It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. 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. Fahrudin F. Fejzic, also known as Frank, 48, Steven M. Lyons, also known as Pops, 60, Shelly Marie Exton, 38, Mary L. Corona, 38, and Jesus Banuelos Jr., 21, all of Kansas City, Missouri; Jessica E. Ashworth, also known as Barbie, 30, of Kansas City, Kansas; Justin D. Warren, 31, and Crystell A. Smith, 34, both of Independence, Missouri; John W. Tatom, 48, of Leavenworth, Kansas; and Lesley A. Wilkerson, 45, of Clinton, Missouri, were charged in a 44-count second superseding indictment that was returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. ET: This article was updated with additional information. According to court documents, investigators seized 23 firearms, approximately 350 grams of heroin, cocaine, marijuana, $75,000 in cash, scales, an apparent drug ledger, and drug packaging materials during the course of the arrest operation and accompanying search warrants. The operation included officers from the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. 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. The drug remains a stubborn scourge in southwest Missouri, according to Tim Garrison, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. "They pray that their deals go down with no trouble," says Task Force Officer-In-Charge Dan Cummings. (As an extra incentive, a cartel employee working in the United States realizes breaking the rules might cost the lives of any family members back in Mexico.). A release from the sheriff's office said 20-year-old . ), We had a situation when we wanted to indict 25 people all at once up at the federal courthouse, Cumming says. In 1989 he joined the Independence PDs first-ever Drug Unit, with various stints to follow on the Task Force in the 1990s and 2000s as a detective, then a sergeant. The transnational organized criminals trafficking drugs in Jackson County 90 years later are no less ruthless. 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. I dont think so., Cummings has only sympathy for most drug addictshed rather they be given treatment than be jailedand he believes the work the Task Force does is crucial to preventing more addicts.. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Police arrested four people on Tuesday and another 21 people on Wednesday. Translate to provide an exact translation of the website. John E. Johnson, 29, was charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. Missouri State Highway Patrol - Arrest Reports Online Arrest Reports Search Reports: Click on a letter to view arrests by troop. Lock A total of 17 defendants, primarily from the Kansas City metropolitan area, have been indicted for their roles in a nearly $10 million conspiracy to distribute almost 1,000 kilograms of methamphetamine. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Of Meth Seized, Case Illustrates Cartel Activity In Jackson County & Beyond, 'Demand' For Meth Remains High In Jackson County, Jackson County Drug Task Force Changes With The Times. Theres a good chance those pills might be fakes with potentially fatal side effects. Weve had years when weve confiscated 150 to 200 pounds of meth. Mo. On that day, the affidavit says, investigators seized approximately six pounds of methamphetamine and two firearms, including an AK-47 type assault pistol with two high capacity magazines. Both Foreman and Highley are from Nevada. There are circumstances where the service does not translate correctly and/or where translations may not be possible, such Officers also found a number of spent shell casings on top of the truck, in the street, and in a nearby residences front yard. 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 addition, some applications and/or services may not work as expected when translated. Ortega, who has previously been convicted of at least one felony offense, allegedly was in possession of a Jennings (Bryco) .380-caliber pistol, a Ruger 9mm pistol, and a Jennings (Jimenez Arms) 9mm pistol on May 7, 2018. But the Task Force discovered nearly $12 million worth of methamphetamine during a single search last fall as that record-setting day led to what would be a record-setting year in 2019with $30.4 million in illegal substances confiscated or purchased in controlled buys. COMBAT Director Vince Ortega emphasizes most of those drugs were seized before they could be distributed on the streets, which is when we would see the surge in violence associated with drug trafficking. Therefore, he says the COMBAT-funded Drug Task Force is very much an anti-violence task force too. MORE, December 13, 2019County Drug Task Force 'Striking' At Criminals Crossing State Lines The COMBAT-funded Jackson County Drug Task Force has joined a federally-formed Strike Force that will pursue drug traffickers and violent criminals who crisscross Greater Kansas Citys state line. The affidavit also cites previous instances in which Alihodzic was confronted by law enforcement. A locked padlock Three people were injured and witnesses reported seeing two gunmen with AK-style weapons, the DOJ reported. 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. Equivalent Of More Than 250,000 'Doses' (144lbs.) The Department of Justice announced the arrest of 25 people in Kansas City, Missouri, in connection to an armed and violent drug trafficking organization. In one incident, members of the organization were accused of a shooting on April 17, 2021. What price do you put on that, when it is your daughter? Hawley grills Garland for DOJ attacks on people of faith, Mar-a-Lago raid, Area AGs urging court to protect religious liberty rights, free speech of Kentucky wedding photographer. translations of web pages. The federal courthouse in Kansas City can really only handle about 25 indictments in a given day, and we tried to indict 25 in one shot. We shouldnt be because a lot of what we do is undercover. Alihodzic was the driver of a Ford F250 pickup from which law enforcement officers seized two firearms. 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 Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine after leading law enforcement officers on a high-speed Western District of Missouri 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). Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org page for information or education and linkage to care programs. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Keller. "In terms of quantity, meth is still our biggest. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. On Nov. 5, 2019 the day of the trip Alihodzic and the confidential source went inside Alihodzics residence. The Cole County Sheriff's Office said Monday a fifth person was arrested in connection with a Wardsville drug bust that happened on Friday. ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department seized a large amount of cash and weapons in a drug bust in south St. Louis, Thursday. The marijuana was secured into Troop D evidence for safekeeping and analysis. They are here. A lock ( Hannibal Police arrest six people in drug busts by KHQA Staff December 17th 2020, 10:56 AM PST Two Hannibal residents, Amanda Fugate, 37, and Christopher Davis, 31, are both charged with methamphetamine distribution and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Methamphetamine the Task Force confiscated in one search earlier this spring, He asks, Should we just give up fighting and trying to make drugs as limited as possible? Hollywood was ordered to forfeit $73,960.00 in drug proceeds and will be placed on supervised release for a term of five years after the completion of his incarceration. 2020 / 03:23 PM CST. Methamphetamine is still our No. While responding, deputies spotted evidence of illegal drugs in plain view. ST. LOUIS - A man from Texas and a woman from St. Louis were indicted Wednesday on drug conspiracy charges after multiple kilograms of suspected fentanyl and methamphetamine were found during a traffic stop on Interstate 44 in St. Louis County. That steady funding source keeps the Task Force fully equipped and provides the buy money necessary to lure dealers into the detectives undercover operations. As part of this strategy, Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. The indictment also charges all of the defendants with a related money-laundering conspiracy. In addition to the two conspiracy counts, Alihodzic is also charged with two counts of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, illegally possessing a machine gun, two counts of possessing a stolen firearm, possessing an unregistered firearm, possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and three counts related to distributing methamphetamine. Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services, Nondiscrimination Notice (Translations Available). Dan Cummings is proud of the work the Jackson County Drug Task Force has done during his tenure as the Officer-In-Charge, but as a former undercover officer he prefers staying out of camera range. Theyre checking up on him.But they are genuinely concerned about us being happy with our purchase. . All these digital conversations save the Task Forces undercover detectives time writing reports. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. Without the COMBAT funding thered be no Task Force and each police department in Jackson County would be trying the best it can with the resources theyve got, Cummings says. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Drug overdoses, both fatal and nonfatal, have become an epidemic in Missouri over the past decade. Missouri State Highway Patrol Troopers stopped a car and it turned into a big drug bust. The Missouri Narcotic Officers Association has named the Jackson County Drug Task Force the Law Enforcement Unit Of The Year four times in the last eight years. Their objective is to "get the head of the snake," rather than just chasing the tail. Ortega allegedly was also in possession of a Ruger .22-caliber rifle, two Marlin .22-caliber rifles, and two Browning .22-caliber pistols on June 21, 2019. The drug epidemic affects all genders, races and many age groups in rural and urban Missouri communities. Gutierrez also is charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in Texas County. June 22, 2022Investigation Breaks Up Major Cartel Trafficking OperationEnough Fentanyl Seized For Potentially Millions Of Lethal DosesAn investigation that the Jackson County Drug Task Force and federal Homeland Security officials initiated more two years ago has culminated in 39 defendants being indicted for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute more than 335 kilograms (738 pounds) of methamphetamine and 22 kilograms (48 pounds) of heroin. 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.) When opening the plywood they found 320 pounds of marijuana. Hollywood appeared before U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on August 24, in Cape Girardeau. Theyll want to know if were satisfied with how the deal went down. The drugs, valued at more than $12 million, were hidden in metal containers that were sealed inside four tires. So, were not well known in the community as a whole. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Official websites use .gov Use each tab below to see data demonstrating the Death Toll, Burden to Healthcare, and Impact on the Future, of the drug epidemic. Noose also is charged with one count of distributing methamphetamine in Greene County and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. These international cases have had the Task Force working with federal authorities on a regular basis, making the Task Force a logical fit for this initiative targeting drug trafficking organizations that are making the streets of metro Kansas City less safe and more violent. MORE, October 18, 2019Equivalent Of More Than 250,000 'Doses' (144lbs.) 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. Have a question about Government Services? A cartel CEO enforces his personnel rules with violenceextreme violence. The criminals running these cartels think of themselves as being CEOsentrepreneurs, captains of industry, innovators. Situation when we wanted to indict 25 people all at once up at the federal,. 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