Jose Velasquez, 35, a Mexican national residing in Charlotte, N.C., has been charged with drug trafficking conspiracy; international money laundering; possession with intent to distribute heroin; possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Since 2012, a joint local, state and federal task force known as Operation Dixie Crystalhas led to the convictions of more than 266federal defendants inwestern North Carolinafor meth trafficking, federal officials said. 53 handguns, 19 long rifles, and 10 shotguns were seized during the undercover operation as well as thousands of pills. Police were able to proveto a jurythat Saldana smuggled about 20 pounds of methworthmore than $1 million, 1,500 miles to North Carolina and Virginia from Brownsville. "Absolutely this is a step in the right direction. 152 W in Rowan County, 13-year-old gets trapped in claw machine at Carowinds after attempting to steal, Kannapolis man wins $1M, his second big lottery prize of 2023, PLAN AHEAD: Latest Weather Forecast Video. 49-year-old Walter Giovanny Quijano Ramirez of Jim Bumgarner Lane in Granite Falls was arrested Saturday, 28-year-old Tony Aaron Ferguson of Shasta Lane in Lenoir was arrested Saturday (April 15) by, 41-year-old Marcellus Duwan Elleby of Old North Road in Lenoir was arrested Saturday (April 15), L-R: Dante Rashaun Ramseur, Carlos Hernandez-Landeiro, Holly Christine Furlough, Copyright 2023 Long Communications LLC | Design by, Three Suspects Jailed Under More Than One Million Dollars Bond On Catawba County Cocaine Charges (Updated with additional information, 11:10 a.m., 2/14/23), Granite Falls Resident Jailed for Failure to Register as A Sex Offender, Lenoir Man Charged with Possession of Stolen Property & Breaking and Entering, Lenoir Man Charged with Four Felony Failure to Appear Counts. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Erica Dawn Hicks, 21, was arrested and charged with one count of possession with intent to manufacture, Sell or distribute methamphetamine and one count of manufacture of methamphetamine. A different proposal also touches on creating grants to get more murals on private buildings as well. You have permission to edit this article. Local, state and federal agents in this mountainous regionhave seized more than 200 kilograms of meth, dozens of guns and more than $1 million in cash and assets, said Chris Healy, special agent in charge of Homeland Security based in Charlotte. Today, the Justice Department and DEA announced a superseding indictment on charges of alleged continuing criminal enterprise against Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, also known as El Mencho, the undisputed leader of CJNG. The Hickory Crawdads will soon be under new ownership. When I started doing it and people were, like, giving me the clothes off their back, (I realized) Im more addicted to selling the drugs than I am to the drugs themselves," she said. It was named for Sir George Carteret, one of the 17th century English Lords Proprietor, or for his descendant and heir John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville. 2023 Cox Media Group. Holey warrior: Charles Barkley comes to the defense of Krispy Kreme. We never met nobody.. The Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners will continue to vigorously fight this scourge against the United States. Enough fentanyl to kill nearly 3 million people was seized in two separate drug busts with connections to North Carolina this past month. On 05/05/2022, Investigators with the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office Drug Unit arrested Jimmy Sinclair, 55 years of age, of 243 Choco Village Road in Chocowinity. Federal investigators would not give details of the operation itself but the cases were built over a long period of time, they said on Tuesday. The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Hernandez-Landeiro is additionally charged with two counts of trafficking in cocaine and one count of maintaining a place for controlled substance. BOND: $5000 #3 HABITUAL LARCENY. State investigators told them it's the biggest opium bust ever in North Carolina, Police Chief Floyd Lucas said. CJNG hid drugs on trucks shipping furniture, ceramics and produce into the U.S. through Texas cities such as Brownville, Laredo and McAllen, Healy said. Now 50 years old,Lisa Dawn has been clean since she was released from a halfway house in July 2017 following herprisonsentence, and reports to a parole officer. Spurred by his own fierce addiction, Roger Dale