Crime Correspondent

John Henry Sutton was sentenced to 10 years in prison for conspiring to distribute more than 50 grams of crack cocaine

John Henry Sutton was sentenced to 10 years in prison for conspiring to distribute more than 50 grams of crack cocaine

John Henry Sutton was sentenced to 10 years in prison for conspiring to distribute more than 50 grams of crack cocaine.John Henry Sutton ple...

Duc Vi Huynh, a Canadian citizen, was sentenced yesterday in federal court on charges that he distributed more than 200,000 Ecstasy pills

Duc Vi Huynh, a Canadian citizen, was sentenced yesterday in federal court on charges that he distributed more than 200,000 Ecstasy pills in the Houston area. Authorities believe Huynh took part in a ring that distributed Ecstasy all over the southern U. S. Huynh was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 3,4 Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, commonly called Ecstasy or MDMA, with a sentence of 240 months confinement in a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility without parole. Huynh pleaded guilty to the federal drug trafficking offense in November 2008. He has been in custody since his arrest by FBI agents and the Houston Police Department (HPD) officer who jointly investigated the case.In July 2007, acting on a tip from a cooperating witness, FBI agents and HPD officers of the FBI-HPD Asian Organized Crime Task Force stopped a car driven by Khoa Tuan Nguyen and Anh Biet Ngo and discovered approximately 22,000 Ecstasy/MDMA pills. After determining that additional contraband was likely to be hidden in a nearby associated townhouse, agents and officers established surveillance of the townhouse. Numerous people were seen entering and/or leaving the townhouse with suspicious packages. Each person departing the townhouse with a suspicious package was stopped by HPD patrol officers. Each stop resulted in additional arrests as additional amounts of Ecstasy/MDMA were discovered and seized. During that one month, agents recovered approximately 117,000 MDMA pills as part of their task force effort and Huynh was subsequently identified as the person who provided all of the Ecstasy/MDMA pills, which came from Canada, that were intercepted by law enforcement in July 2007. Shortly after the July 2007 enforcement action, through yet another source of information, Huynh was contacted by telephone to discuss the purchase of an additional 150,000 Ecstasy/MDMA pills for $375,000.00. Huynh agreed to the deal and traveled to Huntsville, Texas on Dec. 21, 2007 for the transaction with an undercover FBI agent. During the meeting, Huynh explained to the agent that the pills were being transported by third parties unknown to him and that he could communicate with them only by calling a telephone number in Canada that was answered by yet another person who acted as a "cutout" to protect the MDMA load and all concerned parties from law enforcement detection. The Ecstasy/MDMA pills never materialized for this deal. Huynh subsequently explained to the agent that the drivers were "sick," meaning had been arrested in another state. Through further investigation, the FBI later learned that Tennessee law enforcement officers had intercepted a vehicle bearing approximately 250,000 MDMA pills during the relevant time-frame. FBI agents believed the intercepted shipment was intended, in part, to fill the order placed by the undercover agent. Through his conversation with the agent, Huynh clearly implicated himself in the conspiracy to supply the MDMA pills intercepted by the FBI in July 2007 and was later arrested.To date, the following seven additional co-conspirators have been charged, convicted and sentenced as a result of the investigation leading to the arrest of Huynh: Dung Hoang Nguyen (156 months), Hoang-Nam Nguyen (68 months), An Biet Ngo (70 months), Toan Bao Nguyen (60 months), Khoa Tuan Nguyen (65 months), Son Anh Nguyen (46 months) and Toan Huu Pham (12 months). Thuc Tri Phan jumped bond after pleading guilty in connection with this conspiracy and remains a fugitive. A warrant remains outstanding for his arrest. All seven are U. S. citizens.The FBI-HPD Asian Organized Crime Task Force is part of an ongoing multi-agency approach to identifying, infiltrating and prosecuting organized crime in the Houston area. Assistant U. S. Attorneys Mark W. White III and Joseph Magliolo are handling the prosecution of these cases.

Duc Vi Huynh, a Canadian citizen, was sentenced yesterday in federal court on charges that he distributed more than 200,000 Ecstasy pills

Duc Vi Huynh, a Canadian citizen, was sentenced yesterday in federal court on charges that he distributed more than 200,000 Ecstasy pills in...

