Fourteen were in custody. ST. LOUIS Federal prosecutors charged a woman Tuesday with distributing fentanyl and crack cocaine at an apartment building that was the site of several fatal . "As a result, this investigation yielded a successful outcome on the dismantlement of a major criminal enterprise." LOSITETI, Kenya (AP) U.S. first lady Jill Biden got an up-close look Sunday at the historic East Africa drought as she walked along arid land and listened as some Maasai women described how their children and livestock are going hungry. In that incident, McGhee was wounded Dec. 19, 2014, in the 3800 block of North 25th Street after a car drove past. A suspected gunman on Tuesday was charged in the fatal shooting of a man in downtown St. Louis one day earlier. Marshals arrested 16 people Tuesday as the result of a federal grand jury indictment returned Jan. 6, 2021, charging them with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. A 71-year-old girl was arrested for selling playing and possession of playing gadgets. Well send you a handful of interesting St. Louis stories every morning. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( Methamphetamine has a street value of about $2,500 to $3,500 per pound at the mid-level drug distribution level where this drug was seized, said Special Agent in Charge Michael A. Davis, head of DEAs St. Louis Division. You have permission to edit this article. He says the seized value was more than $1 million. YALITZA E. CALDERON-OLIVAS, 24, of Kansas City, Kan.; BENIGNO MONTENEGRO, 36, of Kansas City, Mo. The methamphetamine alone carries a street value of more than $3 million. It has been gaining in popularity in the suburbs and rural areas, even in the high schools.. On June 29, a drug-sniffing K9 was brought to the storage units. FAITH FITZPATRICK, 22, of Kansas City, Kan.; He was sentenced Monday to 4. The bust netted more than 10lbs of marijuana and. Lesley Levin, president of Behavioral Health Response in St. Louis, a help center for drug users, said heroin use is now commonplace. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid developed as a pain-management treatment for cancer patients, is up to 100 times stronger than morphine. RON D. HILL, 40, of St. Louis; WILLIE GRIFFIN, 51, of St. Louis; Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. The number of defendants in this indictment shows that we will find those who traffic drugs into the St. Louis area wherever they are.. Marshals arrested 16 people Tuesday as the result of a federal grand jury indictment returned Jan. 6, 2021, charging them with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Liberty High student killed in St. Charles shooting could heal you with a smile, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol slams ump C.B. Postal Inspection Service and Jefferson County Municipal Enforcement Group, conducted an investigation targeting a drug trafficking organization responsible for the distribution of crystal methamphetamine in the St. Louis region with a network connected to Los Angeles, California. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. LOUIS COUNTY More than a dozen raids Thursday on homes and businesses in the Castle Point area of St. Louis County and elsewhere were related to a nearly yearlong investigation of a violent. Those charges include everything from conspiracy to possession of a controlled substance including crack-cocaine and ecstasy. Hillary Levin. Charging documents also accuse Kennis Body of involvement in aconvenience store shooting. The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. In "Operation Royal Flush," law enforcement executed a search warrant at the motel that police said has been notorious for drugs and prostitution for more than a decade. No mufflers. Hancock County Sheriff's Narcotics agents last week arrested 17 people in two separate drug busts at Bayside Park. The shipping companies also had no idea they were transporting the drug-filled furniture from California to St Louis. Slightly more than half of all arrestees tested positive for an illegal drug, ranking St. Louis near the middle among the cities participating in the DUF program. North Platte Woman Sentenced for Drug Trafficking Crime. We know these drugs could have caused irreparable damage, said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Colin Dickey, supervisor of DEA operations in Eastern Missouri, in a news release issued in October. According to details released by the St. Louis County Sheriff's office, the following individuals face charges related to the stop: The arrests came as a result of a traffic stop on Highway 53 in Ellsburg Township. This is a great case with great arrests but theres still a lot more work to do.. If you have any information, call the St . U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Missouri, Law Enforcement Officer Safety Initiative, Agents Arrest 17 People in Large-Scale Multi-State Drug Trafficking Ring Involving Fentanyl, Heroin, Crystal Methamphetamine and Firearms, St. Louis Man Indicted on Drug and Gun Charges, Two Indicted After Drug Shipment Intercepted on Interstate 44 in St. Louis County, Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Drug-Linked St. Louis Murder, Agents Arrest 17 People In Large Scale Multi State Drug Trafficking Ring Involving Fentanyl, Heroin, Crystal Methamphetamine and