"His name is still out there, people still think about him and he's still helping to make arrests," Hobbs said. Prior to Wednesdays FBI arrests in their operations involving the EBK and Loady Murder Mobb gangs, investigators seized 42 firearms, including two machine guns; approximately $775,000 in cash and $428,000 in jewelry; approximately 278 pounds of marijuana, which has an approximate street value of $450,000; 7 ounces of cocaine; 3 ounces of crack cocaine; 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine; and 116 pills containing fentanyl. Official websites use .gov , These arrests represent the commitment of the U.S. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Rawls, 50, of Benton, was sentenced to 420 months imprisonment for his role in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine. 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. Bragg credited the arrests on Wednesday to work begun by Pine Bluff Det. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Staci Vandagriff). 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.. No Thanks Legal Statement. During the search, drugs were found and the two men were arrested. 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. An investigative focus on the pipeline of drugs and firearms between Pine Bluff and Little Rock resulted in the indictment of 80 individuals, all charged with various federal firearms and drug trafficking charges in multiple indictments that were unsealed today. The distribution ring operated from a parking lot at the corner of Zinnia Street and Cotton Road in McAlmont, as well as a local McAlmont club at 410 Mimosa Street. As a part of his guilty plea Wednesday, Gioelli admitted the amount of fentanyl he distributed was between eight and 16 grams. Kevin Collins, who was shot to death Oct. 5, 2020 as he attempted to serve an arrest warrant on a known member of the EBK street gang. Rhodes bites off two pieces to weigh on a set of electronic scales and can be seen counting money, according to the plea agreement. Afterward, Charles Hobbs, Collins' stepfather, expressed his appreciation for the work that went into the investigations. All rights reserved. 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. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! The indictment charges 25 defendants in 62 separate counts. WDAR Case No. The units investigations and operations are coordinated out of FBI Little Rocks field office, and GETROCK continues to serve as the clearinghouse for gang-related law enforcement activity in Central Arkansas. Agents with Homeland Security then made contact with Clay County 2nd Judicial DTF Agents and arranged a controlled delivery to the address in Rector, AR. An official website of the United States government. 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. 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. 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. of methamphetamine and around 24,000 pills of an unknown substance. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. Distribution of 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. Arraignments held for 13 people charged in NLR-area drug bust Twenty-seven fugitives remain after Wednesdays arrests. Collins, Ross said, was working as a task force officer the day he was killed, and he said the investigation into gang violence done by the slain officer had provided much of the intelligence, built upon over the next two years, that was the basis for the indictments. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. In March 2021, the FBIs GETROCK Task Force obtained a wiretap and used a total of twelve wiretaps through June 2022 as a source of real-time information to intervene and prevent violence in Pine Bluff, Little Rock, and other communities throughout the state. O.C. 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. 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.. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use. The investigations focused on rival gangs responsible for violence throughout central Arkansas, with one operation focused on the EBK or Every Body Killas gang and resulting in the indictment of 35 defendants. Lock Arkansas drug and firearm investigations lead to 80 indictments "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.". Rain: 7am to 7am: .00 Month: 0.00 Year: 20.21 Recorded temps: High: 63 Low: 45, By: U.S. Attorney Eastern District of Arkansas. 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. Three federal investigations focused on the drug and firearm pipeline in Arkansas came to a head on Wednesday morning when 80 indictments were unsealed and 45 arrests were made, which included the rapper Bankroll Freddie, whose real name is Freddie Gladney III. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Ellington, while in handcuffs, broke free from police and fled a short distance before being recaptured, the report said. Fax Line:(501) 340-2728. "When my alarm went off at 3:15 this morning," Harper said,"Detective Collins' spirit was with not just me, but the entire team, the investigative team, the arrest team and the prosecutorial team.". Police lights are shown in this file photo. The investigations focused on rival gangs responsible for violence throughout central Arkansas, with one operation focused on the EBK -- Every Body Killas -- gang and resulting in the indictment of 35 defendants. Jim Dawson, the special agent in charge of the local FBI office, said after Collins' death, the FBI banded together with investigative partners around the state to accelerate efforts to address the problem of violent crime in central Arkansas. On Wednesday and in prior operations involving the EBK and Loady Murder Mobb gangs, investigators seized a total of 46 firearms, including two machine guns; approximately $805,000 in cash and $428,000 in jewelry; approximately 278 pounds of marijuana worth an estimated $450,000; nine ounces of cocaine; four ounces of crack cocaine; 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine; and 116 pills containing fentanyl. Former DEA special agent Derek Maltz breaks down how Mexican cartels are utilizing social media sites to 'target' young children on 'Lawrence Jones Cross Country.'