues, illicit opioid drug use continues to spawn the proliferation of heroin/fentanyl. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has announced a major drug bust in Middle Tennessee. 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. Tennessee Dangerous Drugs Task Force Tennessee Drug Map This interactive map allows you to search for an address and display drug activities on the map, including meth lab seizures, meth lab quarantine sites, and other incidents. In March 2019, a DEA investigation was initiated in the Jackson, Tennessee area. . according to a US Customs and Border Protection statement. Cruz and Dominguez have a preliminary March 19. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary Lawler Parham is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Acting DEA Administrator Timothy Shea announced the bust at a press conference Wednesday. 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. 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. The drugs were seized at an alleged stash house east of Los Angeles in Perris, California, on October 2. 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. McAllen, Texas residents Julio Beto, 45, Freddy Quinones, 48 and Jesus Barbas Silva, 40,also face the changes in addition to Pulaski residents Tory Hardison, 27, and Carson Lunn, 24. That led investigators to begin tracking Magana. Troy remained the county seat until 1890, when it was moved to Union City following a contentious legal dispute. Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized more than 2,200 pounds of methamphetamine earlier this month, the largest haul in the agencys history domestically, according to officials. by Larcom Web Design In addition, TBI Agents participate in a variety of collaborative efforts to address the drug issues in Tennessee. The most serious of which are pills containing Fentanyl. I am quite pleased with the end result. Those who are faced with the chargeinclude Columbia residents Brent Smiley" Burns, 38, and Tristen Jolly Tisby, 29, and Mt. Mardi Growl to close several roads in downtown Knoxville on Saturday, What you need to know about paying to park in the Great Smoky Mountains, Severe storms move through East Tennessee, THP dashcam video shows chase, shootout on Highway 27, Corryton man shot after chase ends in shoot-out with THP troopers. He was a Naval veteran, having served on the USS Chatelain, part of the 10th Atlantic Fleet, during WWII. in Local News. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much If youve been arrested but didnt have enough of the controlled substance in your possession to be charged with manufacturing or distributing the drug, you will be charged with possession. Task Force Director Johnie Carter said he was ecstatic with the coordinated operation. Affidavits cite numerous undercover and controlled drug purchases, as well as seizures of heroin, fentanyl, and large amounts of cash. Memphis Commercial Appeal 0:04 0:45 A traffic stop on Interstate 40 in Shelby County last week led to a large drug bust, the West Tennessee Judicial Violent Crime and Drug Task Force said. 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. All defendants previously pleaded guilty. A multi-agency drug investigation led to the discovery of nearly a half million dollars worth of cocaine and the arrest of . WAYNE COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) At least 20 people are charged in connection to a Middle Tennessee methamphetamine distribution ring. The post Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Announces Major Drug Bust Involving Fentanyl and Fentanyl Laced Drugs appeared first on Thunderbolt Radio. 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. It doesnt matter why you had the drug or what you were going to do with it. Jenkins, along with Jacob Mosely, 40, and Howard Dowell, 50, also of Nashville, were indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2020 and charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and 28 grams or more of cocaine; and possession with intent to distribute these drugs. Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Support Center, TBI State Academy Leadership Development Experience, The Tennessee Alliance for Drug-Endangered Children, Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (AHIDTA), Appalachia High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking (GCHIDTA), Governor's Task Force on Marijuana Eradication, Tennessee Department Of Treasury Tort Liability Claims, CALEA Accreditation Public Comment Portal. MEMPHIS, Tenn. Seventeen people have been charged in federal court with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana into and throughout West. Each charged defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and convicted through due process of law. CONTACT:Tabatha Curtis,Statewide Coordinator. The arrests and drug seizure was made possible after agents developed information about a shipment of drugs being sent to Murfreesboro from California. 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. Counterfeit Pills 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. So far, they have not filed charges. TBI DID has one Special Agent Criminal Investigator assigned full-time to the Border Enforcement Security Task Force. Agents had been tracking Magana for weeks through wire intercepts and other means, according to records. 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. A locked padlock Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 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. 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. 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. Morales also instructed hitman Magdiel Pina Ramirez of Mexico to cut off part of his pinky finger to prove his loyalty, the DOJ said. Bomb threat draws in police, fire departments, Jackson man gets life in prison for 2019 murder, Selmer police respond to shots fired call, All Tennessee counties to receive funds from lawsuit, Woman demands answers after dog was euthanized, VIDEO/PHOTOS: Heavy winds leave damage across West Tennessee. 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. During the search, law enforcement recovered more than five kilograms of heroin; more than 3 kilograms of a heroin and fentanyl mixture; approximately 1 kilogram of fentanyl, and more than 32 grams of cocaine base. A lock ( Established in 1998, the Appalachia HIDTA is comprised of sixty-five, predominately rural counties located within the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Seals started firing a pistol at them. In the fight against contraband cell phones, we run into a brick wall time and time again, Parker said. MONROE COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) One person is facing charges Saturday morning after a drug bust in Monroe County. Class D Felony: 2 to 12 years. The population was 1,423 at the 2020 census. The defendants appeared Tuesday in federal court in Knoxville. But after a local and Pictures posted to the GBI Facebook page showed what amounts to millions of doses of drugs , the agency said in a Tuesday. Middle District of Tennessee During the same time frame, the number of DEA arrests related to meth rose nearly 20%. Hidden on the property in various vehicles, including a bus, they found a total of 864 kilograms of meth, according to records. Facing those charges are Columbia residents Charles White Chaz Lowe-Kelley, 30, and Hohenwald residents Michael Mac Black Sowell, 37, Frank Chucky Sparkman, 40, Antonio Premo Sowell, 37, Tanasha Nesha" Vaughn,22, in addition to Nashville residents Darron Snype Lucas Weakley, 35, and Antonio Lil Memphis Laster, 31. They're charged in a complaint with taking part in a meth distribution ring. The increase of heroin abuse has created an epidemic rate increase of overdoses and deaths. Two vehicles used for the sale of illegal narcotics and several weapons were also seized. Agents became suspicious after questioning the two men in the vehicle both from California and utilized a narcotics detection dog, Harper, to conduct a free-air sniff around the car. 