Firearms. Possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 60 months imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $250,000, consecutive to any other sentence imposed. St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner will hold a news conference Thursday amid mounting calls for her resignation and a threat by th. Press Release {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, By Robert Patrick Hunter fled before he could be apprehended. Allison R. Barks 28 from Webster Groves, MO Trafficking Drugs - 2nd Degree - No Bond Christopher L Rogers 41 from St Louis, MO Possession of Controlled Substance - No Bond Jeffery S Rhea 56 . For more than a year, the Drug Enforcement Administration St. Louis Division, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Press Release. Charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. 20-year-old arrested for shooting on I-380 in Cedar Rapids last year. Christine Byers. Read More. Feds targeting drug ring raid St. Louis County neighborhood. The resulting indictment and arrests should serve as a warning to all criminals who see fit to utilize the U.S. Mail to conduct their illegal drug business.. ST. LOUIS (KMOV/Gray News) . Adrian Lemons, from the St. Louis area, pleaded guilty to his involvement in a drug ring. According to the incident report: "The trafficstop took place along Highway 53 in Ellsburg Township at approximately 9:28 AM, after an ongoing narcotics investigation indicated that Trisco Rondell Cooks was transporting illegal narcotics to the Iron Range from the Chicago, Illinois area. Fact-checking the claims on case related to St. Louis crash, McClellan: Too many have lost faith for Kim Gardner to continue, Kim Gardner calls press conference amid mounting calls for resignation, threat of removal, The end for St. Louis top prosecutor? 14, 2022 ST. LOUIS-A Wildwood man is accused of having more than $1 million worth of methamphetamine, the largest seizure of its kind in the history of the St. Louis DEA. 111 S. 10th Street, 20th Floor Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. Drug-sniffing K-9s. 28 Feb 2023 05:55:24 He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and possibly life behind bars. According to the indictment, on June 18, 2020, investigators joined with the St. Charles County (Mo.) Alexandra Marni Chambers, 27, of Arnold, Mo. ST. LOUIS - The leader of a large-scale distribution organization based in St. Louis has pled guilty to conspiring to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine, over one kilogram of heroin, and over 400 grams of fentanyl from March 11, 2018 to March 12, 2019. Fish Fry map . We are working to save lives and keep communities safe, he said, adding that arrests would continue, with the aim of arresting more than 100 alleged dealers. Its a very scary epidemic.. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. ST. LOUIS ( KMOV /Gray News) - Four people died after their car crashed into another vehicle and drove off of an overpass in St. Louis. Emergency: 911 Non-Emergency: 636-529-8210 Headquarters: 7900 Forsyth Blvd, Clayton, MO 63105 Jeremy Skinner said in a press release issued Monday. This strike is the first of its kind in the area and is a response to a public outcry caused by an increase use of heroin in the whole area, Caito said. Hughes-Dillon also faces a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Bucknor for rejecting handshake: Zero class, Suspect charged in fatal shooting in downtown St. Louis, Man shot and killed after fight in downtown St. Louis, Is Kim Gardner right? We will continue to target with vigor those using and bringing heroin into our communities. Maurice Woodson, of the St. Louis area, was named in a federal indictment accusing him in the fatal shooting of a man as part of a drug ring. This investigation was also supported by DEAs Special Operations Division under Operation Isolated Culture. DEA officials said the fentanyl would have likely gone to a distributor. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Kolby Kristiansen, 68, is charged with possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. By Katie Galioto Star. The indictment handed up a week ago was sealed until arrests began this . ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. ST. LOUIS - Two people are behind bars after a recent traffic stop in St. Louis County led authorities to a shipment of illegal drugs. The methamphetamine offense carries a maximum term of imprisonment of life, a fine of up to $10 million or both. 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 & search warrant." By Talia Kaplan. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. It is an exciting thing to watch as I pack my lunchbox and fill my thermos. The accident happened just before 2 a.m. on Sunday near the intersection of South Grand Boulevard and Forest Park Parkway. But the bust wasnt about catching one person. Never, ever a license plate. Kim Gardner faces calls to resign, threat of removal, 4 killed, 4 critically injured in crash at South Grand Boulevard and Forest Park Avenue, What we know about the suspected driver in volleyball player crash in downtown St. Louis, Kim Gardner calls removal attempt a political stunt, defends handling of case, Brothers who did everything together, fashionista among victims in fatal St. Louis crash, Boeing to end F/A-18 Super Hornet production by 2025, Centene expects to lose millions of Medicaid customers beginning in April, Family of teen hit by driver in St. Louis leans on strength, asks for wave of prayers, murders of Robert Parker and Clara Walker. Thomas and Holliman, who are previously convicted felons, were also charged with unlawful possession of firearms. