The sheriff's office says 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. Officials have detained suspects and will continue to make arrests as the investigation continues. 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. 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. 30 pounds of THC-laced Skittles, sour chews seized in Tennessee drug bust, police say By Tanasia Kenney. He added that treatment options for addicts and people struggling have been limited due to restrictions in place because of the coronavirus. (RELATED: I Want To Shove The Drugs Right Up The Noses Of The Gringos: Honduran President Accused By US Prosecutors Of Trafficking Drugs). Individuals seeking prescription drugs like Hydrocodone have found that heroin is cheaper and more accessible on the street. Class E Felony: 1 to 6 years. The 29 individuals were arrested on a combined total of 221 charges for distribution of drugs such as heroin, methamphetamine, and prescription medications. 29 of these counties are in Tennessee. Magana is a central figure in the alleged operation, records indicate. Your email address will not be published. Agents had been tracking Magana for weeks through wire intercepts and other means, according to records. A second indictment charges seven individuals with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances, including heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, crack . An official website of the United States government. One trooper was shot in the leg. Attorneys Robert S. Levine and Nani Gilkerson are prosecuting these cases. 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. Consultation with an experienced drug crime lawyer will get you the best possible outcome for your case. 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. More than 20 suspects arraigned in federal court following Middle Tennessee drug bust. 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. Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect. The most serious of which are pills containing Fentanyl. Tennessee Drug Offender Registry Disclaimer The information contained in the Tennessee Drug Offender Registry is provided to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation by the appropriate clerk in each county. This was a seriously deadly load, he said. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Mosley and Jenkins were charged with committing these crimes following a conviction for a serious drug felony. He went into the building, and when he came back out he was carrying a Doritos bag, according to records. Note: Internet Explorer has problems displaying the following charts. She lived 30-40 minutes from the house, according to the government. All defendants previously pleaded guilty. 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. 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. Marshals Service while in TDOC custody at the West Tennessee State Penitentiary, and transferred to federal pre-trial custody. Tennessee, U . ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. All rights reserved. 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. The exact location of the crash wasn't immediately clear. MONROE COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) One person is facing charges Saturday morning after a drug bust in Monroe County. Narcan is an opiate antagonist that acts by blocking the effects of opiate drugs and reversing the event of an overdose. 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). . Assistant U.S. Pictures posted to the GBI Facebook page showed what amounts to millions of doses of drugs , the agency said in a Tuesday. 2023 www.commercialappeal.com. Required fields are marked *. Hardin County Government - Hardin County, Tennessee - Official . Federal authorities have indicted 27 individuals in a massive, violent drug-trafficking scheme that operated out of a Tennessee state prison for years. And you know some people turn to drugs to deal with that.. The following individuals have been arrested and charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana into and throughout West Tennessee. Seals started firing a pistol at them. Authorities allege they've interrupted a methamphetamine supply line that stretched from Mexico to Georgia and up into East Tennessee and elsewhere. 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. It's still an "ongoing investigation," according to Overbey's release. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary Lawler Parham is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. If you are similarly charged with drug possession or any other drug crime in Tennessee, you should take these charges seriously. Christopher Mantooth, 38, Sarah . D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney announced the unsealing of the federal criminal complaint today. 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. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) - January 28, 2020 - Nine people have been indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with conspiracies to . 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Troy was founded in 1825 as the original county seat of Obion County. 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. "The drugs are getting more and more. These counties take in three Tennessee judicial districts. 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. The Gulf Coast HIDTA encompasses designated counties/parishes across the six states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. The technology would essentially jam the signals of cellphones smuggled into prisons. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. In Tennessee, its illegal to possess a controlled substance without having a medical prescription for the substance. In March 2019, a DEA investigation was initiated in the Jackson, Tennessee area. 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.. 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. 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. 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). 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 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. Updated: Aug 11, 2021 / 10:08 PM CDT. A locked padlock Middle District of Tennessee 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 massive operation was led by 29-year-old Humberto Morales of Tennessee who has been incarcerated at the Tennessee State Prison since 2014. Did you encounter any technical issues? Example video title will go here for this video. 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 task force is made up of TBI Special Agents and officers from local law enforcement agencies. 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. The increase of heroin abuse has created an epidemic rate increase of overdoses and deaths. Another phenomenon is the introduction of counterfeit pills. 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. Federal officials say late Monday and early Tuesday they served a search warrant on a "stash house" in Conyers, Ga., that Magana had frequently visited. Officers also recovered kilo presses; $45,000 in cash; and a .380 caliber pistol. Jackson, TN Seventeen individuals have been charged in federal court with operating a multiplestate drug trafficking organization. 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. 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. In 2021, the TBI investigated 131 cases. Fax Line: 615-401-6626. Undeterred by the loss, or the possibility that law enforcement was aware of the illegal drug activity, during the undercover investigation Jenkins also agreed to purchase 10 kilograms of cocaine for $240,000. They were discovered hidden in a truck delivering medical supplies from Mexico. JACKSON, Ga. - A big drug investigation that law enforcement dubbed Crystal Web in 12 Georgia . Established in 1998, the Appalachia HIDTA is comprised of sixty-five, predominately rural counties located within the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia. of methamphetamine (ice), 500 fentanyl pills, and an additional 1.25 lbs. He's being held in Hamilton County. 