John Wallas the "controlling mind" at the heart of a planned and organised commercial enterprise in drugs

John Wallas the "controlling mind" at the heart of a planned and organised commercial enterprise in drugs.The 29-year-old, of Knebworth Court, Ingleby Barwick, was jailed for eight years at Teesside Crown Court.Officers found drugs worth between £71,000 and £299,000 when they raided a flat he rented on Hadleigh Walk, Ingleby Barwick.They discovered more than four kilos of amphetamine with a maximum street value of £260,000 and cocaine worth a maximum of £39,130.More than 25kg of bulking agents were found along with a cocaine-flecked mixing bowl and other evidence of cocaine production, such as gas masks.The judge told Teesside Crown Court yesterday how Wallas drew others into the drugs plot, including his younger brother Mark and cousin Craig Francis.Mark Wallas, 25, was sent to prison for three years. The judge said he played a limited but important and necessary role in drugs distribution.The police stopped him driving on the A689 towards Hartlepool on the afternoon of October 30 last year, said prosecutor Christopher Attwooll. A bag containing £38,260 cash was found in the passenger seat footwell of the Volkswagen Passat. Wallas had keys to the flat on Hadleigh Walk.The Wallas brothers, who had no previous convictions, both admitted conspiring to supply cocaine. Mark Wallas also admitted possessing criminal property - the cash.Francis, 26, was the only one of five men not to be sent away.At his home on Victoria Road, Thornaby on November 20, police found digital scales and a metal safe carrying cocaine traces, and almost half a kilo of mixing agents.He paid for an order for 50kg of cutting agents which were delivered to Mark Wallas' home on Trent Avenue, Thornaby. The judge said he played a very limited role and gave him a six-month prison sentence suspended for two years with 200 hours' unpaid work.David Breeze, 25, of The Birches, Middlesbrough, received a two-year prison term after he was "heavily involved" in amphetamine production.And Lee Cope, 24, of Marton Road, Middlesbrough, was locked up for 25 months. The judge said he was "lawless and feckless" and took a "depressingly casual" attitude to preparing the Class B drug.All five men admitted conspiracy to supply amphetamine in October and November last year. Francis also admitted cocaine possession.Police kept the men under observation and listened to telephone conversations in John Wallas' BMW with references to drugs supply and amphetamine production.The investigation was part of 'Operation Kiev', a long-running covert operation by the Cleveland Police Organised Crime Unit which led to another drugs gang being locked up for 22 years in April.Defence barristers tried to argue that the kilos of low-purity illegal narcotics were "very small quantities". They said the men acted out of character and showed regret and remorse for being involved in areas of the "despicable enterprise" for a short time, often due to personal and financial difficulties.Kevin Metzger, defending John Wallas, said: "This was an aberration in what was otherwise an exemplary life."John Hurlock, representing, Mark Wallas, said the educated ex-RAF man and charity worker ran an errand for his brother: "He's lost everything that mattered to him as a result of that temporary loss of sense."Francis' counsel Andrew Turton said the former care home worker innocently stored items at his home as a favour, thinking the chemicals were for body-building.Now the men face having cash and assets stripped from them as proceeds of crime.Detective Chief Inspector Rob Donaghy, head of serious and organised crime in Cleveland Police, said today: "This was a well-organised drug manufacturing and distribution outfit making significant amounts of money."The sentences passed send out a strong message to those involved in dealing drugs on the streets of Teesside that we will not tolerate it."A team of detectives worked over a significant period of time to painstakingly piece together the evidence."We are relentless in our pursuit of drug dealers. We will target these people and we will use any lawful tactics to bring them to justice."

John Wallas the "controlling mind" at the heart of a planned and organised commercial enterprise in drugs

John Wallas the "controlling mind" at the heart of a planned and organised commercial enterprise in drugs.The 29-year-old, of Kneb...