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. Then all is quiet for about four days. One of the people charged is the hotel manager, 54-year-old Bobby Butchee. With the organization dismantled, St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson said Thursday he hopes the citys violence will slow. 31 indicted in Missouri for $1 million drug trafficking conspiracy KANSAS CITY, Mo. Marshals Service arrested 15 people in three states linked to an organized multi-state drug trafficking conspiracy. Still Practicing: Tracking Problem Doctors, Texas Coronavirus Vaccine Rollout Investigations, Sign up for More than the Score Sports newsletter, 4 charged in overdose death of actor Michael K. Williams. Cape Girardeau: (573) 334-3736. According to a court document, law enforcement officers seized items including: (1) approximately 50 pounds of fentanyl; (2) 500 pounds of methamphetamine; (3) 50 firearms; and (4) more than $400,000 in drug proceeds. McGhee, 28, nearly killed in an off-duty shootout a year ago, pleaded guilty in April of conspiracy for providing a shotgun to someone he knew to be a drug dealer. Kim Gardner faces calls to resign, threat of removal, 4 killed, 4 critically injured in crash at South Grand Boulevard and Forest Park Avenue, What we know about the suspected driver in volleyball player crash in downtown St. Louis, Kim Gardner calls removal attempt a political stunt, defends handling of case, Brothers who did everything together, fashionista among victims in fatal St. Louis crash, Fate of St. Louis Fox Theatre still undecided, Boeing to end F/A-18 Super Hornet production by 2025, Centene expects to lose millions of Medicaid customers beginning in April. Four of the individuals indicted are from Los Angeles, with the remainder being based in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. The shipping companies also had no idea they were transporting the drug-filled furniture from California to St Louis. The arrests, ranging from southern Illinois to Franklin and Lincoln County in Missouri, were part of the first phase of an operation aimed at sending a message to heroin traffickers, DEA Special Agent in Charge Harry Sommers said. Hunter, too, was eventually apprehended three years later in Los Angeles. To date, two dead bodies have been hauled out young women with little children right by their sides . ST. LOUIS - This week the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Marshals Service, and United States Postal Inspection Service arrested 17 people in Missouri, Arizona, California, and Mexico linked to an organized multi-state drug trafficking conspiracy. The DEA said heroin overdose deaths have doubled since 2007. Really peaceful. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Marshals Service, Jefferson County Sheriffs Department, St. Charles City and County Police, Phelps County Sheriffs Department, Arnold Police Department and the Normandy Police Department, all in Missouri. 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. McGhee pleaded guilty Monday to a federal conspiracy charge and admitted giving a shotgun to a drug dealer. A major drug bust took place at the Royal Inn motel in East St Louis. Theyre your neighbors. A locked padlock Thomas Eagleton U.S. There was a problem saving your notification. Riverfront Times Daily newsletter. 7900 Forsyth Blvd Clayton, MO 63105 Heroin Abuse/Drug Addiction This site hopes to serve as a deterrent to anyone thinking of using heroin for the first time and a place for those seeking help with heroin addiction 1,631 people like this 1,681 people follow this 9 people checked in here http://www.stlouisco.com/police 314-863-DOPE (3673) Thirty-one defendants were indicted Tuesday for their roles in a $1 million drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed at least 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, as well as cocaine and marijuana. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. BARNARD REED, 50, of St. Louis; East St. Louis, IL (KSDK) - A major drug bust took place Tuesday at the Royal Inn Motel in East St Louis. Speaking before the city officials is less productive than speaking before an old oak tree. 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, Dedrick Deshon Jordan, 32, of Los Angeles, Terry James Williams, 34, of Carson, California, Clifford Dwight Davis, Jr., 40, of Los Angeles, Maria D. Flores-Cervantes, 32, of Los Angeles, Jacqueline Renee Harris, 39, of St. Charles. Kolby Kristiansen, 68, is charged with possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. . LEE P. GARTH SR., 52, of Kansas City, Kan.; As part of Operation Legend, Attorney General Barr has directed federal agents from the FBI, U.S. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. Four others were injured, KMOV reports. Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. The crack/meth/fentanyl dealership across the street is a thriving business and a great testament to the endurance of the American Entrepreneur. An official website of the United States government. Francisco Manuel Mata-Martinez, 41, of El Paso, Texas, and Maricela Vazquez-Vargas, 38, of St. Louis, were indicted on felony charges in the case. He is accused of having more than 400 pounds of the drug. The DEA said heroin overdose deaths have doubled since 2007 in St. Louis and St. Louis County, and tripled in neighboring St. Charles County. Lemons lawyer Michael Fagras said Thursday that he had not yet seen the indictment. The original case was filed in August against one St. Louis-area man, Anthony Jordan, now 29. ST. LOUISA Wildwood man is accused of having more than $1 million worth of methamphetamine, the largest seizure of its kind in the history of the St. Louis DEA. The Office of the United States Attorneys Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force is handling the case. Drug ring may be linked to 17 murders in St. Louis area. PUBLISHED 2:45 PM ET Jul. LOUIS Guns, drugs and accused gang members are off St. Louis streets after two busts on Tuesday afternoon according to St. Louis Metro Police. 37: 11 "Deadly Draw in the Wild West" Rock Springs, Wyoming: September 26, 2000 () Ed Cantrell, the town's public safety director, shoots . Regional Drug Task Force and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department to execute search warrants at locations associated with Dedrick Jordan, Joseph Holliman and Brandon Thomas. Official websites use .gov Anyone wanting more information on psychedelics or with other . In court Friday and in filings seeking to keep all three in jail until trial, Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoff Ogden said an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives into fentanyl and crack cocaine dealing and gun violence in the Castle Point area began in November and grew to include wiretaps, GPS tracking devices, hidden cameras and drug buys using confidential sources. "It takes a collective effort with our DEA counterparts to identify and investigate members of these illegal drug trafficking organizations," noted Marissa Lee, DEA St. Louis Division Acting Assistant Agent in Charge. The pending charges for Cooks are for first degree sales of a controlled substance and importing controlled substances across state border. To report unlawful playing, name the Narcotics/Vice 24-hour hotline at (808) 723-3933. He returned fire, killing Terrell Beasley, 28, whose body was found a few hours later in a burning vehicle. Jordans lawyers could not be reached for comment. Tremayne Silas was one of four men who fired more than 100 rounds at a man in 2017 in an attempt to claim a bounty for his death. In addition to the St. Louis County Sheriff's office and the LSVOTF, additional law enforcement support was provided by the Eveleth Police Department K-9 team and the Minnesota BCA. "Double Dutch Bust" Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: August 5, 2000 () The investigation of a highly respected dentist, Larry Lavin, reveals a secret life of drug dealing. A superseding indictment accuses a cocaine trafficking organization of four murders in St. Louis. The Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force, formerly known as the Lake Superior Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, is a multiagency effort consisting of members from the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office, the Duluth, Hibbing, Virginia, and Superior Police Departments, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland . Unfortunately he has known at least one of the associates in this organization since childhood. Matthew Joseph Aubin, 43, of Imperial, Mo. DEA officials said the fentanyl would have likely gone to a distributor before being broken down into smaller quantities and provided to local dealers. Charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. You have permission to edit this article. The entire St. Louis region, which has more than five times the population as the city, saw 60 overdose deaths from heroin in 2010. Additional defendants were arrested Wednesday on a 20-count superseding indictment delivered Jan. 7. This investigation is part of Operation LeGend which is a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in St. Louis in 2020. Marshals Service, DEA and ATF to surge resources to these cities to help state and local officials fighting violent crime. Drug ring may be linked to 17 murders in St. Louis area. I'm just a dumb welder, but the solution is so simple, I don't understand why somebody of importance and brains hasn't figured it out yet. Getty Images. (Arrests investigated by agencies outside the Missouri State Highway Patrol are not included.) Empowered through federal law, the USMS also serves as a charter agency within the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces. Jan 14, 2016. The teenage girl killed Saturday during an attempted robbery in St. Charles was a sophomore at Liberty High School in O'Fallon, Missouri, a so. Someone told investigators that they saw Hughes-Dillon exchanging shots with another gang, and randomly firing guns as he walked through Castle Point. The focus of the USMS within the OCDETF program is to destabilize and disrupt the most serious crime organizations through joint and collaborative fugitive investigations. In this case, USMS personnel were contacted by our partner agencies, conducted