Task force officers coordinating with other law enforcement agencies made 1,274 arrests and seized 372 firearms during the operation. What must happen now is that the individual must learn to resist psychological reasons they might want to use drugs. Sarah Huckabee Sanders approved legislation requiring minors to get their parents' permission to create a new account. Eight plead not guilty in federal, state drug bust in Jonesboro, 5-year-old run over and killed by tractor, authorities say, Davids Bridal claims Jonesboro store will not face layoffs. Thomas Porras: age 32, Bentonville, Arkansas - Distribution of More Than 50 Grams of a Mixture Containing Methamphetamine- 110 months imprisonment, a 4 -year term of supervised release, a fine of $1,400, and a $100 special assessment. In just the first half of this current fiscal period, the state is already at $115 million. 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The investigation began in April 2020, as a push for Searcy police to combat growing violent crime connected to a drug distribution organization called the "Gangster Disciples" near Searcy, said . 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. But it wasnt until the vehicle was taken back to the department that the full extent of hidden narcotics was found. The investigation revealed that large amounts of marijuana and edibles, containing THC, were being transported from other states to the Boone County, Arkansas area for resale. Numerous seizures following local police arrests occurred as well. This morning authorities arrested 15 people in the third major law enforcement operation in October designed to disrupt the flow of the deadly drug [] According to Arkansas law, possession and attempt to deliver over 100 pounds of marijuana incurs a minimum six-year prison sentence. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. This operation has taken 21 drug dealers off the streets of our communities, stated Cody Hiland, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas. 7 Reasons We Must Avoid Tunnel Vision as We Fight Addiction, Drug Enforcement Administration Updates List of Slang Terms for Drugs, Narconon International Science Advisory Board. Police detained the four people at the scene, authorities said. Box 1229 In the searches, police seized 1,011 grams of methamphetamine; 218.8 grams of crack cocaine; 79 grams of powder cocaine; 2,610.4 grams of marijuana; 829 assorted pills; $28,342.65 in cash; one vehicle; and 52 firearms. In his past, he will find antisocial types associated with his starting to use drugs or losing his self-respect. An indictment contains only allegations. The defendants include multiple individuals who have previously been convicted of state felonies, including prior convictions for drug trafficking or firearm possession. Have a question about Government Services? A drug bust Friday uncovered over 1,700 ecstasy pills, marijuana, meth, cocaine and weapons during a search warrant in the 300 block of South Holland in Blytheville, officials said. There are four distinctly different phases of this program. This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Material from the Associated Press is Copyright 2023, Associated Press and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. This is a new day in Arkansas, Hamlet said. It sends almost as many people to rehab as alcohol. On the morning of November 9, 2022,. J. Volpe later. Starting on Jan. 23, according to the release, the law enforcement agencies involved in the drug bust executed multiple search and arrest warrants across the district. "Majority of them were felonies, that's safe to say," Messer said. How much help are American volunteers in Ukraine? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Officers from the Harrison Police Department executed three simultaneous search warrants Wednesday on Primrose Lane in Boone County Arkansas. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File). Fayetteville police initiated a drug smuggling investigation in 2006, which has led to the biggest bust in the city's history. Sixty-one south Arkansas residents were arrested this week on various drug-related charges, the 13th Judicial Drug Task Force announced on Tuesday. CONWAY After getting reports of alleged drug activity in Conway Village, police made four arrests last week, also netting amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Following the massive drug bust, Arkansas Drug Director Boyce Hamlet shared how this benefits local communities. An official website of the United States government. The maximum penalty for being a felon in possession of a firearm is 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Edgar Andrew Guyton, 33, Larry Black, 28, and Trevon Wells, 19, all of Blytheville were arrested in the case. This investigation, named Operation Wagon Wheel, was the result of several law enforcement agencies, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), attacking the drug-trafficking organization on multiple fronts. Messer said it's important for the community to see law enforcement agencies across the district working together, noting that crime often crosses county lines. During the stop, he asked to search the car and was given permission by the driver. The rest of the state is mostly farmland or forest. Copyright 2020 KAIT. It actually started November 1. At least eight firearms have also been recovered from the organization. Region 8 News will have more details as they become available. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. A locked padlock Bernardo Carcamo: age 29, Rogers, Arkansas - Aiding and Abetting the Possession with Intent to Distribute of More Than 50 Grams of a Mixture or Substance Containing Methamphetamine - 63 months imprisonment, a 4-year term of supervised release, a fine of $900, and a $100 special assessment. Arkansas Drug Director Kirk Lane is seeing more of these stories, massive busts on highways and side roads as traffickers travel the state. The first is a drug-free withdrawal, which follows any medical wean down needed before beginning the program. Main Office: He adds the dedication of this deputy resulted in more than just drugs off the street it saved lives, potentially thousands. Drugs, guns and cash were seized by the 13th Judicial District Drug Task Force and other local law enforcement agencies this week. According to authorities, the state's Drug Task Force worked together in an effort to remove illegal and different drugs from Arkansas communities. This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at. drug bust, Skeletal remains of Springfield, Mo. Finally, he learns how to face and overcome obstacles, problems, and upsets. Acting DEA Administrator Timothy Shea announced the bust at a press conference Wednesday. One out of every six of these pills on the average contains a lethal dose, Lane said, referring to fentanyl. Harrison police drug bust recovers over $1M in items Posted: Oct 15, 2020 / 03:29 PM CDT Updated: Oct 15, 2020 / 04:09 PM CDT HARRISON, Ark. Most report a brighter, more positive outlook and clearer thinking. The damage caused by drugs and violence affects everyone across the nation, including here in the Eastern District of Arkansas, DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Justin King said. Meth: The Biggest Problem Drug for Arkansas. The next step is our unique sauna-based detoxification that reaches deep into fatty tissues to wash away old stored drug residues. This is a new day in Arkansas, said Hamlet. All rights reserved. The maximum penalty for use of a phone to facilitate a drug-trafficking crime is four years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Arkansas runners remember the Boston Marathon ten years later, Teens reported missing, endangered, in Fort Smith found safe, Getting warmer before storms hit Thursday, Storm warning fatigue | Alerting Arkansas, Syrian man with Arkansas ties describes earthquake destruction in Syria, Turkey. The operation lasted 3 months, with 18 different units from the Drug Task Force assisting in the drug bust. Some can see colors better. Messer declined to share details about the investigation, and said the arrests were spread out over all the counties in the 13th Judicial District. Of the 80 defendants indicted on Wednesday, eight were in custody before the roundup began. Officers noticed several people in front of the house when they arrived. You dont need to spend a fortune on a smart TV. Three people were arrested and face criminal charges. Unfortunately, its getting to be the norm, Lane said. The goal is lasting sobriety, not profit. Also arrested were Alva Turner, 42, who is charged with possession of meth with intent to distribute; Lawrence Cannon, 49, who was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm; Mike Crockett, 31, who was charged with distribution of meth; and Percy Law Jr., 39, who was charged with possession of cocaine and crack cocaine with intent to deliver, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and three counts of distribution of meth, federal officials said. Javier Rodela and Alejandro Flores of El Paso Texas were charged with trafficking a controlled substance and are being held in the White County Detention Center on $400,000 bonds. The parties shall contact the Courtroom Deputy to schedule the hearing. Rawls, 50, of Benton, was sentenced to 420 months imprisonment for his role in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine. "Unfortunately, it's getting to be the norm," Lane said. By practicing the principles in this course, he can find true relief from the losses and pain of the past. A three-month operation has led to significant drug seizures and arrests across Arkansas. Published: Apr. U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Arkansas, 21 defendants face federal drug and gun charges following DEA investigation, Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (LECC), Central Arkansas Drug Organization Dismantled After Arrest Operation, 35 Years In Federal Prison for Convicted Cocaine Trafficker, Operation "Candyland" Leads to Multiple Drug Arrests in Marianna and Forrest City, Little Rock Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl That Resulted in Death. The indictment, which was returned by a Grand Jury on September 11, 2020, and unsealed today, named 20 other defendants alleged to be part of Allens organization. (AP) Arkansas on Wednesday became the second state to restrict social media use by children, as Gov. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Three federal investigations focused on the drug and firearm pipeline in Arkansas came to a head on Wednesday morning when 80 indictments were unsealed and 45 arrests were made, which included the rapper Bankroll Freddie, whose real name is Freddie Gladney III. Our neighborhoods deserve to exist without fear and intimidation inflicted by violent drug gangs. An FBI seal is seen on a wall on Aug. 10, 2022, in Omaha, Nebraska. Officials with the Arkansas Department of Human Services said Thursday that more than $55 million in drugs were seized, culminating with Operation Task Force Arkansas. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! BLYTHEVILLE, Ark. Cartels are commonly at the top of the supply chain for local drug dealing operations, according to 12th and 21st District Drug Task Force Director Paul Smith. Gladney and his father were indicted for possessing between 500 grams and 5 kilograms of cocaine, between 28 and 280 grams of crack-cocaine, and between 100 kilograms and 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, the indictment noted. The rest of the state is mostly farmland or forest. For families or individuals looking for a solution, the Narconon drug rehab program not far away. This investigation resulted in the arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment of fifteen (15) individual drug traffickers and money launderers and the seizure of approximately 28 kilograms of methamphetamine, approximately 415 grams of heroin, approximately 61 grams of fentanyl, 5 firearms, and over $43,000.00 in funds derived from drug trafficking. Officer Jonathan Messer, director of the DTF, said the agencies' investigation started in November. According to the sheriffs office, authorities recovered more than $1,070,000 in drugs and items in the investigation. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Three other defendants were charged in stand-alone indictments, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorneys Office Eastern District Arkansas. The indictments and arrests of these individuals should be a warning to others who prey on the weak and defenseless through their drug trafficking and violent acts. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Natalie Urbina: age 26, Rogers, Arkansas - Aiding and Abetting the Possession with Intent to Distribute of More Than 50 Grams of a Mixture or Substance Containing Methamphetamine - 87 months imprisonment, a 4-year term of supervised release, a fine of $900, and a $100 special assessment. Gladney was listed as a defendant in the indictment that was a result of the FBI focusing on the EBK gang, as was his father Freddie Gladney, Jr. The drugs were then distributed to individuals in Little Rock and Pine Bluff, Arkansas, as well as Houston, Texas. A spokesperson said the estimated value of drugs seized was $55,387,093. Updated: Mar 5, 2021 / 10:13 PM CST. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Officials went to Moores home Wednesday morning to make the arrest, the media release noted. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. He then learns about integrityhow he lost his and how he can regain it. According to a media release from the Second Judicial District Drug Task Force-Eastern District Unit, task force agents and Blytheville police served a search warrant in the 300-block of South Holland Street in Blytheville. Letting ourselves develop this kind of tunnel vision could result in our overlooking some truly vital aspects of our nations problems with drugs and addiction. The press release said Collins was assisting the FBI with intelligence pertaining to the criminal activity of the gangs, as well as surveillance, interviews and arrests of those involved in criminal activity in Pine Bluff. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Independence County became the epicenter of operation "Ice . The investigation was led by the DEA, North Little Rock Police Department, and United States Postal Service, with assistance from the Sherwood Police Department, Jacksonville Police Department, Conway Police Department, Pulaski County Sherriffs Office, Arkansas State Police, Arkansas Department of Community Corrections, Beebe Police Department, Saline County Sheriffs Office, and the 14th Judicial Drug Task Force. How to face and overcome obstacles, problems, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten United... 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