Forty-eight alleged drug traffickers have been arrested following an 18-month-long narcotics investigation targeting a crime ring running rampant in San Angelo, Texas.
“This should send a loud and clear message to drug dealers in the Concho Valley: We are coming for you,” U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould said via a press release published on June 4. “This operation is proof of concept for state, local, and federal agents coming together to dismantle an alleged drug trafficking network. As U.S. Attorney, I will put more time, attention, and resources into ensuring that the Concho Valley is safe.”
Dubbed “Operation Concho Valley Shakedown,” the investigation involved more than 30 agents, officers, and deputies from nine law enforcement agencies. DEA San Antonio Division Agent Miguel Madrigal celebrated the crackdown on crime, saying, “We dismantled this drug trafficking organization and removed a dangerous presence that had cast a shadow over West Texas communities.”
“These drugs fuel addiction, breed violence, and destroy families. The network we targeted was importing large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and lethal fentanyl – substances that threaten public safety and the quality of life for residents,” Madrigal added.
Over the course of the operation, law enforcement agents reportedly seized more than 35 kilograms of methamphetamine, 303 grams of cocaine, and 10 firearms in total.
Twenty-four of the alleged drug dealers were federally indicted on May 13 and arrested following a large bust on May 28. Another 24 were charged by local district attorneys on felony and misdemeanor counts. The federal defendants face charges across three separate indictments, mainly for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, with several also facing charges involving cocaine, firearms, or both.
Twenty-four defendants were also officially federally charged across three separate indictments, mainly for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, with several also facing charges involving cocaine or illegal firearm possession. Another 24, who may be the same or crossover defendants on similar charges, were charged by 51st District Attorney Allison Palmer and 119th District Attorney John Best with 16 state felony counts and 9 misdemeanor cases involving drug offenses, evading arrest, and other felony violations.
If convicted, some defendants face sentences of up to life in federal prison.
The week’s crackdown, and the long-term investigation leading up to this week’s arrest, are part of an operation that falls under the Homeland Security Task Force, established by Executive Order 14159, which coordinates and supports federal, state, and local agencies while targeting cartels, global crime rings, and human trafficking networks across the country.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