Darnell Williams, 23, and Eric Villalona, 25, both of York, Pa., were arrested as a result of a motor vehicle stop

Darnell Williams, 23, and Eric Villalona, 25, both of York, Pa., were arrested as a result of a motor vehicle stop conducted by Warren Township Police Sgt. Troy Cline. Forrest stated that pair were stopped for a motor vehicle violation on Route 78 in Warren at 8:30 p.m. June 4. As Cline approached the vehicle he reportedly saw a large quantity of marijuana on Villalona's lap.Villalona was also found to be in possession of an additional quantity of marijuana hidden on him. The Somerset County Sheriff's Department K-9 unit was utilized to assist with the search of the vehicle and cocaine, more marijuana and drug paraphernalia was discovered inside the vehicle, police said. The Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Organized Crime and Narcotics Task Force also responded to Warren Township Police Headquarters to assist in the investigation.Forrest states that the street value of the cocaine seized is approximately $21,000 and the marijuana, approximately $3,000.Williams was arrested and charged first-degree possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, third-degree possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute and disorderly person's possession of drug paraphernalia.Villalona was arrested and charged with first-degree possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, third-degree possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute and disorderly person's possession of marijuana under 50 grams and disorderly person's possession of drug paraphernalia. Williams and Villalona were lodged in the Somerset County Jail with bail to be set.

Darnell Williams, 23, and Eric Villalona, 25, both of York, Pa., were arrested as a result of a motor vehicle stop

Darnell Williams, 23, and Eric Villalona, 25, both of York, Pa., were arrested as a result of a motor vehicle stop conducted by Warren Towns...

Clarence Goodwin to serve 21 years and 10 months in federal prison.

Clarence Goodwin to serve 21 years and 10 months in federal prison.Goodwin had been facing a minimum 20 years after his arrest last summer.Authorities said on April 18, 2008, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force began a series of controlled buys of crack cocaine with the assistance of a confidential informant who knew Goodwin.The CI spoke with Goodwin by phone that day and agreed to buy a half ounce of cocaine for $500. Later, that day he purchased 8.2 grams of cocaine from Goodwin.The CI told agents that in addition to his purchase, there was a crack cookie of approximately 10 ounces and 30-40 crack rocks in Goodwin's house.Over a period through June 16, 2008, the CI made a total of five purchases of cocaine from Goodwin. The total buy was 71.9 grams.The CI would either get the cocaine directly from Goodwin or from his associate, Avery Morris, authorities said.Also sentenced to federal prison for selling drugs was Austin "Ira" Dodd. He got 33 months.Authorities said Dodd was involved in a cocaine ring in Bradley County. In April 2008, the Bradley County Sheriff's Office along with the ATF began a series of controlled buys of crack cocaine.On April 28, 2008, a confidential informant met Dodd and Raymond Gaines. He bought 2.7 grams of cocaine from Gaines. On May 1, he bought 5.1 grams of cocaine from Dodd.On May 2, Dodd introduced the CI to another drug seller, and he bought 1.8 grams of cocaine from him. He later bought another 3.2 grams of cocaine from Dodd. On June 18, he bought 3.2 grams of cocaine from Dodd.The total amount of cocaine sold by Dodd to the CI was 13.1 grams, authorities said.

Clarence Goodwin to serve 21 years and 10 months in federal prison.

Clarence Goodwin to serve 21 years and 10 months in federal prison.Goodwin had been facing a minimum 20 years after his arrest last summer.A...

Vidal Gerardo Sepulveda 41-year-old Laredo International Airport police officer pleaded guilty to selling cocaine to a confidential FBI source

Arrested Vidal Gerardo Sepulveda in September 2008.The 41-year-old Laredo International Airport police officer pleaded guilty to selling coc...

Mohammed Faisal and Roohul Amin, who were involved with running Yorkshire College in Bradford jailed for 16 years