used his connections to gain access to mass quantities of nearly pure crystal meth, dispensing kilograms of drugs that had been smuggled into the region from cartel labs in Mexico. Regional theater faces financial worries, Omega Sports announces plans to close all of its stores, UPDATE: People in Kernersville remember plane crash victim as a good neighbor, 'very witty and smart. Who is El Mencho, the most powerful drug kingpin in the world? In the course of the investigation, officers found six kilos of cocaine, a half-pound of marijuana, a handgun and nearly $3,600 in cash, according to the release. Across the country,the trend was similar. CHARLOTTE, N.C. Thirty-five people are facing charges in reference to a long-term investigation into the sale and use of illicit narcotics in Alexander County and the town of Taylorsville. 152 W in Rowan County, 13-year-old gets trapped in claw machine at Carowinds after attempting to steal, Kannapolis man wins $1M, his second big lottery prize of 2023, PLAN AHEAD: Latest Weather Forecast Video. HJORT, ARTHUR MORGAN | 2023-04-11 17:18:00 Carteret County, North Carolina Booking. More than 100 grams of fentanyl is off the streets following a major drug bust in Haywood County. Authorities pulled over Elizabeth Nicole Pearson, 31, along 11th Street Circle Northwest in Hickory. "When they know English and are familiar with the law, they can communicate with law enforcement to cover up what they're doing," he said. All three suspects were scheduled to appear in District Court today (February 14). The single-lane street he lived on wassurrounded by woods,with only two houses in view, a single-wide and an abandoned trailer. 0. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. He was arrested in December 2012two months afterbeing shot several times in Mexico, court records show. People liked what we had. The wolf was a matriarch that reared 14 pups and ensured the longevity of her pack later in life, according to the Red Wolf Recovery Program. An official website of the United States government. 133 E Main Ave Taylorsville, NC 28681 A federal criminal indictment was filed on August 23, 2018, and was unsealed Sept. 13 in federal court. Another man, who also liked drugs, was the in-house cook and Roger Dales all-night pool partner. October 29, 2020 at 1:04 pm EDT. DEA and SBI agents raided a home on Seventh Avenue SE along with Catawba County Sheriffs deputies and Hickory Police officers as part of the operation on Wednesday morning. The Lenoir Police Department, Caldwell County Sheriff's Office, Catawba County Sheriff's Office, and Hickory Police Department all contributed. Phoua Khang Yang, 33, Ze Vang, 37, Mang Khang, 39, Ma Chang, 37, and Chue Yang, 37, were arrested in the sweep. Frustrated by three-hour holdups for a quarter-bag of crystal meth delivered by a man folks called Bones, the couple from Lenoir, North Carolina,started thinking about alternativesin thewinterof2013. 227 West Trade St. Bennetttookthe car tohis auto shop. In Charlotteand the nearby mountain counties, othercartels have supplied drugs to the region, but CJNG has been the mostdominant. They had folks to clean their house and drive them around, Lisa Dawn said. If you squash one, two more take its place, said Lt. Williams, who worked both Saldanas and Bennetts cases. All four were due in Caldwell County District Court on Tuesday. And he did.. Alexandra Heavner. Because it's here, Mexican cartel in US: Rural folks who cant escape drug trade end up locked up or dead, A dangerous Mexican drug cartel has infiltrated the addicted, mountainous region of North Carolina. They said it came after a months-long narcotics investigation related to the sale and . (WSOC) LINCOLN COUNTY, N.C. 21 people were charged Monday following a 16 month-long undercover drug operation by the Lincoln County Sheriff's . All three suspects were scheduled to appear in District Court today (February 14). Twelve students from Catawba County Schools have been selected to attend the 2023 session of the prestigious North Carolina Governor's School. During the arrests, investigators, along with state and federal agents seized six kilos of cocaine, one half pound of marijuana and $3,590 in U.S. currency. Chris LaCarter said. U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of North Carolina, Six Defendants Have Been Prosecuted in Western North Carolina in 2020, DEA-Led Operation Nets More Than 600 Arrests Targeting Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion, Previously Convicted