Arkansas overdoses from drugs laced with fentanyl on the rise With the rise of drugs being laced with fentanyl, state officials say there were 618 overdose deaths in 2021 with about 65% of. Authorities took Hall to the Pulaski County Regional Detention Facility where he's currently being held without bond until he appears in North Little Rock Court on Tuesday, January 4, 2022. During the "controlled buy," Rhodes asked the confidential source, "What you got?" A greater amount, in fact, a very large amount was found secreted around the vehicle, said Seiders, most of them inside of the structure of the vehicle itself.. Ross said Wednesday's arrests were part of three separate -- but related -- operations, two of which were conducted by the FBI and the third by the DEA, with both organizations working in concert with state and local police in Little Rock, North Little Rock, Pine Bluff, Jonesboro and Helena-West Helena to interrupt what was described as a "pipeline" of drugs and guns moving between Pine Bluff and Little Rock. Gladney was arrested Wednesday in Jonesboro. Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. In December 2020, the Drug Enforcement. With this investigation, DEA, working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, has taken down a drug trafficking organization responsible for bringing significant amounts of these illegal dangerous drugs into Arkansas through the U.S. Most of the defendants who were arrested this morning will appear at a later date for arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Joe J. Volpe. Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute more than 500 grams but less than 5 kilograms of cocaine is punishable by not less than five years, not more than 40 years incarceration in the Bureau of Prisons with a possible fine of up to $5,000,000, and not less than four years supervised release. Law enforcement began early this morning by searching for 72 suspects, all of whom were indicted for federal gun and drug trafficking crimes. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File). A third operation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration began in August 2021 when DEA and the North Little Rock Police Department identified street-level methamphetamine and fentanyl dealers in central Arkansas who were connected to the same West Coast source. Twenty-seven fugitives are still not in custody, as of Wednesday morning, and those who were arrested were scheduled to appear for arraignment by U.S. Magistrate Judge Joe. As part of the operation on Tuesday more than 20 vehicles and more than $35,000 in drug proceeds from multiple bank accounts was seized. Included in the indictment were several forfeiture counts which called for the forfeiture of multiple vehicles used by the Freddie Brewster organization, including the inventory of the used car shop. Named after lead defendant Derrick Hart, 27, of North Little Rock, this operation targeted drug distribution in the North Little Rock area. He has a lot of things that he looks for to pick up on people that may be trafficking, explained Lt. Scott Seiders with WCSO. Of the 80 defendants indicted in the three investigations, 8 of those were already in custody when this mornings roundup began. Hobbs said the announcement of Wednesday's arrests was particularly meaningful to both him and Collins' mother because of the credit Collins received from federal authorities for the part he played in the investigations. Courtney Rhodes pleaded guilty to the distribution of a controlled substance, while the U.S. government dismissed three other charges. Official websites use .gov These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julie Peters and Amanda Fields with assistance from Cameron McCree. Market data provided by Factset. Both Clairday and Smith were booked into the Greene County Detention Center on trafficking a controlled substance, simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, manufacturing a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and several charges of possession of controlled substances with purpose to deliver. During the arrest, authorities found guns and drugs with an overall value of $175,520. The last couple of years weve seen larger and larger amounts.. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. 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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. North Little Rock police arrested a 33-year-old man with multiple active felony warrants out. Local authorities reported receiving citizen complaints about drug trafficking and gunshots at these locations. This operation, named after lead defendant Derrick Hart, 27, of North Little Rock, targeted drug distribution in the North Little Rock area. Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 50 kilograms but less than 100 kilograms of marijuana is punishable by not more than 20 years incarceration in the Bureau of Prisons with a possible fine of up to $1,000,000, and not less than three years supervised release. All rights reserved. Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital. Investigation revealed the drugs were being mailed into Arkansas from California, and these shipmentswhich included kilogram-quantities of methamphetamine and thousands of pressed fentanyl pillswere then distributed to individuals in Little Rock and Pine Bluff as well as Houston, Texas. Rapper Bankroll Freddie attends his Birthday Party at Onyx Nightclub on April 7, 2021 in Atlanta. 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. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use. Possession with the intent to distribute less than 500 grams of cocaine is punishable by not more than 20 years incarceration in the Bureau of Prisons with a possible fine of up to $1,000,000, and not less than three years supervised release. He was taken to the Pulaski County jail but was no longer on the jail roster as of Saturday evening. The DEA Little Rock Office was assisted by the DEA Riverside, California office, United States Postal Inspection Service, North Little Rock Police Department, Sherwood Police Department and Benton Police Department. Todays events provide an excellent example of the partnerships between local, county, state, and federal agencies. Law enforcement began early Wednesday morning by searching for 72 suspects, all of whom were indicted for federal gun and drug trafficking crimes. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. According to reports, authorities underwent the. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Michael Gioelli pleaded guilty to knowingly distributing a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl with prosecutors dropping the rest of the counts against him. Reports say that authorities made the arrest around 5:43 p.m. on Idaho Drive after they found Hall inside of a vehicle. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Staci Vandagriff). 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. He was trying to make an arrest of a guy who had already killed someone.". According to the indictment, Freddie Gladney III and the 34 other individuals allegedly knowingly and intentionally distributed and possessed cocaine, crack-cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana. The indictment charges 25 defendants in 62 separate counts. Before todays DEA arrests, investigators seized $146,000 in cash, 10 firearms, 12 pounds of methamphetamine, 1.2 kilograms of powder fentanyl, 600 pressed fentanyl pills, 10 pounds of marijuana, and nine ounces of cocaine. Of the 80 defendants indicted on Wednesday, eight were in custody before the roundup began. The investigation revealed drug trafficking and travel between Arkansas and Texas, California, Arizona, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Oklahoma. 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. JOHNSON COUNTY, Ark. emailStay Connected Prior to his death, Detective Collins was assisting FBI with intelligence related to criminal activity of these gangs, as well as surveillance, interviews, and arrests of individuals responsible for criminal activity in Pine Bluff. (Prince Williams/Wireimage). Three more defendants, Quincy Martez Chambers, Deandreian Devonte Meadows, and Joseph Riggins, Jr., are charged separately in stand-alone indictments. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chris Givens. Also, agents found a journal where Clairday made entries as far back as 2018 where he described his experiments with growing mushrooms and his recipes for DMT production and use. Pine Bluff Police Detective Kevin Collins was shot and killed in October 2020 while serving an arrest warrant on an EBK associate wanted for a homicide in Georgia. LITTLE ROCKThirteen people will appear in federal court today after being arrested Tuesday morning as part of Operation Hartbreak Kid. Named after lead defendant Derrick Hart, 27, of North Little Rock, this operation targeted drug distribution in the North Little Rock area. GEORGIA MAN ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY STEALING $50K FROM ELDERLY WOMAN, POSSESSION OF GUNS AND MARIJUANA, Rapper Bankroll Freddie attends his Birthday Party at Onyx Nightclub on April 7, 2021 in Atlanta. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Arkansas, Investigations Built on the Work of Late Pine Bluff Detective Kevin Collins, Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (LECC), Three Federal Operations in Pine Bluff and Little Rock Lead to Dozens of Drug & Firearm Arrests, 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. So if you just do the math on those 24,000 pills, youre looking at 4,000 lethal doses or possibly 4,000 lives that have been saved just on this one stop.. Rapper Bankroll Freddie attends 1st Party of The Year at Gold Room on January 1, 2022 in Atlanta. Police executed a search warrant at 2:30 p.m. at 10520 W. Markham St. and reported finding the Xanax, along with methamphetamine and assorted drug paraphernalia, the report said. If youre thinking of altering your workout routine, youre probably looking for new exercises and equipment to help you reach your fitness goals. The formal accusation accuses Gladney of selling marijuana, possessing several firearms including 9mm handguns, an AM15 multi-caliber rifle, 5.56 NATO caliber rifle and SKS rifle. Fordson faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. How much help are American volunteers in Ukraine? Immerse Arkansas to break ground for first-of-its-kind youth shelter, Police activate Silver Alert for missing North Little Rock woman, Your Arkansas weather forecast from THV11, Tornado recovery agencies in Arkansas move on to new areas, Seven Arkansas men arrested on fentanyl drug charges related to overdose death, Bryant school bus driver arrested, charged with DWI, 2 dead following pursuit with Arkansas State trooper in Memphis, TBI reports. Dubbed Operation Candyland, this investigation by the FBI, Arkansas Eastern District of Arkansas If convicted of conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine each defendant will face a sentence of not less than 10 years to life imprisonment. If you want to plan the perfect spring picnic, food and drink are important, but its certainly not the only factor to consider. Arkansas Drug Director Kirk Lane is seeing more of these