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ538vz-O4roEbiu4Efy8qUYUaG_wSsZQWRM23F-3uHYgj65Ophu-nHUvQOr8awkyzEWzdcfeEdov2uSFcF645WTvDd25vHskDZI0tefMvCuEteHC1FUuBy-8cKCLARHZZzWCJDJNXEQg/s1600-h/faisal_arrest.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344088016574171682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ538vz-O4roEbiu4Efy8qUYUaG_wSsZQWRM23F-3uHYgj65Ophu-nHUvQOr8awkyzEWzdcfeEdov2uSFcF645WTvDd25vHskDZI0tefMvCuEteHC1FUuBy-8cKCLARHZZzWCJDJNXEQg/s400/faisal_arrest.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 226px; height: 170px;" /></a> Mohammed Faisal and Roohul Amin, who were involved with running Yorkshire College in Bradford for foreign students have been jailed for 16 years at Bradford Crown Court for smuggling heroin into the UK in the post.Two men who ran colleges for foreign students have been jailed for 16 years at Bradford Crown Court for smuggling heroin into the UK in the post.A third man was given 10 years for money laundering but acquitted of smuggling. Another was cleared altogether. All had pleaded not guilty. Yorkshire College, based in Bradford and Manchester, attracted hundreds of students, mostly from Pakistan. Some were legitimate, but for many it was a cover for illegal entry.The two convicted of conspiring to import heroin were Mohammed Faisal and Roohul Amin, who were involved with running Yorkshire College in Bradford. They and the third man, Ali Ifthikar, were convicted of money laundering. The fourth defendant, Mohammed Alamgir, was found not guilty on both counts by the jury at Bradford Crown Court. The jury had been told that 13 kg of heroin worth £650,000 was seized by customs officers after a series of parcels were sent in the post from Pakistan to addresses controlled by the men. Other members of the gang have managed to escape justice by fleeing overseas Another 7 kg of heroin was also seized in Pakistan. However much more heroin did reach the men. Analysis of financial accounts at the college and at a Bradford money exchange business ran by two of the men shows that more than £1.2m in profits was sent out of the country to the north west frontier province of Pakistan. The authorities in Britain say the money is now untraceable, and fear that it might be used to prolong the fighting going on in the area between the Pakistani army and the Taliban. Several other people involved in the conspiracy have fled the UK and are believed to be in Pakistan. Away from the court, Detective Inspector Gary Curnow of West Yorkshire Police said officers had managed to disrupt a major drugs smuggling gang. "It's a significant amount from a well organised consortium importing heroin from Pakistan," he said. "These are people who are organised, resilient, and bringing into the country vast amounts of heroin which are then dealt on the streets." s."A third man was given 10 years for money laundering but acquitted of smuggling. Another was cleared altogether. All had pleaded not guilty. Yorkshire College, based in Bradford and Manchester, attracted hundreds of students, mostly from Pakistan. Some were legitimate, but for many it was a cover for illegal entry. The two convicted of conspiring to import heroin were Mohammed Faisal and Roohul Amin, who were involved with running Yorkshire College in Bradford. They and the third man, Ali Ifthikar, were convicted of money laundering. The fourth defendant, Mohammed Alamgir, was found not guilty on both counts by the jury at Bradford Crown Court. The jury had been told that 13 kg of heroin worth £650,000 was seized by customs officers after a series of parcels were sent in the post from Pakistan to addresses controlled by the men. Other members of the gang have managed to escape justice by fleeing overseas Another 7 kg of heroin was also seized in Pakistan. However much more heroin did reach the men. Analysis of financial accounts at the college and at a Bradford money exchange business ran by two of the men shows that more than £1.2m in profits was sent out of the country to the north west frontier province of Pakistan. The authorities in Britain say the money is now untraceable, and fear that it might be used to prolong the fighting going on in the area between the Pakistani army and the Taliban. Several other people involved in the conspiracy have fled the UK and are believed to be in Pakistan. Away from the court, Detective Inspector Gary Curnow of West Yorkshire Police said officers had managed to disrupt a major drugs smuggling gang. "It's a significant amount from a well organised consortium importing heroin from Pakistan," he said. "These are people who are organised, resilient, and bringing into the country vast amounts of heroin which are then dealt on the streets."

Mohammed Faisal and Roohul Amin, who were involved with running Yorkshire College in Bradford jailed for 16 years

Mohammed Faisal and Roohul Amin, who were involved with running Yorkshire College in Bradford for foreign students have been jailed for 16 y...

Renfrew gangster shot in the leg

The victim, thought to be in his 40s, was blasted on the town's Inchinnan Road at around 7.50pm.Man was shot outside a police station in...

