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Between March 2021 and June 2022, the FBI utilized 12 wiretaps to get real-time information and intervene to prevent violence in Pine Bluff, Little Rock and other communities throughout the state. 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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Marshals, Arkansas National Guard, Arkansas State Police, the U.S. Attorneys office, and the FBI.. Rhodes bites off two pieces to weigh on a set of electronic scales and can be seen counting money, according to the plea agreement. All rights reserved. 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. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Little Rock District Office conducted their operation with assistance from DEA Riverside, California District Office; USPIS; North Little Rock Police Department; Sherwood Police Department; and Benton Police Department. 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. A lock ( Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute more than 500 grams but less than 5 kilograms of 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. Get FBI email alerts 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. The last couple of years weve seen larger and larger amounts.. Of the 80 defendants indicted in the three investigations, 8 of those were already in custody when this mornings roundup began. Lock The three men were a part of fentanyl distribution rings that trafficked the drug in Central Arkansas. Dubbed Operation Candyland, this investigation by the FBI, Arkansas Eastern District of Arkansas This operation, named after lead defendant Derrick Hart, 27, of North Little Rock, targeted drug distribution in the North Little Rock area. Email Email. Rapper Bankroll Freddie attends his Birthday Party at Onyx Nightclub on April 7, 2021 in Atlanta. This organization used the mail system to evade detection in order to facilitate their operation. LITTLE ROCK, ARChristopher R. Thyer, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas; along with David T. Resch, Special Agent in Charge of the Little Rock Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Little Rock Police Department Chief Kenton Buckner announced the unsealing of a 62-count indictment charging multiple defendants in Arkansas, Georgia, Texas and Tennessee, with multiple drug, weapons and money laundering charges. 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. 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. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chris Givens. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. O.C. - Federal agents say an investigation into a drug distribution ring in North Little Rock led to multiple arrests and the seizure of drugs and guns Tuesday. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File). 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. 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.. 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 Brewster DTO was based out of Brewsters Used Auto and Detail shop on Forbing Road in southwest Little Rock. Catalog; For You; Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. 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. 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. Not only are the drugs taken off the street, but the associated weapons and criminal enterprise is removed from our neighborhoods. Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and 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. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. An official website of the United States government. The indictment was handed down by a Federal Grand Jury on September 11, 2014. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julie Peters and Amanda Fields with assistance from Cameron McCree. A third operation, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), began in August 2021 when the North Little Rock Police Department identified street-level methamphetamine and fentanyl. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS J. Volpe later. Arkansas overdoses from drugs laced with fentanyl on the rise With the rise of drugs being laced with fentanyl, state officials say there were 618 overdose deaths in 2021 with about 65% of. Of the 80 defendants indicted in the three investigations, 8 of those were already in custody when this mornings roundup began. Box 1229 "We won't stop until we have all of them in custody.". Brenda Golden Day- age 36, Fort Smith, Arkansas - sentenced April 1, 2021 to 60 months BOP and $100 special assessment for Distribution of More Than Five Grams of Methamphetamine. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, with assistance from multiple law enforcement agencies including: the Little Rock Police Department, Benton Police Department, Sherwood Police Department, Pulaski County Sheriffs Office, Arkansas National Guard, Arkansas State Police, Homeland Security Investigations, and United States Marshal Service. WDAR Case No. 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. No Thanks The release says authorities seized about 16.2 pounds of cocaine, 7.7 pounds of marijuana, 13 firearms and $9,540. 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. Market data provided by Factset. Fordson, also a part of the Fuller fentanyl distribution ring, agreed with Fuller and others in 2018 to "distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.". A third operation, this one led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), began in August 2021 when DEA and the North Little Rock Police Department identified street-level methamphetamine and fentanyl dealers in central Arkansas who were connected to the same source of supply. Fordson faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. A coordinated arrest operation took place this morning in Marianna and Forrest City as part of an ongoing federal drug investigation. 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. The DEAs investigation found drugs were mailed from California into Arkansas in shipments that included kilogram-quantities of methamphetamine and thousands of pressed fentanyl pills, according to the press release. 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. "We deeply regret the death of Kevin Collins," Ross said. Rapper Bankroll Freddie attends 1st Party of The Year at Gold Room on January 1, 2022 in Atlanta. 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. In addition to the arrests, during the operation authorities seized 4 firearms, one of which was an AR-style pistol; 2 ounces of cocaine; 1 ounce of crack cocaine; and $30,000 cash. Legal Statement. FBIs GETROCK Task Force was formed in 2017 in response to the escalation in gang and gun violence in Little Rock. Lock Copyright 2023, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. 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. Terrell Fordson, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, while federal prosecutors dismissed two other charges. 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. 