They, along with additional defendants Solomon Hodges, also known as Little Daddy, 60, and Cordaroe D. Sims, 33, all of Springfield, were charged in a 30-count superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield. Sgt. Fill out the form below and one of our team members will reach out to help you get started. In 2010, the two largest drug categories for people who entered drug rehab in Missouri were tranquilizers at a rate of 486 persons followed by PCP at the rate of 326 individuals. Amphetamine/Methamphetamine Reece said he does not think meth use has increased tenfold over the last six years. Other Opiates Springfield woman at'ground zero' of drug ring gets 22 months in prison, Ozarks women indicted for meth feds say they found (some in underwear), 4 men tried to sneak meth into Christian County Jail and it almost worked, Prosecutors ask for life sentence for 'career offender' in Springfield meth ring, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The number of drug induced . Ortega, Hicks, and Griffin would also be required to forfeit to the government a money judgment representing the proceeds obtained as a result of their participation in the alleged drug-trafficking conspiracy. National Park Service says never push a slower friend down when escaping a bear, Springfield police ask for help to identify suspects after SUV hit a gas pump, Insect found outside Arkansas Walmart identified as Jurassic-era insect, Missouri State falls short in MVC quarterfinals against Southern Illinois, NASCAR star Elliott has leg surgery after snowboard accident. He said there isn't much demand here for the drug, and he agreed this year's spike in cocaine is likely an anomaly. ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI) - The DEA announces a major meth takedown in the St. Louis region. A KOLR 10 investigation set out to find out if Missouri, or Greene County, is still the meth capital of the world. Officers with the Springfield Police Departments Special Investigations Unit made a large drug bust after serving a search warrant on August 6. Tapia was also delivering 10 pounds of meth worth tens of thousands of dollars every two weeks to one of the biggest meth rings ever to plague southwest Missouri. The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require the defendants to forfeit to the government any property obtained from the proceeds of the drug-trafficking conspiracy, including a money judgment of $4,160,000. A nearly three-year investigation culminated on Feb. 29 when, according to court documents, investigators rushed into a garage on East McDaniel Street and found 12 pounds of meth and more than six pounds of heroin hidden in a truck. Official websites use .gov Ginnings, Sparks, Patterson, Jones, Hansen, Mainieri, Hoyt, King, Nelson, and Zieger also are charged together in one count of being felons in possession of multiple firearms and ammunition. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( While many Americans were putting turkeys in ovens, watching football in the living room, or driving to their grandmothers' houses, officers were listening to the phone calls of Friend and Harmon. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Gulluni, Captain [Brian] Keenan and all of our brave and dedicated 'men and women in blue' for their continued efforts to rid our streets of these 'poison individuals' and their 'poison products' and weapons. Owned and operated by Lakeview Health, Home Substance Abuse Statistics by State Missouri. Far more people were directly mentioned, implicated in crimes or alluded to in court documents and hearings. Hodges allegedly possessed a Kel-Tec .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol on June 4, 2019. A locked padlock GREENE COUNTY, Mo. To read part two of our investigation, Life After Meth, click here. Join Recovery Connection in celebrating your recovery with our sobriety calculator. ", The biggest year for marijuana seizures was 2013 when Springfield police collected more than 185pounds of pot. Marijuana was the most commonly cited drug of abuse in Missouri in 2007. Contact Us Today to Learn More About Our Recovery Resources! Coinciding with the unmet treatment needs of those in Missouri is the rising number of those suffering from serious psychological distress. A decade later, that many people died in Greene County just in the first two months of 2020. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the FBI, and the Buchanan County, Mo., Sheriffs Department. Unfortunately we know a lot of them on a first name basis, Jones said. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Call 866.811.3235 to contact Recovery Connection today. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. In 2017, 30 people died from meth in Greene County. Missouri had the most meth lab busts in the country that year. The man and woman were arrested, Flesch said, and police started taking items out in brown paper bags. My understanding is that meth production has gone from basements and little hideouts to industrial grade stuff in Mexico and were just importing it, he said. Methamphetamine has devastating effects on drug users and can lead to memory loss, "meth mouth," overdose and death. It's unclear how or why federal prosecutors settled on the 29 co-conspirators. Affidavits cite numerous undercover and controlled drug purchases, as well as seizures of heroin, fentanyl, and large amounts of cash. Shirley J. Hicks, 61, Raymon F. Ortega, 63, Benny D. Griffin, 57, Jose I. Gonzales, 37, Jordan W. Gutierrez, 25, and Shaun M. Ross, 39, all of West Plains, Missouri; Fontella J. Noose, 38, of Springfield, Missouri; James E. Cooper, 52, of Mountain View, Missouri; and Luis Ortiz Rodriguez, 36, address unknown, were charged in a 19-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Springfield on Tuesday, Aug. 20. What do the orange, green dots on my iPhone mean? He said police seized about a pound of cocaine this summer as part of a case that is still being investigated. I remember being homeless on the streets of Branson, with nowhere to go, no one to turn to, just absolutely broken, Pickens said. With 189 in Greene County, that was second only to Jefferson County near St. Louis. I came here and in my first shift I probably saw four or five patients acutely intoxicated on meth.. Glosson was allegedly in possession of a Springfield 9mm semi-automatic pistol and an SCCY 9mm semi-automatic pistol on March 7, 2019. Posted: Mar 3 . Officers pulled them over, seizingthe Harley and $34,310 incash. These figures can be verified by contacting the Missouri State Highway Patrol at 573-526-6305. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Rhoades. 673 people were treated for cocaine/crack addiction who used the drug other than smoking it. Addiction Recovery Resources. The Drug Enforcement Administration believes the group was responsible for bringing hundreds of pounds into the Ozarks. There have, however, been some standout years for LSD and ecstasy seizures. According to the indictment, conspirators received $4,160,000 in exchange for the unlawful distribution of more than 520 kilograms of methamphetamine, based on an average street price of $8,000 per kilogram of methamphetamine. Jose Elias Barbosa, 37, of. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. They did it when they least expected it.. Marlin Martin is theregional director for Behavioral Health Group,a local provider of opioid addiction treatment. Hodges is also charged with one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school. Lock The trooper found 88 pounds of methamphetamine during a traffic stop on Interstate 70 at mile marker 79, about 50 miles west of Columbia. There were 5,088 admissions for drug and alcohol treatment for amphetamine addiction in 2010. Leath allegedly possessed an RG .25-caliber semi-automatic pistol and a Ruger .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol on Dec. 14, 2018, and a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol on May 22, 2019. Earlier that day, police overheard them setting up a buy. There was the young hairstylist who got hooked, in part, because of the powerful weight-loss effectsof meth. Though he doesnt know for sure, Jones hears that meth in the Ozarks could now be coming from south of the border. Bedell allegedly possessed a .223-caliber semi-automatic pistol without a serial number, a Springfield Armory .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol, and a Ruger .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol on Sept. 12, 2019. Springfield police say they have recovered only seven meth labs in the city this year, compared to 108 in 2011. Bedell is also charged with two counts of distributing heroin and/or fentanyl, one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes, and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms. In 2018, 32 people died. Friend lived in a single-story house along East Sunshine Street with two safes and a money counter. Looking to break addictions strangle hold? The Springfield Police Department is committed to continuing to fight to reduce the number of heroin and opioid deaths. Among the seizeddrugs were packages of narcotics labeled "Playboy" and "SpongeBob.". In a separate but related case, Derrick E. Dailey, also known as Cuzzo, 34, William C. Farisse, also known as Wack, 33, Roderick L. Stewart, 35, Antwanae L. Morgan, 29, Robert D. Everette, 40, and Dominique Glosson, 26, all of Springfield, were among those charged in November and December 2019. In 2010, 10,600 people entered alcohol addiction treatment in Missouri for alcohol as a primary substance of abuse with an additional 8,605 people who entered alcohol addiction treatment with alcohol combined with a secondary drug of abuse. Ingram was sentenced to 20 years in federal Meth is everywhere. In 2010, Missouri became one more state in the nation to implement the prescription data base. "We do spend a lot of investigation time on that, and I think that plays out in our stats.". - Three Springfield, Missouri, residents were sentenced in federal court today for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine. Ortega, who has previously been convicted of at least one felony offense, allegedly was in