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. Troy remained the county seat until 1890, when it was moved to Union City following a contentious legal dispute. A sworn statement from the passenger riding with then Nolensville commissioner Lisa Garramone in October 2020 claims she was driving just before an officer suspected she was drunk. 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). RELATED: THP dashcam video shows chase, shootout on Highway 27, RELATED: Corryton man shot after chase ends in shoot-out with THP troopers. TBI DID has one Special Agent Criminal Investigator assigned full-time to the Border Enforcement Security Task Force. Reach Mike Christenat mchristen@c-dh.net. 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. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. 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. You can also be fined an additional $10,000 for third and subsequent offenses if you committed the offense near a school or other drug-free zone. 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. On May 4, 2021, Jacob Mosely was sentenced to 210 months in prison and Howard Dowell was sentenced to 135 months in prison. 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. Your email address will not be published. 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. While we continue to make progress reducing prescription drug issues, illicit opioid drug use continues to spawn the proliferation of heroin/fentanyl. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Established in 1998, the Appalachia HIDTA is comprised of sixty-five, predominately rural counties located within the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia. These districts include Fentress County in the 8th Judicial District, Jackson County in the 15th Judicial District, and Overton, Pickett, Putnam, and Cumberland counties in the 13th Judicial District. 2023 www.columbiadailyherald.com. Mike Christen. The drugs in that bust were seized at the Otay Mesa port of entry to San Diego. Further investigation revealed that Terry Smith a/k/a "Ali," a/k/a "Cockeye", Chief of Security for the Vice Lords street gang, arranged large quantities of methamphetamine, marijuana, cocaine, heroin and fentanyl to be shipped into the Western District of Tennessee from Texas and Arizona. Court appearanceshave yet to beset for the 14suspects who will go before US District Court in Nashville. appreciated. The finalof three federal indictments returned last month were unsealed last week and all but one charged defendant have been taken into custody, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice. Affidavits cite numerous undercover and controlled drug purchases, as well as seizures of heroin, fentanyl, and large amounts of cash. All four charges for possession with intent are classified as felonies. A Warner Bros. Nashville, Tennessee 37203, Telephone: 615-736-5151 oxycodone, and marijuana, between October 2017 and November 2020. . He was a Naval veteran, having served on the USS Chatelain, part of the 10th Atlantic Fleet, during WWII. The amount seized is equal to a ton of meth. 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. This is enough dope to provide a dose of meth for every man, woman and child in the United States and Mexico, Shea said. North Memphis drug bust results in 40 indictments, 3 houses closed by: Stuart Rucker, Andrew Ellison. Someone whos responsible for this quantity of drugs is someone who is very, very trusted by the cartels, Bodner said. Counterfeit Pills Lawson says the incident happened early Thursday. amy . 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. The TDDTF educates the public about the dangers of all scheduled drugs and works to support law enforcement and other stakeholders by supplying equipment, training, intelligence, and investigative tools to assist in strategically identifying, targeting, and prosecuting drug offenders. . 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. Utilization of the latest methods and technology to dismantle, eliminate and/or disrupt these illegal actions. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Inside the Doritos bag in his vehicle, authorities found 1.5 kilos of meth and about 500 grams of heroin, the affidavit states. Both agencies led the arrest round up in Benton and Henry Counties on Tuesday as a part of Operation Icebreaker, a more than year-long drug investigation targeting methamphetamine and other. 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. On June 18, 2020, when Jenkins showed up to conduct the transaction, he was arrested by undercover officers. Please use another browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge) to view. "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. . In total, the task force officers foundfive pounds of fentanyl, one pound of black tar heroin and approximately 2,500 unidentified pills. Individuals seeking prescription drugs like Hydrocodone have found that heroin is cheaper and more accessible on the street. 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. of fentanyl, and 3.5 grams of heroin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 26,831. 719 Church St., Suite 3300 These counterfeits are compiled of various concoctions and are not what they appear to be. I am quite pleased with the end result. He does not appear to have been charged with a federal offense. Three arrested, about $400,000 in cocaine seized in Nashville drug bust. "Operation Thundering Justice," led by special agents with the Drug Investigation Division of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Carroll County Sheriff's Office, the Huntingdon Police Department, the McKenzie Police Department, and the Henderson County Sheriff's Office, began in January 2020. according to a US Customs and Border Protection statement. The arrests and drug seizure was made possible after agents developed information about a shipment of drugs being sent to Murfreesboro from California. 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. Authorities find 3,100 pounds of meth and other drugs hidden in truckload of medical supplies, These two seizures are more than enough to provide a dose of meth, for every man, woman, and child in the United States and Mexico. Published You know its a tough time for everybody, he said. 2. tennessee narcotic drug bust in which has been filed a felony counts of!. All rights reserved. Morales also instructed hitman Magdiel Pina Ramirez of Mexico to cut off part of his pinky finger to prove his loyalty, the DOJ said. It doesnt matter why you had the drug or what you were going to do with it. Painkillers:Pulaski caregiver charged with stealing painkillers from an elderly patient. A multi-agency drug investigation led to the discovery of nearly a half million dollars worth of cocaine and the arrest of . Updated April 24, 2020 2:19 PM. The TBI does not independently verify the convictions, and cannot guarantee their accuracy. The drugs were seized on October 2. - [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. 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. "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. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Narcan The men wereidentified as Jovanni Aguiarviera, 27,and Luis Cruz, 28. After the crash, the people in the vehicle ran away. 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. 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. Task force director Johnie Carter said the numbers were "absolutely terrifying.". 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 TBIs Drug Investigation Division (DID) investigates and assists in the prosecution of crimes involving controlled substances, narcotics, and other illegal drugs. It just wouldnt happen. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Monday, October 5, 2020 Seventeen Charged in Poly-Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Spanning Multiple States Jackson, TN - Seventeen individuals have been charged in federal court with operating a multiple-state drug trafficking organization. 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. Authorities seized methamphetamine,. 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. 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.