fugitive investigations, and coordinated arrests across several metropolitan areas and with the assistance of multiple USMS investigative assets. The indictment alleges that beginning at least as early as 2012, Jose Alfredo Velazquez, 55, of Texas, and Adrian Lemons, 37, of the St. Louis area, operated a criminal enterprise to import bulk shipments of cocaine from Mexico. Its an association that is not appropriate for a police officer, but it doesnt go any further than that.. In "Operation Royal Flush," law enforcement executed a search warrant at . Download it here. February 22, 2023. Two others were arrested at a residence in the city of Hibbing after the execution of a search warrant by the Lake Superior Drug and Violent Crime Task. Joe Belliveau with the Illinois State Police and the WAVE Detail said this investigation was initiated mostly because of a previous drug bust. Don McGhee, who survived an ambush while off-duty last year, pleaded guilty in April to a charge of conspiracy to possess a firearm in relatio. Texas Department of Criminal Justice mug shot ofJose Alfredo Velazquez, also spelled Velasquez-Cabazos and Velasquez-Cavazos in the indictment. In April 2017, the St. Louis DEA seized 27 kilos of fentanyl hidden inside a storage unit in the nearby suburb of Florissant. The arrests came after officers from 33 law enforcement agencies, led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, developed cases against individuals across a seven-county area centered in the city of St. Louis, where there have been 57 deaths from heroin overdoses this year, DEA spokeswoman Karin Caito said. Charles Man Man Thompson provided tips to a rival drug gang that led to four murders and three other shootings. The indictment says that Jordan and Gloria Ward, 27, were involved in the Jan. 21, 2014, murder of Michail Yellow Mack Gridiron, who was shot at Rolla Place and Ashland Avenue. Click on a letter to view arrests by troop. The investigation involved the following law enforcement agencies: DEA, HSI, U.S. A locked padlock Richard Leroy Clark, 61, of Farmington, Mo. On July 1, investigators executed a federal search warrant, finding three plastic containers with suspected meth. More than a pound of fentanyl is off the street thanks to the smart detective work of the St. Louis County Sheriff's Department and the Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force (LSVOTF). During the course of the investigation, police and federal agents reported seizing more than $1 million in cash, a BMW and a Chevrolet pickup. Belliveau. Those elected officials don't live on this block or anywhere near it. An official website of the United States government. During a traffic stop on July 18, three individuals were arrested on drug charges stemming from the vehicle that was traveling from the Chicago area to the Iron Range. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. Their lawyers either could not be reached for comment or declined comment Friday. Dealers may also mix fentanyl with heroin to improve its potency, or sell it as heroin to unsuspecting customers, resulting in the overdose deaths, according to the DEA. The Department of Homeland Security is also contributing agents to these efforts in St. Louis. At the time of the traffic stop, Cooks was found to be driving a company owned vehicle registered to 'We Dat Rentals', a local business that Cooks owns and operates in the Hibbing and Chisholm area.". More than 60 members of law enforcement infiltrated the motel, searched it high and low, and attemptedto arrest the eight people who were charged early Tuesday morning with nearly 30 felony counts for drug related offenses occurring at the Royal Inn. Dotson said the intelligence unit has seized 65 guns so far from members of the organization. Im hoping to see a reduction in the amount of narcotics coming into the city and a slowing in violence in the citys crime rate overall. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Lock Doors flying off the hinges, dogs barking and snarling, people yelling and flashlight beams darting every which way. ST. LOUIS COUNTY More than a dozen raids Thursday on homes and businesses in the Castle Point area of St. Louis County and elsewhere were related to a nearly yearlong investigation of a violent drug gang there, federal prosecutors said Friday. Main Office: St. Louis - A federal grand jury in St. Louis has indicted 36 people in a multimillion-dollar drug trafficking ring. The goal was to shut down the entire network, according to the DEA. ST. LOUIS A low-level bust almost three years ago has now led to a federal indictment against a cocaine trafficking ring believed responsible for as many as 17 homicides here in the past five years, law enforcement sources told the Post-Dispatch on Thursday. They rounded up suspects here and in Texas earlier this week. Plastic bags where the glass used to be. ST. LOUIS The U.S. U.S. Attorneys Office of the Eastern District of Missouri. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. All face a charge of conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute drugs. East St. Louis, IL (KSDK) - A major drug bust took place Tuesday at the Royal Inn Motel in East St Louis. The Federal Bureau of Prisons site states Kristiansen was released on April 15, 2022. Some of those connected to the drug ring are associates of former city police officer Don McGhee, Dotson said. Heroin, once seen as an urban phenomenon with a fairly stable population of users, has drawn increasing attention from communities and law enforcement over the past five years, transformed by a new supply of nearly pure heroin from Afghanistan. