But police found a pelican case they'd left behind that had about 500 grams of suspected methamphetamine, according to records. The Governors Task Force on Marijuana Eradication (GTFME) was created by Executive Order No. Another phenomenon is the introduction of counterfeit pills. 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. Hardin County Government - Hardin County, Tennessee - Official . A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Cruz and Dominguez have a preliminary March 19. 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. The increase of heroin abuse has created an epidemic rate increase of overdoses and deaths. Thats worth repeating. Morales also instructed hitman Magdiel Pina Ramirez of Mexico to cut off part of his pinky finger to prove his loyalty, the DOJ said. 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.. The six were arrested Tuesday in northern Georgia. The DEAs focus is to interrupt the drug transportation chain in the cities that account for 75% distribution of all meth distributed in the country, Shea said. In August 2010, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) designated Shelby County to be included in the Gulf Coast HIDTA. At least two dozen people allegedly participated in a major Glynn County-based drug-trafficking operation for a lengthy amount of time, law enforcement officials said Wednesday. CA houses for rent. The motto of the Tennessee Dangerous Drugs Task Force continues to be Protect, Enforce, and Educate., The Tennessee Alliance for Drug-Endangered Children(TADEC) is comprised offederal, local, and state agencies who share a goal to prevent drug-related harm to children and rescue, shelter, and support Tennessees children who suffer physical and psychological harm caused by the manufacture, distribution, sale, and abuse ofprescription drugs and alcohol.. In total, the task force officers foundfive pounds of fentanyl, one pound of black tar heroin and approximately 2,500 unidentified pills. Tennessee, U . Class E Felony: 1 to 6 years. 219 3rd Ave N Established in 1998, the Appalachia HIDTA is comprised of sixty-five, predominately rural counties located within the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia. "It takes us a long time from the time we first know someone is dealing drugs, to. 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. Note: Internet Explorer has problems displaying the following charts. The investigation began in March 2020 and focused on drug trafficking in the Knoxville area in eastern Tennessee. TBI spokesperson Leslie Earhart said the 2022 Enhanced Criminal Enforcement Operation centered around pursuing illicit drugs in seven East Tennessee counties. 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. 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. ( Drew Angerer/Getty Images), This is just another example of illegal cell phones being used by convicted felons to communicate and conspire with criminals in the free-world to proliferate criminal activity, Tennessee Department of Corrections Commissioner Tony Parker said in a statement. Mike Christen. Posted: Aug 11, 2021 / 04:35 PM CDT. In addition, TBI Agents participate in a variety of collaborative efforts to address the drug issues in Tennessee. The penalties for these felonies range in length: Class B Felony: 8 to 30 years. . Inside the house, they found equipment with possible residue "that can be used to convert liquid methamphetamine into crystal methamphetamine," an affidavit from Ted Francisco, a task force officer with Homeland Security Investigations, states. Task force director Johnie Carter said the numbers were "absolutely terrifying.". oxycodone, and marijuana, between October 2017 and November 2020. . Acting DEA Administrator Timothy Shea announced the bust at a press conference Wednesday. 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. The defendants are identified as Jose Cruz Landeroz-Tovar, Mariono Gonzales, Luis Albert Cruz, Aldolfo Dominguez, Luis Fernando Pena-Fierro and Maria Magana. Updated: Aug 11, 2021 / 10:08 PM CDT. Acting DEA Administrator Timothy Shea announced the bust at a press conference Wednesday. 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. Shelby County Jail records confirmed Cruz and Aguiarviera were booked into the Shelby County Jail on Friday and charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture or sell. Main Office: He added that treatment options for addicts and people struggling have been limited due to restrictions in place because of the coronavirus. 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. While we continue to make progress reducing prescription drug issues, illicit opioid drug use continues to spawn the proliferation of heroin/fentanyl. 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. Have a question about Government Services? 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. Our hands are tied with a near century old law that could not have foreseen the problem of illegal cell phones inside prisons in 2021.. Individuals seeking prescription drugs like Hydrocodone have found that heroin is cheaper and more accessible on the street. Drug Seizure Statistics FY2023 As of 15 December 2021 the Drug Seizures dashboard now includes seizures of all drug types. He utilized a large distribution network that ranged from Western Kentucky to Northwest Mississippi. Fentanyl is sold as heroin and often laced into other drugs such a heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Federal Agencies and Law Enforcement Partners. He does not appear to have been charged with a federal offense. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. A locked padlock He's being held in Hamilton County. The night of Jan. 9, Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers tried to pull Seals over in Hamilton County on Highway 27. Those indicted included Juan Carlos Brown, 34, of Muncie, who was charged with: James Edwin Perry, 95, of Tennessee Veterans Home in Clarksville, TN died at 9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020.A native of Ashland City, TN, he was born May 18, 1924 the son of the late James Franklin Perry and Louise Girard Perry. Federal authorities have indicted 27 individuals in a massive, violent drug-trafficking scheme that operated out of a Tennessee state prison for years. 