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. Three men pleaded guilty in two separate fentanyl cases in federal court in Little Rock on Wednesday. Officers stopped a vehicle driven by Jayuian Ellington, 44, of North Little Rock for having defective equipment and smelled marijuana coming from inside the vehicle, the report said. Another search warrant was then executed at the apartment in Marmaduke. The second investigation focused on the Loady Murder Mobb gang and resulted in the indictment of 26 defendants. Print Headline: Sweep leads to 80 indictments. If youre thinking of altering your workout routine, youre probably looking for new exercises and equipment to help you reach your fitness goals. Authorities arrested Michael Hall and during the arrest police found nearly two handguns, digital scales, suboxone, marijuana, and nearly 2-lbs of fentanyl in his possession that's valued at roughly $175,520 according to reports. 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. HOUSTON RAPPER THE BREADMAN GETS 23 YEARS FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING. 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. Also, agents found a journal where Clairday made entries as far back as 2018 where he described his experiments with growing mushrooms and his recipes for DMT production and use. "He wanted to bring other law enforcement agencies in to be involved in what was going on with the gangs and he made the ultimate sacrifice. Additional support was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Arkansas National Guard Counterdrug Joint Task Force; and the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory. In addition to his active warrants, Hall was also charged with trafficking due to his possession of fentanyl. Main Office: During Tuesdays arrests, officers recovered an additional AR-15 rifle. During the stop, he asked to search the car and was given permission by the driver. Courtney Rhodes pleaded guilty to the distribution of a controlled substance, while the U.S. government dismissed three other charges. FBIs GETROCK Task Force was formed in 2017 in response to the escalation in gang and gun violence in Little Rock. According to the indictment, Freddie Gladney III and the 34 other individuals allegedly knowingly and intentionally distributed and possessed cocaine, crack-cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana. These arrests are indicative of our commitment to rid our communities of these criminals determined to profit on the backs of addiction. According to the Little Rock Police. 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. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute less than 28 grams of crack 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. 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. LITTLE ROCKA federal jury convicted a Little Rock man who distributed the fentanyl that resulted in a person's overdose death in early 2021. commissioner, AR Guardsmen win International Sniper Competition, AR hunter facing fines for killing Alaska caribou, Free concerts, food at Bridge Street LIVE in Hot, Man who lost wife, son in mass shooting tells story, Regulators seize First Republic in 3rd bank failure, BestReviews.com - Top gifts to make everyone happy this spring, Surprise your mom with one of these Mothers Day, Mothers Day inspo: This foot massager has 20,000, Drew Barrymores Walmart collection is perfect for, Best Mothers Day gifts for the budding plant mom, Best Mothers Day Gifts for moms obsessed with books, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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. 20 arrests were made in Little Rock; one, Christian White, was arrested in the Mesquite/Dallas, Texas area; and one, Rachel Green, was arrested in Atlanta, Georgia. The 80 individuals sought were charged with various federal firearms and drug trafficking charges. A locked padlock Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Copyright 2023, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Dubbed Operation Candyland, this investigation by the FBI, Arkansas Eastern District of Arkansas [], During this years competition, competitors will use their robots to simulate a waterway cleanup. TWO MEN BUSTED FOR ATTEMPTING TO SELL FENTANYL TO VETS IN BOSTON VA SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAM, Rapper Bankroll Freddie attends 1st Party of The Year at Gold Room on January 1, 2022 in Atlanta. Detectives arrested Krystal Bolen, 37, the report said. Below is the release, as written: 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 Sheriff's Department, Greene "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.". Further, there were numerous items used to produce, grow, cultivate, package, and sell controlled substances. Law enforcement discovered that the gangs were funding their violent activity primarily through the sale of large quantities of high-grade marijuana. 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. 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. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Investigation revealed the drugs were being mailed into Arkansas from California, and these shipmentswhich included kilogram-quantities of methamphetamine and thousands of pressed fentanyl pillswere then distributed to individuals in Little Rock and Pine Bluff as well as Houston, Texas. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. 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. Collins' parents, Charles and Dornetta Hobbs of Pine Bluff, attended the press conference. 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. If convicted of conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine each defendant will face a sentence of not less than 10 years to life imprisonment. As a part of his guilty plea Wednesday, Gioelli admitted the amount of fentanyl he distributed was between eight and 16 grams. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Two of the three investigations were conducted by the FBI and focused on rival gangs. 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. 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.. Agents made contact with these two individuals at their apartment on 3rd Street in Marmaduke. During the search, drugs were found and the two men were arrested. "The investigation revealed drug trafficking and travel between Arkansas and Texas, California, Arizona, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee and Oklahoma.". 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. "The most violent offenders, the most violent groups in the most violent places," Ross said, "these are our priorities.". 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.'. In December 2020, the Drug Enforcement. Pine Bluff Police Detective Kevin Collins was shot and killed in October 2020 while serving an arrest warrant on an EBK associate wanted for a homicide in Georgia. Todays events provide an excellent example of the partnerships between local, county, state, and federal agencies. He is charged with capital murder and is facing a possible death sentence if he is convicted. 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. North Little police arrest man carrying over $175,000 worth of drugs, guns Authorities arrested 33-year-old Michael Hall for outstanding warrants. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. An investigation into a large-scale drug trafficking organization based in Little Rock resulted in the early-morning arrests of 22 defendants on charges involving distribution of cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana, weapons possession, and money laundering charges.