38-year-old Andre L. Hutchins and his 31-year-old wife, Talitha N. Hutchins ran a sophisticated cocaine-trafficking ring from their home

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxl3vkya_JmC874Lgbp2RdVl3Uje3YRjtwctGtxSlAQkYrHSapW9u3rsG8vhmsoUcL7lonJdHNwWOGQ0a7nyJ7pytog9D9f0h7vvru9AxJ69F5ibDQHYbgstR2P6f5OIcpFnIM-TRUAo/s1600-h/andy.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341153479430813554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxl3vkya_JmC874Lgbp2RdVl3Uje3YRjtwctGtxSlAQkYrHSapW9u3rsG8vhmsoUcL7lonJdHNwWOGQ0a7nyJ7pytog9D9f0h7vvru9AxJ69F5ibDQHYbgstR2P6f5OIcpFnIM-TRUAo/s400/andy.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 250px;" /></a> 38-year-old Andre L. Hutchins and his 31-year-old wife, Talitha N. Hutchins ran a sophisticated cocaine-trafficking ring from their home in the 2700 block of Jacobs Creek Run, according to court documents.The 61-page federal criminal complaint released Thursday outlined the activities of the other members of the conspiracy, much of which was captured through cell phone conversations intercepted through numerous wire taps, according to court documents.Andre Hutchins’ 73-year-old mother, Arielean Hutchins, was also charged, accused of letting her son use her John Street home as a stash house, according to court documents.Also charged in the trafficking scheme are Charles Dies, 52; Paris Jones, 37; Takiesha McGlaston, 34; Adrian Lee, 37; Kevin Porter, 51; John Minniefield, 31; Greg Johnson, 38; Derrick Tennant, 32; Lakeshia Dominguez, 31; Frederick Parrish, 29; Michael Watson, 33; Brad Moore, 23; and Michael Lamb, 47.Earlier this week, officers served a number of search warrants at 15 locations throughout Fort Wayne, including two storage units. According to court documents, officers found $7,200 in cash and guns in the Hutchins’ home, bundles of cash in the two storage units used by Jones, as well as another $37,000 and a handgun at Jones’ home in the 13100 block of Bolinni Lane. At Dies’ Decatur Road home, police found a kilogram of cocaine and $30,000 in cash.The investigation began through the undercover work of the Fort Wayne Police Department about eight months ago as they looked at the activities of Watson, officials said."Fort Wayne police alone could not have taken this investigation this far," Police Chief Rusty York said.Through that investigation, the other law enforcement agencies became involved, culminating in a string of federal wire taps earlier this year, undercover drug buys and surveillance of the parties involved, according to court documents. Andre Hutchins organized the enterprise, according to federal officials, lining up orders and arranging distributors via throw-away cell phones, Capp said."There were hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of phone calls," Capp said. "It was non-stop. … Sometimes the principals in the conspiracy never, ever touched the dope."Thomas Gancarz, The FBI’s Indianapolis Division assistant special agent in charge, said the criminal charges were first public work of the Safe Streets Task Force, which has officially operated since late April.And standing before the bank of microphones and TV cameras, Gancarz issued a warning to those involved with drugs and violent crimes in Fort Wayne."This behavior will not be tolerated," he said.The U.S. Attorney’s Office will seek to have all those arrested held in jail pending trial, Capp said. The 16 people named in the complaint are all charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine from July 2008 to May 2009. Dies, Lee and Porter are also charged with possession of a firearm in the furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Jones was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

38-year-old Andre L. Hutchins and his 31-year-old wife, Talitha N. Hutchins ran a sophisticated cocaine-trafficking ring from their home

38-year-old Andre L. Hutchins and his 31-year-old wife, Talitha N. Hutchins ran a sophisticated cocaine-trafficking ring from their home in ...

Zoe Shepherd could spend nearly 50 years in a South American jail.

The 19-year old Brit is awaiting trial in Bolivia accused of smuggling 49 grams of cocaine.If she is found guilty, she could be sentenced to one year behind bars for each gram – worth about £50.And charity workers warned yesterday that the youngster from an English village would face a life of hell inside one of the notorious lock-ups in capital La Paz.Prisons Abroad spokesman Matthew Pinches said: “People inside these prisons are very vulnerable.“They are lawless and a dangerous place to be because guards have very little to do with the inside.“They stay on the exterior to stop prisoners absconding.”Zoe, of Menea, Cambridgeshire, was searched and arrested at Santa Cruz airport last month. She had toldcolleagues she was taking time off work at a hair salon called Curl Up And Dye to visit her dad in Spain. One friend said yesterday: “I’ve worked with Zoe for two years and this is all so completely out of character. She’s a lovely girl. “This could be the end of her life as she knows it. I really feel for her and her family.”Zoe’s MP, Malcolm Moss, said she had been visited by a British consular official and had been allowed to use her mobile phone to call home.