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. But after a local and Counterfeit Pills The TBIs Drug Investigation Division (DID) investigates and assists in the prosecution of crimes involving controlled substances, narcotics, and other illegal drugs. During the press conference, Shea pointed to the pandemic for the rise in drug use and overdoses. Lawson says the incident happened early Thursday. Columbia, TN 38401 29 of these counties are in Tennessee. The seizure was part of the DEAs ongoing initiative Operation Crystal Shield, which is targeting cities where meth is often trafficked in bulk. Three arrested, about $400,000 in cocaine seized in Nashville drug bust. If you are similarly charged with drug possession or any other drug crime in Tennessee, you should take these charges seriously. 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. The increase of heroin abuse has created an epidemic rate increase of overdoses and deaths. Brentwood, TN 37027 The following individuals have been arrested and charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana into and throughout West Tennessee. 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. Franklin, TN 37064 An official website of the United States government. So these are high-level individuals.. At about 4:20 a.m. Thursday, deputies with the HCSO narcotics and tactical units along with agents of the Third Judicial Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force and officers with the Rogersville. RELATED: THP dashcam video shows chase, shootout on Highway 27, RELATED: Corryton man shot after chase ends in shoot-out with THP troopers. The defendants appeared Tuesday in federal court in Knoxville. Its a massive amount.. Individuals indicted could face a minimum of 10 years in jail or a maximum of life in prison, according to the DOJ. The most serious of which are pills containing Fentanyl. Oct 12, 2020 If youve been charged with drug possession, you face serious repercussions if you are convicted. Agents had been tracking Magana for weeks through wire intercepts and other means, according to records. July 13, 2020. Agents recovered fentanyl, heroin and thousands of pills believed to be Oxycodone. Inside the Doritos bag in his vehicle, authorities found 1.5 kilos of meth and about 500 grams of heroin, the affidavit states. The drugs were seized on October 2. 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. 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. . On May 4, 2021, Jacob Mosely was sentenced to 210 months in prison and Howard Dowell was sentenced to 135 months in prison. An additional 8 individuals were charged in separate indictments throughout March, according to the DOJ. Authorities seized methamphetamine,. 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. 2. Demographic conditions of the Appalachia HIDTA, including relatively high unemployment and low median family income, create an environment where illegal activities and corruption can flourish. 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. Marshals Service while in TDOC custody at the West Tennessee State Penitentiary, and transferred to federal pre-trial custody. Magana is a central figure in the alleged operation, records indicate. Assistant U.S. A second indictment charges seven individuals with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances, including heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, crack cocaine, oxycodone, and marijuana, between October 2017 and November 2020. 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. These counties take in three Tennessee judicial districts. Each defendants role in the drug trafficking conspiracy is outlined in the criminal complaint: Terry Smith, a/k/a "Ali," a/k/a "Cockeye", 33 of Lauderdale County (TDOC Custody), Rodney Ayers, a/k/a "P-Rod," 47 of Shelby County, Horace McNeary, a/k/a "HB," 35 of Henry County, Brianna Norsworthy, 23 of Calloway County, Kentucky, Dustin Chambers, a/k/a "SNOW," 35 of Madison County, Anthony Hines, a/k/a "BYRD," 41 of Shelby County, Teddy Reed, a/k/a "PT," 40 of Shelby County, Danielle Cunningham, 35 of Shelby County, Aerielle Coleman, 31 of Shelby County, and, James Dumas, a/k/a "DOO DOO," 45 of Shelby County, Terry Smith, a/k/a "ALI," a/k/a "COCKEYE", Tracy Coleman, 49 of Shelby County, and, Terry Smith, a/k/a "ALI," a/k/a "COCKEYE. ORDER REPRINT . 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. It just wouldnt happen. "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. Middle District of Tennessee Wayne County Sheriff Shane Fisher said a routine drug. Class D Felony: 2 to 12 years. Jackson, TN Seventeen individuals have been charged in federal court with operating a multiplestate drug trafficking organization. Narcan is an opiate antagonist that acts by blocking the effects of opiate drugs and reversing the event of an overdose. According to a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation news release, 15 people are in custody as of Thursday afternoon. Doug Overbey, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee, made the announcement Thursday. 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. This was a seriously deadly load, he said. 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. Pulaski caregiver charged with stealing painkillers from an elderly patient, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 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. Someone whos responsible for this quantity of drugs is someone who is very, very trusted by the cartels, Bodner said. The estimated total street value of the drugs is more than $13 million, according to Overbey's release. 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. 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.. All Rights Reserved. The court may also require you to take drug education classes or perform community service. 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. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS 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.