. On June 16, 2021, Agents with Homeland Security and the Second Judicial District Drug Task Force, partnered with officers from Jonesboro Police Department, Arkansas State Police, Craighead County Sheriffs Department, Greene County Sheriffs Department, Clay County Sheriffs Department, Rector Police Department, Marmaduke Police Department, Pocahontas Police Department, and the Paragould Police Department in what started as a controlled delivery of a package of drugs from Mexico, and led into the shutdown of a 4 year long mushroom and DMT home lab and dispensary. The drugs were then distributed to individuals in Little Rock and Pine Bluff, Arkansas, as well as Houston, Texas. Money laundering is punishable by not more than 20 years incarceration in the Bureau of Prisons with a possible fine of up to $500,000, and not more than three years supervised release. Catalog; For You; Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Following a three-day trial and after one hour of deliberation, the jury convicted Jemel Foster, 32, of four federal drug and firearm crimes, including distribution of fentanyl that resulted in death. Thousands of arrests made in $55 million drug bust | thv11.com (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File). During the arrest, authorities found guns and drugs with an overall value of $175,520. Named after lead defendant Derrick Hart, 27, of North Little Rock, this operation targeted drug distribution in the North Little Rock area. Three more defendants, Quincy Martez Chambers, Deandreian Devonte Meadows, and Joseph Riggins, Jr., are charged separately in stand-alone indictments. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. 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. Main Office: "The most violent offenders, the most violent groups in the most violent places," Ross said, "these are our priorities.". 3 men admit to dealing fentanyl with drug rings - Arkansas Online 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. An indictment only contains allegations. Todays arrests are the culmination of a long term collaboration between the Little Rock, Benton, and Sherwood Police Departments, as well as the Pulaski County Sheriffs Department, U.S. One FBI investigation focused on the Every Body Killas, or EBK gang, which resulted in 35 indictments, and the other focused on the Loady Murder Mobb Gang, which resulted in 26 indictments. 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. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Staci Vandagriff), Dornetta Hobbs, mother of Detective Kevin Collins, uses her mask to dab her eyes during a news conference Wednesday at the U.S. attorneys office in Little Rock. Dubbed Operation Candyland, this investigation by the FBI, Arkansas Eastern District of Arkansas Twenty-Three Arrests Made Today in 62-Count Federal Drug - FBI LITTLE ROCKA federal jury convicted a Little Rock man who distributed the fentanyl that resulted in a person's overdose death in early 2021. LITTLE ROCK (KATV) Seven people have been arrested in connection with an ongoing drug investigation in Jonesboro. The FBI conducted their operations with assistance from Arkansas State Police, Arkansas Department of Community Corrections, Little Rock Police Department, North Little Rock Police Department, Pine Bluff Police Department, and Jonesboro Police Department. Reports say that authorities made the arrest around 5:43 p.m. on Idaho Drive after they found Hall inside of a vehicle. FBIs GETROCK Task Force was formed in 2017 in response to the escalation in gang and gun violence in Little Rock. Little Rock police arrested a woman on drug-trafficking charges Thursday afternoon after finding more than 1,000 tablets of Xanax at a West Markham Street residence, according to an arrest report. DEA agents arrest 13, seize drugs & gun in North Little Rock - KARK Gladney was arrested Wednesday in Jonesboro. Of the 80 defendants indicted in the three investigations, 8 of those were already in custody when this mornings roundup began. We greatly appreciate the FBI and their continued support for this critical mission, said Chief Kenton Buckner of the Little Rock Police Department. Todays events provide an excellent example of the partnerships between local, county, state, and federal agencies. Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_15_6) AppleWebKit/605.1.15 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/15.5 Safari/605.1.15, First United Methodist Church Mountain Home, Gardening in the Ozarks with Vicki Garner, Live in the Boat with Binks Guide Service. O.C. Kelley pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl in February. Possession with intent to distribute more than 28 grams but less than 280 grams of crack 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. Ke'shone Smith of Pine Bluff, who was wanted for a murder in Georgia when Collins was killed, is scheduled to go on trial for Collins' murder April 17 in Jefferson County Circuit Court. Rhodes appeared in front of U.S. District Judge Brian S. Miller and was taken into custody after agreeing to plead guilty. Arkansas police arrest 22 people for alleged drug operation - KTHV Eastern District of Arkansas | Jury Convicts Little Rock Man for During the investigation, Hart and Tetus Jenkins, 43, of North Little Rock, were identified as the sources of supply to more than eight other individuals. The investigations into the rival gangs and their involvement in the drug and firearms pipeline in Arkansas gained momentum in October 2020 after Pine Bluff Police Detective Kevin Collins was shot and killed while serving an arrest warrant on an EBK member wanted for homicide in Georgia. They also bought more than a 2.2 pounds of cocaine from the organization and used. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Twenty-seven fugitives remain after this mornings arrests. Three more defendants, Quincy Martez Chambers, Deandreian Devonte Meadows, and Joseph Riggins, Jr., are charged separately in stand-alone indictments. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. From a video recorded inside the confidential source's vehicle, Rhodes can be seen pulling out a large plastic bag with an "off white" substance containing a heroin/fentanyl mixture. HOUSTON RAPPER THE BREADMAN GETS 23 YEARS FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING. This investigation culminated in the indictment of 18 defendants. Law enforcement began early Wednesday morning by searching for 72 suspects, all of whom were indicted for federal gun and drug trafficking crimes. Three men pleaded guilty in two separate fentanyl cases in federal court in Little Rock on Wednesday. He is also accused in the indictment of acquiring these types of guns from a licensed firearms dealer and making false statements during the purchases, possessing one or more machine guns and possessing several guns without serial numbers, among other things. Tuesday, the unnamed drug interdiction deputy was patrolling along highway 67 near Searcy when he pulled over a car for a lane change violation. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. She said 27 suspects were still at large Wednesday afternoon and another eight defendants were already in state custody. Have a question about Government Services? Authorities arrested 33-year-old Michael Hall for outstanding warrants. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Possession of a firearm by a felon is punishable by not more than 20 years incarceration in the Bureau of Prisons with a possible fine of up to $250,000, and not more than three years supervised release. or redistributed. Rhodes and Fordson are just two of the nine people indicted as part of the Monterrio "Money" Fuller fentanyl distribution ring. According to a release from the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, the Drug Enforcement Admiration arrested 13 people as part of Operation Hartbreak Kid, which was named after the man agents believe to be the lead defendant in the case, 27-year-old Derrick Hart. Share on Twitter Twitter Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The last couple of years weve seen larger and larger amounts.. A lock () or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. According to the plea agreement Rhodes signed Wednesday, in January 2019 a confidential source working with law enforcement made a recorded call to Rhodes for "the purpose of purchasing heroin or fentanyl.". The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Eighteen individuals were indicted because of the DEAs investigation. A search found methamphetamine, cocaine, Ecstasy, marijuana and a digital scale, according to the report. Market data provided by Factset. Kraneum is legal everywhere. emailStay Connected A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Lane said last fiscal year, the total dollar amount of seized drugs from task force members was around $79 million. The investigation revealed drug trafficking and travel between Arkansas and Texas, California, Arizona, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Oklahoma. 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. Chancellor Damphousse Elected to Serve As President of Sun Belt Conference, In a Position to Give Some Magic This Season? According to a release from the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, the Drug Enforcement Admiration arrested 13 people as part of Operation . Jarad Harper, assistant special agent in charge of the Little Rock DEA office, said that operations on Wednesday morning were performed with Collins uppermost in many officers' minds. These large-scale investigations and ultimate arrests take a well-planned coordinated effort by many law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels, stated Thyer. Get FBI email alerts Nearly 50 pounds of meth seized by Little Rock police - KTHV Courtney Rhodes pleaded guilty to the distribution of a controlled substance, while the. The release says authorities seized about 16.2 pounds of cocaine, 7.7 pounds of marijuana, 13 firearms and $9,540. This achievement was made possible by a collaborative effort with our many local and federal law enforcement agencies. These arrests are indicative of our commitment to rid our communities of these criminals determined to profit on the backs of addiction. A press release from the drug task force detailed a large interagency drug bust this week in NEA. 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. The third investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, or DEA, which began in August 2021 after the agency and North Little Rock Police Department identified street-level methamphetamine and fentanyl dealers in central Arkansas, who were connected to the same source of supply as the rival gangs. According to the Johnson County Sheriff's office, the driver of a vehicle ran away from the traffic stop after a deputy saw methamphetamine . 7 arrested in Jonesboro drug bust, $35,000 worth of meth - KATV 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. 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.. According to the Little Rock Police. A lock ( ARKANSAS The season of giving is here, and the Postal Service is putting out the call for kind-hearted, generous people across the country to sign [], An unfortunate accident happened Saturday evening in Jonesboro involving a patrol car and a civilian driver. The DEA's investigation found drugs were mailed from California into Arkansas in shipments that included kilogram-quantities of methamphetamine and thousands of pressed fentanyl pills, according. If youre thinking of altering your workout routine, youre probably looking for new exercises and equipment to help you reach your fitness goals. Rawls, 50, of Benton, was sentenced to 420 months imprisonment for his role in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) to find and dismantle groups who misuse the U.S. Mail, said Thomas Noyes, Inspector in Charge of the Fort Worth Division of the USPIS. In addition, agents seized more than nine ounces of crack cocaine and more than 165 pounds of marijuana. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. Detectives arrested Krystal Bolen, 37, the report said. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. 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. Eastern District of Arkansas | Gang Activity in White County Results in Eight plead not guilty in federal, state drug bust in Jonesboro - KAIT 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. North Little police arrest man carrying over $175,000 worth of drugs, guns Authorities arrested 33-year-old Michael Hall for outstanding warrants. LITTLE ROCKThree federal investigations culminated in 45 arrests this morning. Two FBI operations, each focused on a rival gang, were created to address violence and drug trafficking in the corridor between Pine Bluff and Little Rock. The U.S. Attorney's office said Wednesday that all defendants currently in custody and those rounded up in subsequent arrests will be arraigned before a federal magistrate judge in the coming days. The drugs tested positive for opiates and are believed to be fentanyl. Representatives from law enforcement agencies across the state converse before a news conference Wednesday at the U.S. attorneys office in Little Rock. Use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking crime is punishable by not more than four years incarceration in the Bureau of Prisons with a possible fine of up to $250,000, and not more than one year supervised release. That indictment named an additional 18 defendants.

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drug bust in little rock arkansas 2021