Seven people suspected of dealing drugs were arrested by law enforcement in Dallas on Wednesday as part of a Texas Anti-Gang Center takedown.
Leigha Simonton, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, announced on April 19 that the seven suspected drug dealers were charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances according to a criminal complaint.
Brandon Jones, Jaleel Peterson, Victor Contreras, Derrick Richardson, Antonie Thompson-Stevens, Glenn Blair, and Corey Allen made their court appearances on Friday, according to a news release.
Law enforcement initiated an investigation after a source told them the seven individuals were operating a “trap room,” a room used for narcotics distribution, inside a motel in Las Colinas.
According to the criminal complaint, the source that informed law enforcement about the room made three controlled drug buys inside the room.
As law enforcement continued their investigation, they surveilled another room and identified it as another alleged trap room.
“On April 19, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the motel rooms in question. As officers made their entry, a firearm was thrown out the window,” the release reads.
While officers conducted the search of the motel rooms, Jones and Peterson allegedly tried to flee the scene through a back window but were subsequently caught by police.
When police apprehended Jones, he allegedly carried a firearm and a small baggie of crack cocaine, according to the police.
Three other suspects, Contreras, Richardson, and Thompson-Stevens, were arrested in the motel room.
Police arrested Blair somewhere nearby, according to the release. The news release does not indicate the circumstances of Allen’s arrest.
Officers allegedly confiscated an assortment of illegal drugs, including cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, and fentanyl, along with many others.
Officers also confiscated scales and packing equipment.
If the suspects are convicted, each faces between five and 40 years in federal prison.
Multiple law enforcement entities were involved in the operation, including the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Criminal Investigations Division, the Texas Highway Patrol and Special Response Team, and the Dallas Police Department’s Intelligence, Narcotics, Northwest Crime Response, and SWAT units.
In Dallas, there have been nearly 2,900 drug violations this year, up 7% from the same time period last year, according to the Dallas crime analytics dashboard.
The state needs a few new laws. Such as anyone dealing a drug that is known to have caused a death during the alleged time of dealing shall be guilty of murder for money. Simple. Direct. IT raises the stakes and will probably end the distribution when two or three are on death row. This would be especially true IS and when the state makes a mandatory maximum time for execution under this circumstance. Say 3 years, and require that all appeals be mandated and provided within that time frame.