Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
Thirteen alleged drug traffickers operation out of the Texas Panhandle were federally charged in DEA-led Operation Put It In Reverse, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.
Those charged in a 15-count indictment filed include:
• Juan Gabriel Castro, aka “Big Boy,” charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine
• Luis Gilberto Garcia, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine
• Terry Deon Noble, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, distribution of methamphetamine
• David Dewayne Keelin, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine
• Charlotte Ann Villanueva, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Kody Ryan Patterson, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Melissa Lynn Nelson, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Joshua James Tarver, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine,
• Danny James Wise, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Christopher Steven Conley, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Reba Lynn McLaughlin, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Mario Socorro Martinez, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Alfredo Olivares Jimenez, aka “Freddie,” charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
The defendants were arrested last week.
Over th course of the investigation, law enforcement seized approximately 70 kilograms of methamphetamine, four kilograms of cocaine, two kilograms of fentanyl, $70,000 in assets, and eight firearms.
“These arrests demonstrate the continued resolve of DEA Amarillo Resident Office to investigate this organization to the fullest extent possible,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Eduardo A. Chávez. “Local street dealers, transporters, bulk suppliers, and anyone in between should know DEA is committed to holding everyone in this organization, and others like it, accountable for selling deadly drugs to our communities.”
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, the defendants face as much as twenty years to life in federal prison.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division – Amarillo Resident Office conducted the investigation with the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Criminal Investigation and Highway Patrol Divisions, the Amarillo Police Department, the Randall County Sheriff’s Department, the Potter County Sheriff’s Department, the Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Agents of the Texas Attorney General’s Office (OIG), Texas Game Warden Officers, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, the United States Marshal’s Service, and Texas State Probation – Amarillo. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Marie Bell is prosecuting the case.