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. But police found a pelican case they'd left behind that had about 500 grams of suspected methamphetamine, according to records. The Gulf Coast HIDTA funds four law enforcement initiatives in Shelby County; the Shelby County HIDTA Drug Task Force led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Shelby County MultiAgency Gang Unit led by the Memphis Police Department, Memphis Case Advocacy Program led by the United States Attorney's Office, and Border Enforcement Security Task Force led by United States Homeland Security Investigations. The Governors Task Force on Marijuana Eradication (GTFME) was created by Executive Order No. "It takes us a long time from the time we first know someone is dealing drugs, to. 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. 2023 www.commercialappeal.com. Federal authorities have indicted 27 individuals in a massive, violent drug-trafficking scheme that operated out of a Tennessee state prison for years. 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. . 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. 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. Jenkins was initially arrested by law enforcement in June 2020, after a months-long investigation which resulted in the search of an apartment in the Overhill Apartment Complex in Nashville in February 2020, where the defendants were seen entering and exiting numerous times. 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. Agents recovered fentanyl, heroin and thousands of pills believed to be Oxycodone. 2023 www.columbiadailyherald.com. 219 3rd Ave N Morales used contraband cellphones that were smuggled into the prison to orchestrate the drug distribution network, which flowed between Tennessee and Mexico, according to the DOJ. The increase of heroin abuse has created an epidemic rate increase of overdoses and deaths. The case will be presented to a federal grand jury at a later date to consider an indictment against the defendants. Court appearanceshave yet to beset for the 14suspects who will go before US District Court in Nashville. The drugs were found packed inside 25 duffel bags and ready for distribution, according to authorities. Consultation with an experienced drug crime lawyer will get you the best possible outcome for your case. North Memphis drug bust results in 40 indictments, 3 houses closed by: Stuart Rucker, Andrew Ellison. Sale or possession with intent is a serious drug charge. All rights reserved. Those indicted included Juan Carlos Brown, 34, of Muncie, who was charged with: 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. 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. 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. Discovery Company. 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. On June 18, 2020, when Jenkins showed up to conduct the transaction, he was arrested by undercover officers. The six were arrested Tuesday in northern Georgia. 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. Elsewhere they found another 52 kilos of meth. 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.. Cody Seals got into a shootout with authorities in Hamilton County in January. 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 Middle Tennessee HIDTA Task Force is in the counties of Middle Tennessee as identified by the Appalachia HIDTA. A Warner Bros. There are currently six DID Special Agents dedicated to combating prescription drug diversion and are stationed throughout the state. We are taking the fight to the gangs in order to dismantle their drug trafficking organizations and remove them from our streets. 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. Fentanyl 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. As of the 2020 census, the population was 26,831. July 13, 2020. 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. Marshals Service (USMS). Individuals indicted could face a minimum of 10 years in jail or a maximum of life in prison, according to the DOJ. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. I 100% recommend Adrian H. Altshuler and Associates!! The massive operation was led by 29-year-old Humberto Morales of Tennessee who has been incarcerated at the Tennessee State Prison since 2014. Oftentimes, drug-endangered children are left to fend for themselves and the TADEC is committed to providing these children an opportunity to be protected from an environment they have done nothing to cause and from which they should have some recourse. The technology would essentially jam the signals of cellphones smuggled into prisons. The TBIs Drug Investigation Division (DID) investigates and assists in the prosecution of crimes involving controlled substances, narcotics, and other illegal drugs. 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. Official websites use .gov December 22, 2020 Required fields are marked *. So these are high-level individuals.. Class C Felony: 3 to 15 years. 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. Your email address will not be published. 7:33 PM EDT, Wed October 14, 2020. This was a seriously deadly load, he said. Jenkins then called another individual and directed him to turn over $230,030 to law enforcement. While we continue to make progress reducing prescription drug issues, illicit opioid drug use continues to spawn the proliferation of heroin/fentanyl. 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. Bill Bodner, DEA special agent in charge for the Los Angeles field division, said the suspects at the Perris stash house are likely big players with the cartels. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney announced the unsealing of the federal criminal complaint today. 2. All Rights Reserved. of methamphetamine (ice), 500 fentanyl pills, and an additional 1.25 lbs. The investigation began in March 2020 and focused on drug trafficking in the Knoxville area in eastern Tennessee. Note: Internet Explorer has problems displaying the following charts. "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.". 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. All rights reserved. Hardin County Government - Hardin County, Tennessee - Official . Besides the meth, the DEA found more than 880 pounds of cocaine. 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. "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 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 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. 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 Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has announced a major drug bust in Middle Tennessee. 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.