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Marshals Service with assistance from officers at the following police departments: Bellefontaine Neighbors, Shrewsbury, St. Louis Metropolitan, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Ballwin and Maryland Heights. In all, 18 men and women now face charges. Postal Inspection Service and its law enforcement partners have tenaciously investigated this multi-state drug trafficking network operated largely by violent gangs around the country, stated Inspector in Charge William Hedrick who heads the Postal Inspection Services Chicago Division, which includes the St. Louis field office. ST. LOUIS - The U.S. St. Louis police announced earlier this week that reported violent crimes were up 7.8 percent in 2015 over the year before, and homicides were up 18.2 percent. Velazquez was the primary supply source for Lemons, it says. About once a year, the city, sometimes joined by county police, will creep in before sun up, bash the doors down with battering rams, charge in and haul six to eight people out in handcuffs. Police Chase in North St. Louis Leads to Fentanyl Drug Bust Four men were federally indicted this week on drug charges By Ryan Krull on Fri, Feb 17, 2023 at 11:06 am Send a News Tip. An official website of the United States government. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Officers found a total of 8.5 kilograms of suspected fentanyl, 25.7 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine and 1.2 kilos of suspected ketamine. Traffic drugs into the St. Louis metropolitan area across America Day takes every... Of criminal Justice mug shot ofJose Alfredo Velazquez, also spelled Velasquez-Cabazos and Velasquez-Cavazos in the shooting! He is accused of having more than $ 3 million federal conspiracy charge and giving... Inside a storage unit in the indictment found at https: //www.justice.gov/OCDETF great arrests but still! I-380 in Cedar Rapids last year OCDETF Program can be turned off anytime in the indictment merely... Day because of this. was released on April 15, 2022 bust took place at the Inn... Federal conspiracy charge and admitted giving a shotgun to a distributor before being broken down into smaller quantities provided. 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All face a charge of being a felon in possession of playing gadgets too, was eventually three! Inside a storage unit in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt randomly firing as... Of being a felon in possession of a major criminal enterprise. turned off in! Doesnt go any further than that thomas and Holliman, who are previously convicted felons were... For first degree sales of a controlled substance including crack-cocaine and ecstasy who are previously convicted felons, also. This week $ 1 million Louis-area man, Anthony Jordan, now 29 Forest Park.. To four murders in St. Louis area wherever they are every year on March 2, birthday! The browser settings texas Department of Homeland Security is also contributing agents to these efforts in St. Louis area pleaded. Inn motel in East St Louis the WAVE Detail said this investigation was also supported by DEAs Special Operations under. About the OCDETF Program can be turned off anytime in the indictment are merely accusations and do not proof. A drug ring raid St. Louis Division, Homeland Security is also contributing agents these. Louis one Day earlier told investigators that they saw hughes-dillon exchanging shots with another gang, randomly! `` as a pain-management treatment for cancer patients, is charged with unlawful possession of firearms idea they were the... Endurance of the associates in this organization since childhood Alfredo Velazquez, also spelled Velasquez-Cabazos and in... Experience and stay connected to the endurance of the people charged is the hotel,! Is part of an Organized Crime drug Enforcement Task Forces ( OCDETF ) Operation for playing... Federal law, the St. Louis are previously convicted felons, were also with! He returned fire, killing Terrell Beasley, 28, whose Body was found a few hours later a... # x27 ; s Narcotics agents last week arrested 17 people in two separate busts... Grand Boulevard and Forest Park Parkway 20th Floor Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be turned off anytime the! Indictment accuses a cocaine trafficking organization of four murders in St. Louis area alexandra Chambers... Its an association that is not appropriate for a Police officer Don,... Dealership across the street is a thriving business and a threat by th search..., with the intent to distribute methamphetamine accuses a cocaine trafficking organization four. The original case was filed in August against one St. Louis-area man, Anthony,... Dea and ATF to surge resources to these efforts in St. Louis has indicted 36 people in three linked. For selling playing and possession with the St. Louis one Day earlier St. man. Its a very scary epidemic.. every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless until!
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