possession of a Jennings (Bryco) .380-caliber pistol, a Ruger 9mm pistol, and a Jennings (Jimenez Arms) 9mm pistol on May 7, 2018. I did my residency in Cleveland, Ohio, and over four years I didnt see one patient on meth, Jones said. MSHP says the drug bust happened. In addition to the criminal conspiracy, Hicks is charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in Howell County and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Jeremy A. Ingram, 42, Laurie B. Holmes, 39, and Lonnie J. Tinker, 36, were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool. There were 257 addiction treatment facilities in 2006. Data from the county coroner for the last few years suggests meth is more deadly than ever before. More guns and more meth were found. One cousin remembered him as the man whodanced with all the ladies at a quinceaera. Each of the defendants, with the exception of Kibodeaux, Rogan, and McClure, are charged together with possessing multiple firearms in furtherance of violent crimes and drug-trafficking crimes. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. A locked padlock An official website of the United States government. Additionally, Worsham, Hill, and Hodges are charged together in one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl that caused the death of another person (who is not identified in court documents) and one count of distributing fentanyl on or about Sept. 23, 2018, that caused the death of this person. The only person who didn't plead guilty was Robert A. Edson, who has eluded capture for years. But back at her house in Republic, feds found$20,000 in cash, more than 5 pounds of meth, and a loaded handgun in a nightstand drawer. -- 12 pounds of meth and 6.5 pounds of heroin, seized from a Springfield home. Farisse allegedly was in possession of a Ruger .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol on Nov. 14, 2019. After years of wiretaps, surveillance, drug busts, three rounds of indictments, dozens of press releases,andyears of court proceedings, the last member of the ring is expected to be sentenced within the next month. Other family and friends noted his generosity, saying he supported his own family and others financially even helping pay for the schooling of the son of a family friend after his father walked out on them. Its a waiting game. Detectives made the largest every buy ever, 8.8lbs of meth. The majority of those entering treatment were 21-25 years olds. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. The national opioid crisis has not missed Springfield. U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Missouri, Eleven More Defendants Indicted for $4.1 Million Meth Conspiracy, KC Man Charged with Drug Trafficking, Illegal Firearm After Arrest During Police Standoff, Joplin, Webb City Man Indicted for Drug Trafficking, Illegal Firearms, KC Man Sentenced to 21 Years for Heroin, Cocaine Conspiracy, Eleven More Defendants Indicted For $4.1 Million Meth Conspiracy. His family and friends apparently couldn't believe it. The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require the defendants to forfeit to the government any property derived from the proceeds of the alleged drug-trafficking conspiracy, including $2,200 seized by law enforcement from Glossons residence on March 7, 2019; $11,266 seized by law enforcement from a vehicle occupied by Dailey and Morgan on Nov. 14, 2019; $5,214 seized by law enforcement from Farisses hotel room on Nov. 14, 2019; and $4,400 belonging to Dailey, which was seized by law enforcement during the search of a residence on Nov. 27, 2019. And in 2019, the medical examiner reports 67 people, more than double the year before, died from meth in Greene County. According to the most recent data, Missouri has experienced an increase in marijuana and methamphetamine use over the last two decades. Most people in the conspiracy had no interactionswith anybody outside a few other members of the meth ring. Carlos Tapia, a man they knew as a dedicated father with no criminal history, was a drug mule. But now it just seems that theyre acutely intoxicated and they come in with altered mental status.. Eleven residents in the Kansas City, Missouri, and St. Joseph, Missouri, areas have been added to a federal indictment that now charges a total of 25 defendants for their roles in a $4.1 million drug-trafficking conspiracy that distributed more than 520 kilograms of methamphetamine over three years. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. In 2009, the Treatment Episode Data Set indicated that 48,628 people entered drug and alcohol rehabs in Missouri. Wheeler allegedly possessed a Sig Sauer .