Zoe Shepherd could spend nearly 50 years in a South American jail.

The 19-year old Brit is awaiting trial in Bolivia accused of smuggling 49 grams of cocaine.If she is found guilty, she could be sentenced to...

Raymundo Aguirre-Robles, 28,was riding a motorcycle in the 3900 block of State Road 70

Raymundo Aguirre-Robles, 28,was riding a motorcycle in the 3900 block of State Road 70 and arrested him on a charge of driving with a suspen...

Victor Hugo Lopez maintained that he wasn't aware of how 32 kilograms, or more than 70pounds, of cocaine was hidden away in tires

Victor Hugo Lopez maintained that he wasn't aware of how 32 kilograms, or more than 70pounds, of cocaine was hidden away in the tires of a passenger bus on a 2007 trip from Mexico to the Triangle.Lopez was sentenced Thursday to 22 months in prison by Wake Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway, who veered away from the mandatory three-year prison term to give the defendant a sentence equaling the amount he had spent in jail awaiting a trial.Lopez, who is in the country illegally, was given credit for the months he spent in jail and will face deportation to Mexico, likely within three days.Ridgeway presided over a trial last month of Gerardo Vilchez, 51, Lopez's co-defendant and the driver of the bus, who was freed from his 21-month stay in jail after a jury cleared him of several cocaine trafficking charges. Vilchez is a U.S. citizen who lives in Mexico.Though he pleaded guilty Thursday, Lopez did so under what's known as an Alford agreement. An Alford agreement allows a person to enter into a guilty plea if it is in his or her best interest, but the defendant still does not admit committing the crime.Lopez maintained from the time of his arrest throughout his nearly two-year stay in the Wake County jail that he didn't know about the $3.2 million worth of cocaine elaborately stowed away in the bus tires, said Robert Padovano, Lopez's court-appointed lawyer, and David Sherlin, the Wake assistant district attorney who prosecuted the case. Lopez and Vilchez were arrested in July 2007 and charged with drug trafficking violations that could have hit both men with at least a 14-year prison sentence. At the time of their arrest in the summer of 2007, the two had driven to the Atlanta area to drop off passengers and then were instructed by a dispatcher for the Texas-based bus line to head to Raleigh to pick up more passengers and return to Mexico. Vilchez had driven the bus from Monterrey, Mexico, and Lopez boarded in Houston. But the bus was having mechanical problems, and the two were diverted by the dispatcher to a small tire shop, Solis Tires, in downtown Zebulon to have the brakes and heating system of the bus looked at, Sherlin said.On their way to the tire shop, they were pulled over by a Wake sheriff's deputy who found it odd that a bus with Texas plates was driving around Zebulon's streets with no passengers, Sherlin said. At the same time, a Wake sheriff's detective assigned to a Drug Enforcement Administration task force received a tip from a confidential informant: Cocaine hidden in the tires of buses was being off-loaded at the shop, Sherlin said. Staff members at Solis Tires did not respond Thursday afternoon to a request for comment about the case.Deputies and investigators, with the help of a dog trained to detect drugs, then found the cocaine wrapped in several layers of material to prevent detection and bolted to the inside of the tires. It took several hours to extract the cocaine from the tires.Vilchez and Lopez were the only people to be arrested in connection with the cocaine seizure. Sherlin said the investigation is still open.

Victor Hugo Lopez maintained that he wasn't aware of how 32 kilograms, or more than 70pounds, of cocaine was hidden away in tires

Victor Hugo Lopez maintained that he wasn't aware of how 32 kilograms, or more than 70pounds, of cocaine was hidden away in the tires of...

Tamar Peebles, 27, had admitted to accepting $1,500 from an undercover investigator

Tamar Peebles, 27, had admitted to accepting $1,500 from an undercover investigator and picking up what she thought was heroin and marijuana...

Former trooper John Foley, 64,pleaded guilty May 20 to cocaine conspiracy and distribution charges.