stories, massive busts on highways and side roads as traffickers travel the state. Gladney was already under federal indictment for drug and gun crimes stemming from an April arrest by state police following a traffic stop in Crittenden County. "That regret and grief over the loss of his life led to an even greater resolve by his colleagues, including the task force, who have been working hard to investigate these cases.". LITTLE ROCK (KATV) Seven people have been arrested in connection with an ongoing drug investigation in Jonesboro. The release says authorities seized about 16.2 pounds of cocaine, 7.7 pounds of marijuana, 13 firearms and $9,540. Courtney Rhodes pleaded guilty to the distribution of a controlled substance, while the. Manuel Taylor was charged in a separate indictment. Investigation revealed the drugs were being mailed into Arkansas from California, and these shipmentswhich included kilogram-quantities of methamphetamine and thousands of pressed fentanyl pillswere then distributed to individuals in Little Rock and Pine Bluff as well as Houston, Texas. 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. Drug trafficking brings violence and fear to our communities, and we will do everything we can to protect our streets from these crimes, stated Jonathan D. Ross, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas. Collins was killed in a shootout Oct. 5, 2020, while working an investigation at the Econo Lodge motel in Pine Bluff. The defendants arrested today will appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joe J. Volpe on March 15, 2021, at 9:00 a.m. for plea and arraignment. Police lights are shown in this file photo. No Thanks The DEAs investigation found drugs were mailed from California into Arkansas in shipments that included kilogram-quantities of methamphetamine and thousands of pressed fentanyl pills, according to the press release. All rights reserved. The total street value of the bust more than $3 million, one of the largest traffic-stop-related drug busts in White County history. J. Volpe later. Your email address will not be published. An official website of the United States government. Legal Statement. The defendants arrested include Hart, Jenkins, Justin Cross, 29, of North Little Rock; Jonathan Dunigan, 23, of Austin; Andre Graves, 44, of Little Rock; Bianca Lavonda, 33, of North Little Rock; Prince Strong, 37, of Jacksonville; Steven Taylor, 64, of Jacksonville; Daniel White, 34, of North Little Rock; and Dayton Wiggins, Jr., 47, of Jacksonville. Most of the defendants who were arrested this morning will appear at a later date for arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Joe J. Volpe. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. We are proud of this partnership which remains focused on dismantling the violent criminal enterprises which attempt to root their networks within our communities, said Special Agent In Charge David T. Resch of the FBI Little Rock Field Office. The White County Sheriffs Office is praising the actions of a deputy after millions of dollars worth of narcotics were discovered during a traffic stop. DEA agents arrest 13, seize drugs & gun in North Little Rock neighborhood bust During the search, drugs were found and the two men were arrested. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. TWO MEN BUSTED FOR ATTEMPTING TO SELL FENTANYL TO VETS IN BOSTON VA SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAM, Rapper Bankroll Freddie attends 1st Party of The Year at Gold Room on January 1, 2022 in Atlanta. A locked padlock Rawls, 50, of Benton, was sentenced to 420 months imprisonment for his role in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. Rhodes bites off two pieces to weigh on a set of electronic scales and can be seen counting money, according to the plea agreement. The maximum penalty for being a felon or an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm is 10 years' imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. During the search, drugs were found and the two men were arrested. Lock According to the Little Rock Police. This organization used the mail system to evade detection in order to facilitate their operation. ARKANSAS, USA Arkansas authorities have completed a drug bust that resulted in more than $55 million in various drugs, 1,200 different arrests, and the recovery of hundreds of firearms.. WHITE COUNTY, Ark. Fordson, also a part of the Fuller fentanyl distribution ring, agreed with Fuller and others in 2018 to "distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.". The indictment was handed down by a Federal Grand Jury on . (Prince Williams/Wireimage). Three; Michael Dawkins, Rodriques Davis and Richard Beason, are still at large. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 | MH Magazine WordPress Theme by MH Themes, Report: Armed suspects enter residence, assault, and steal from woman, Suspect arrested after allegedly choking, threatening victim with knife, First-Ever LOTTO Jackpot Hit for $2.338 Million, A-State Spring Commencement has Approximately 2,100 Candidates, Greene County deputies injured during arrest, Registration to Adopt USPS Operation Santa Letters is Available, Officer wrecks patrol car in front of police station, Underwater robot competition coming to Arkansas, $200,000 bond set for kidnapping, robbery suspect, West Memphis Three still seek justice 11 years after their release from prison, Burglars clean out north Jonesboro residence, report says.
Fringe Services Firestick,
Is James Rasband Related To Ronald Rasband,
Robin Meade Political Party,
The Respiratory System Worksheet Answer Key,
Tim Drummond Cause Of Death,
Articles D