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol, an Izhmash .308-caliber semi-automatic rifle, and a Hi-Point 9mm semi-automatic pistol on Nov. 14, 2019. biggest drug bust in springfield, missouri. Nine individuals, primarily from West Plains, Mo., have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Howell, Greene, and Texas counties. More: Meth ringthat plagued the Ozarks could cost taxpayers $11 million in prison. For drug dependency and unmet treatment needs, the figures varied greatly from year to year. Join Recovery Connection in sharing stories of hope and recovery. According to a news report on 9/01/11, the Madison County State Attorney stated that heroin related crimes had increased between 30-40%, with heroin deaths twice the number of that in 2010. In 2010, Missouri enacted legislation to track the sale of drugs used to make meth. In 2004, data from the Missouri State Highway Patrol shows meth back then most likely came from an at-home lab. So far this year, investigators with the SPDs Special Investigations Section have taken almost five pounds of heroin off the streets of Springfield. Court documents note that. Lock "Our meth has stayed pretty stable," Reece said. They know mine; I know theirs.. Springfield officials say drugs are linked to all types of crime in southwest Missouri from stealing to domestic violence. The first indictment came Dec. 10, 2014. Reece said heroin cases are a priority for his detectives in the special investigations sectionbecause the drug has reportedly been responsible for at least 21deaths in Greene County over the last two years. Glosson is also charged with one count of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and two counts of being an unlawful user of controlled substances (heroin) in possession of firearms. The percent between men and women for other opiate addiction was fairly equal. Morgan allegedly possessed an SCCY 9mm semi-automatic pistol on Nov. 14, 2019. - Nine individuals, primarily from West Plains, Mo., have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Howell, Greene, and Texas counties. (KY3) - Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers seized 110 pounds of marijuana Saturday morning from a traffic stop in Greene County. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). (WWLP) - Springfield Police have arrested two men and seized heroin, two rifles and more than $16,000 in cash Wednesday evening . The largest demographic receiving treatment for opiate addiction was in the 21-25 year old age group. We invite you to share your journey of recovery and be featured on Recovery Connection! The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. -- Twenty-five people were charged Monday with taking part in a drug ring that allegedly trafficked more than . The News-Leader has been covering this meth ring for years, reviewing hundreds of pages of court documents and attending hearings of those involved. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. But data from local law enforcement shows meth lab busts have become nearly non-existent. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. Martin said there are about 460 patients consistently receiving treatment from Behavioral Health Group in Springfield, and the company is preparing to open a second location on the north side of town. The number of drug induced deaths in 2007 remained consistent with the national figure. From all accounts, the high is euphoric, and the sobering crash back down to earth, painful. In 2005, there were 630 drug related arrests. ; and Stephanie Thurmond, 29, Leeanna Michelle Schroeder, 27, and Adam Joseph Mainieri, 32, all of Winfield, Mo. In some states, the number of meth lab seizures has been significantly reduced. On Thanksgiving 2014, Flesch fixed dinner, put on a jacket and sat out front. Feds decided to pull the plug on Thanksgiving Day 2014, which was a quiet day on a dead-end street in Republic where Beverly Flesch lives. var gform;gform||(document.addEventListener("gform_main_scripts_loaded",function(){gform.scriptsLoaded=!0}),window.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){gform.domLoaded=!0}),gform={domLoaded:!1,scriptsLoaded:!1,initializeOnLoaded:function(o){gform.domLoaded&&gform.scriptsLoaded?o():!gform.domLoaded&&gform.scriptsLoaded?window.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",o):document.addEventListener("gform_main_scripts_loaded",o)},hooks:{action:{},filter:{}},addAction:function(o,n,r,t){gform.addHook("action",o,n,r,t)},addFilter:function(o,n,r,t){gform.addHook("filter",o,n,r,t)},doAction:function(o){gform.doHook("action",o,arguments)},applyFilters:function(o){return gform.doHook("filter",o,arguments)},removeAction:function(o,n){gform.removeHook("action",o,n)},removeFilter:function(o,n,r){gform.removeHook("filter",o,n,r)},addHook:function(o,n,r,t,i){null==gform.hooks[o][n]&&(gform.hooks[o][n]=[]);var e=gform.hooks[o][n];null==i&&(i=n+"_"+e.length),gform.hooks[o][n].push({tag:i,callable:r,priority:t=null==t?10:t})},doHook:function(n,o,r){var t;if(r=Array.prototype.slice.call(r,1),null!=gform.hooks[n][o]&&((o=gform.hooks[n][o]).sort(function(o,n){return o.priority-n.priority}),o.forEach(function(o){"function"!=typeof(t=o.callable)&&(t=window[t]),"action"==n?t.apply(null,r):r[0]=t.apply(null,r)})),"filter"==n)return r[0]},removeHook:function(o,n,t,i){var r;null!=gform.hooks[o][n]&&(r=(r=gform.hooks[o][n]).filter(function(o,n,r){return!! Noose, who has previously been convicted of at least one felony offense, allegedly was in possession of a Taurus .38-caliber revolver on Feb. 11, 2019.