Former trooper John Foley, 64, a 37-year veteran of the force, was arrested in December 2007 by FBI, DEA, and state and local officers for p...

Former officer Joseph Kelley, who resigned from the force in February, is charged with one count of trafficking in opiate derivatives

Former officer Joseph Kelley, who resigned from the force in February, is charged with one count of trafficking in opiate derivatives after ...

Thomas Walker, 22,charged with bribery and tampering with a government document.

Community Supervision and Corrections Department employee Thomas Walker, 22, had worked for the county for only two months when he accepted ...

Arthur Shannon Sizer, 31, of Ruther Glen pleaded guilty to three counts of distributing cocaine.

Arthur Shannon Sizer, 31, of Ruther Glen pleaded guilty to three counts of distributing cocaine. He was sentenced Tuesday to 75 years, with all but 10 years suspended.Prosecutor Glen Henkle, who will handle narcotics cases for the county, presented evidence that Sizer had distributed cocaine since March 2004. By 2008, Henkle said, Sizer was moving one kilo a month. Sizer had made 400 cocaine sales in Caroline in 2008, according to Henkle's evidence.Authorities considered Sizer to be a big-time drug dealer in the county and said he was at or near the top of a cocaine distribution ring with sources from New York to Richmond.Next month, Sizer will face a judge in Caroline again on a charge of possession of a firearm by a felon.Kenneth Eugene Crutchfield of Woodford, who was said by authorities to be a lower-level dealer under Sizer, was given two life sentences with all but seven years suspended. He was convicted of conspiring to distribute cocaine and distributing cocaine--his third offense.Henkle is seeking to have Crutchfield's earlier suspended sentences revoked.

Arthur Shannon Sizer, 31, of Ruther Glen pleaded guilty to three counts of distributing cocaine.

Arthur Shannon Sizer, 31, of Ruther Glen pleaded guilty to three counts of distributing cocaine. He was sentenced Tuesday to 75 years, with ...

34-year-old Jose Esparza and his 55-year-old mother, Lydia Esparza, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess cocaine with intent to distribute

34-year-old Jose Esparza and his 55-year-old mother, Lydia Esparza, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess cocaine with intent to distribut...

Francisco Torres-Felix, 44, entered his plea Monday before U.S. District Judge Ronald Whyte, of San Jose.

Francisco Torres-Felix, 44, entered his plea Monday before U.S. District Judge Ronald Whyte, of San Jose. He's scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 3.He pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute 15 kilograms of cocaine; carrying and possessing a firearm in relation to these crimes; being an illegal immigrant in possession of two firearms — a .25-caliber semi-automatic pistol and a .38-caliber semi-automatic pistol; and illegal re-entry following deportation. Torres-Felix had been indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2007, and a superseding indictment was filed in April. He pleaded guilty just as jury selection was to begin for his trial.The maximum penalty on the drug charges is life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, and a fine of up to $400,000; having a firearm in relation to drug trafficking adds another 5 years to that minimum as well as an additional fine of up to $250,000. Firearm possession by an illegal immigrant is punishable by up to 10 years and $250,000, while illegal re-entry is punishable by up to two years and $250,000; Torres-Felix also is subject to deportation after serving his sentence.Torres-Felix is the second of two defendants to plead guilty after a joint investigation between the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with help from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Alonso Rodriguez-Castellanos pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. He hasn't been sentenced yet.The DEA had gotten a tip that Rodriguez-Castellanos was negotiating a big cocaine deal, arranging for Torres-Felix to deliver the drug at a parking lot in Hayward. Federal agents arrested them there with the cocaine, finding one handgun in Torres-Felix's vehicle and another later at his home. Prosecutors at the time estimated the cocaine's street value at about $1 million.

Francisco Torres-Felix, 44, entered his plea Monday before U.S. District Judge Ronald Whyte, of San Jose.

Francisco Torres-Felix, 44, entered his plea Monday before U.S. District Judge Ronald Whyte, of San Jose. He's scheduled to be sentenced...

Anthonia Rouga McWhorter was charged Thursday through Lake County Superior Court with dealing in cocaine

Anthonia Rouga McWhorter was charged Thursday through Lake County Superior Court with dealing in cocaine, a class B felony, and resisting l...