Methamphetamine And Fentanyl Dealer Is Sentenced To 12+ Years In Prison, Last Defendant In Methamphetamine Trafficking Ring Is Sentenced To More Than 15 Years In Prison, Methamphetamine Wholesaler Is Sentenced To More Than 15 Years In Prison. Catawba #1 FTA; FELONY LARCENY. There was a problem saving your notification. The newspaper is owned by Lee Enterprises. Rob Eastwood reports for the Monday, February 13, 2023 edition of WHKY-TV News in Hickory, NC. HICKORY, NC (WBTV) - A seven month long undercover sting operation in Hickory has led to federal indictments against 19 people and state charges against 9 others. Kenneth Bennett and JeremyNunnenkampforged anothermain connection tothe border that linked CJNG meth to the region in2012 and 2013 before they got busted, according to law enforcement. Please subscribe to keep reading. In 2020, within Western North Carolina, six defendants have been prosecuted to date, in connection with the initiative: Project Python marks the most comprehensive action to date in the Department of Justices campaign to disrupt, dismantle, and ultimately destroy CJNG, said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Criminal Division. As Saldanas small empire crumbled toward the end of 2012, another alreadywaswell underway. + Caption. North Carolina; US 76; source: Bing 35 views; Jun 27, 2022 11:48am; This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Less than a decade old,MexicosCrtelJalisco NuevaGeneracin,better known as CJNG,hasfought its way to takeits place among the worlds largest drug networks, led by its ruthlessbutdisciplined leader, Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, better known as "ElMencho.". DRUG AGENTS ARREST FIVE IN HICKORY OPIUM BUST. This strategic and coordinated project exemplifies DEAs mission: to disrupt, dismantle, and destroy drug trafficking organizations around the world and bring their leaders to justice. It was a symbiotic relationship that allowed Roger Dale and Lisa Dawns drug business to thrive. Investigators discovered: 60 pounds. L-R: Dante Rashaun Ramseur , Carlos Hernandez-Landeiro, Holly Christine FurloughPhoto; Catawba County Sheriffs office. NC Governor's School Selects 12 Catawba County Students. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Lisa Dawn pleaded guilty to conspiracyto distribute meth in exchange for her testimony against Roger Dale. Nunnenkamp,now 46,toldpolice he helped distributenearly 8pounds of meth at $20,000 a pound at Bennetts direction and helped count and package $120,000 to pay for more shipments from the Texas supplier. During the investigation, authorities say they seized the following: 272.8 grams of methamphetamine. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) the Department of Homeland Security (HSI) the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) and the Hickory Police Department have partnered with the Catawba County Sheriffs Office Narcotics Division in this investigation. Drug Enforcement Agency agent enters a house in southeast Hickory on Wednesday morning. One dead following crash on Hwy. Western North Carolina Rader was also served outstanding warrants from Caldwell County for one count of manufacture of methamphetamine, seven counts of possession with intent to Manufacture, sell and distribute a schedule II controlled substance, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and three counts of trafficking in methamphetamine. . Pearson was arrested and faces several drug charges. We would get out of the car and the Mexican guys that we never met put the drugs in the car and picked up the money and walked away, Lisa Dawn said. Police have charged the child's father. Investigations conducted by the Catawba County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Division and Special Enforcement Group (SEG) led to the execution of two search warrants at residential properties on 28th St NE in Hickory. On Feb. 26, 2020, El Menchos daughter, Jessica Johanna Oseguera Gonzalez, was arrested in the United States on financial charges related to her alleged criminal violation of the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. And thats what can happen.". BOND: $10000 #2 FELONY LARCENY. Avehiclefrom Texasparkedat the Walmart in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, Williams said. It's part of a larger federal enforcement effort to combat the organized drug trade. "The 16 individuals charged in the criminal indictment are alleged to have been part of a drug ring that distributed methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana in Western North Carolina," said U.S. Attorney Murray. TheMexican Americanworked 40 to 50 hours a week at two well-known construction companies driving a dump truck. At Thomas Street AME Zion church, in Conover, members feel prayers for a safer neighborhood are being answered. Methseizuresalong theMexicanborder increased 255% fromabout 8,400 kilos in2012 to30,000 in2017,according to Drug Enforcement Administration data. Main Office: Alexandra Heavner. 