Thirty-two-year-old Joseph Griffin of Waterbury pleaded guilty Thursday to the charges

Thirty-two-year-old Joseph Griffin of Waterbury pleaded guilty Thursday to the charges in New Haven federal court. Prosecutors say that in J...

Ricky Beavers, 54, pleaded guilty on May 6 to three counts of delivery of cocaine

Ricky Beavers, 54, pleaded guilty on May 6 to three counts of delivery of cocaine. In exchange for his plea, King County prosecutors agreed to recommend he serve a prison term at the low end of the sentencing range.During Friday's sentencing hearing, Beavers apologized. His lawyer, David Gehrke, said that when Beavers was arrested he was using crack cocaine and selling the drug to support his habit. "I have repented to the Lord and have turned my life around," Beavers said before Superior Court Judge Steven Gonzalez sentenced him.Beavers' wife and his pastor were in court Friday to support him. Gehrke said Beavers, who has no prior criminal history, kicked his drug habit through religion.The length of the sentence means Beavers will serve his time in state prison rather than county jail.Beavers was arrested by King County sheriff's deputies and Metro Transit Police on Feb. 11 while he was driving Route 42 near South Leo Street and Beacon Avenue South.The arrest came after an investigation lasting several weeks in which transit police made several undercover drug buys from Beavers, according to charging papers. Some, but not all, of the buys were made aboard Metro buses, police said.The sales, which ranged from $60 to $120 for 0.7 to 1.5 grams of cocaine, also took place at Beavers' house in South Seattle and in Tukwila, according to charging papers. Though it is clear Beavers dealt crack while on his route, "we have no indication that he was selling to passengers," sheriff's spokesman Sgt. John Urquhart said. Rather, customers who knew the driver would meet him along his route and make their purchases, police said.Police said the investigation was triggered by a tip from another Metro employee. Beavers has since resigned from Metro. "This is the first time I can recall a situation of this nature, and we employ 2,200 operators," Metro spokeswoman Rochelle Ogershok said shortly after Beavers' arrest.

Ricky Beavers, 54, pleaded guilty on May 6 to three counts of delivery of cocaine

Ricky Beavers, 54, pleaded guilty on May 6 to three counts of delivery of cocaine. In exchange for his plea, King County prosecutors agreed ...

Timothy Ballard of northeast Leland arrested Thursday for allegedly trafficking crack cocaine.

The Pender County Sheriff Narcotics Unit arrested a man Thursday for allegedly trafficking crack cocaine.During a two month investigation, o...

Tamara M. Dunlap has been jailed on charges of selling drugs outside a New Paltz adult entertainment club.

Newburgh woman has been jailed on charges of selling drugs outside a New Paltz adult entertainment club.Police say they caught Tamara M. Dun...

Forty-eight-year-old Horacio Uffre pleaded guilty in October and was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court in Portland.

Forty-eight-year-old Horacio Uffre pleaded guilty in October and was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court in Portland.Sentence 12 years a...

Timothy Alan Hann of 12429 Creagerstown Road in Thurmont, Md., who was charged with one count each of possession of cocaine and possession of CDS

Timothy Alan Hann of 12429 Creagerstown Road in Thurmont, Md., who was charged with one count each of possession of cocaine and possession o...

Rodney V. Wolfe of 13217 Independence Road in Clear Spring, who was charged with one count each of distribution of cocaine

Rodney V. Wolfe of 13217 Independence Road in Clear Spring, who was charged with one count each of distribution of cocaine, conspiracy to di...

Tory Renee Wantz of 5640 Fort Ritchie Road in Sabillasville, Md., who was charged with one count each of conspiracy to distribute cocaine

Tory Renee Wantz of 5640 Fort Ritchie Road in Sabillasville, Md., who was charged with one count each of conspiracy to distribute cocaine an...

Leon Cornell Russell of 823 Concord St. in Hagerstown, who was charged with one count each of possession with intent to distribute cocaine

Leon Cornell Russell of 823 Concord St. in Hagerstown, who was charged with one count each of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, ...

Kimberly G. Snead of 6530 Wayne Highway in Waynesboro, who was charged with one count each of possession with intent to distribute marijuana

Kimberly G. Snead of 6530 Wayne Highway in Waynesboro, who was charged with one count each of possession with intent to distribute marijuana...