2023www.courier-journal.com. HICKORY, N.C. - Nearly two dozen people were indicted in a drug trafficking bust in Catawba County this week. It didnt makeuserssick like homemade shake and bakemeth did,Lisa Dawn remembered. And many dealershave no idea theyre connected to a dangerous cartel, he said. Authorities pulled over Elizabeth Nicole Pearson, 31, along 11th Street Circle Northwest in Hickory. Wade was convicted earlier this year of possession with intent to sell a schedule II controlled substance and larceny of a motor vehicle, both felony charges, according to a records search on the. The cartel doesnt care if they live or die, he explained. Take a sneak peek at 'Bar Rescue' episode filmed in Hickory; TV show set to air April 23, Texas Rangers to sell Hickory Crawdads team to New York company, Claremont shop owner mourns man killed in hit-and-run on Thursday, Update: Pedestrian killed in collision on US 70 in Claremont identified, Village Inn Pizza opens restaurant in Mountain View, Morganton woman gets a spin on 'Wheel of Fortune'; you can watch her on Thursday, Notable Neighbor David Blodgett volunteers at soup kitchen five days a week; regulars ask for him by name, Four women killed in head-on collision in Winston-Salem, Section of Startown Road closed following wreck that took down power lines, Conover woman pleads guilty to being accessory in murder of Lenoir-Rhyne football player, Comedian's second-chance prom and Hickory Hops mark busy weekend in Catawba Valley, Hickory announces retirement date for longtime city attorney, Lincoln County 5-year-old found safe in California 8 days after abduction, Ramadan in Guinea: Burden of post-fast feast preparations fall on women, Judge delays Fox News-Dominion case without explanation, Step into Barbie's life-size dreamhouse at this immersive exhibit in Santa Monica, Sudan fighting: Millions of civilians are caught in the crossfire, Ricardo Cervantes-Sanchez, 39, of Hickory, Clayton Ismael Rivera-Trejo, 22, of Hickory, Manuel Bernarno Martinez Jr., 33, of Alamo, Texas. Hickory Police Department. All three suspects were jailed in the Catawba County Detention Facility. Carteret County comprises the Morehead City, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the New Bern-Morehead City, NC Combined Statistical Area. Copyright 2013 WBTV. Theylivedin Roger Dales fathers house among hundreds of miscellaneous items theyd obtained by bartering withtheir drug-addictedcustomers, who would give up anything for a bag of dope. Mar 7, 2014 Mar 7, 2014 Updated May 7, 2015; 0; Longveiw Police Captain Robert Huhta, middle, and officer Jeremy Johnson take a woman into . Investigators with the Catawba County Sheriff's Office conducted a traffic stop on March 4 along 11th Street Circle Northwest after observing a speeding violation. Asheville:(828) 271-4661. The 9 others arrested on state warrants were taken to the Catawba County jail and will have a first appearance before a District Court judge later this week. HICKORY, NC (WBTV) - A seven month long undercover sting operation in Hickory has led to federal indictments against 19 people and state charges against 9 others. Fourteen people were arrested as part of a methamphetamine trafficking ring and 11 are from Catawba County. And CJNG will be there with their endless supply. She was sentenced to 2years and released in June 2015. In exchange for her testimony against Bennett, Woody pleaded guiltyto possession with intent to distribute meth. The following individuals are wanted for Felony Warrants: And the investigation isnt over. For 28 years,Saldanalivedat the same North Carolina address on Ervin Houck Drive in West Jefferson, a rural town of about 1,300roughly 100 miles north of Charlotte. CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. Investigators with the Catawba County Sheriffs Office seized dozens of pounds of marijuana, a massive amount of cocaine, pills and other drugs during a traffic stop on March 4. 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