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  1. #1
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    TN: Meth ring 'dismantled'

    Meth ring 'dismantled'

    By WENDY ISOM
    wisom@jacksonsun.com

    A four-year federal investigation has ended, and along with it a multistate methamphetamine operation intent on distributing the drug in Decatur, Perry and Henderson counties, officials announced Tuesday.
    "Twenty-one defendants have been indicted in the four years. Fifteen have been arrested. Six have outstanding warrants," said U.S. Attorney David Kustoff during a press conference Tuesday in the Federal Building in Jackson. Kustoff, who oversees prosecutions in the Western District of Tennessee, praised the efforts of law enforcement authorities, including the sheriff's officials from Decatur County.

    Kustoff said the probe resulted in the "complete dismantling" of a meth distribution network. 'Ice' is the street name for meth. Authorities said all of the arrests were made without incident in what they dubbed, "Operation River Ice."

    The indictments allege a conspiracy that involved meth shipments from as far away as California, Washington, Georgia, Oklahoma, Nevada and Oregon.
    The operation involved 600 pounds of meth over a 31/2-year period, said Andrew Dimond, resident agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Memphis office. The meth was transported in motor vehicles, Dimond said.

    No significant amounts of cash were discovered, Dimond said. However, the wholesale levels for meth range from $10,000 to $20,000 a pound, he said.

    Jeannette Rudolph, a Whiteville mother of three, listened in on the press conference and was shocked by the scope of the operation.

    "I was just astounded by the amount of drugs in our community. You think of drugs of that volume being in metropolitan areas,'' she said. ''I guess small town America has been infiltrated.''

    On Monday, three Parsons residents were indicted in connection with the alleged meth operation, according to court records.

    They are: Ezequiel Rodriquez Del Valle, 34, Victor Alcarez Del Valle, 37, and Sandra Gay Welch, 45.

    The indictment also identified Ezequiel Del Valle as an illegal immigrant who was deported in 2005.

    "They were charged in federal court for their efforts to possess and distribute methamphetamine in and around the Decatur County vicinity," according to a U.S. Department of Justice press release. "Each defendant would then allegedly use the proceeds for their personal benefit."

    In a related indictment, the following West Tennessee residents were charged on Feb. 27 with one count of conspiracy to possess and distribute meth:


    Jimmy Ray Pettigrew, 43, of Parsons.

    Lynn Ray Scott, 55, of Parsons.

    David Sparks, 36, of Parsons.

    Sonny Rice, 57, of Parsons.

    Sherrie Reddix, 37, of Linden.
    Other defendants charged with various counts of possession and distribution of meth in relation to these cases include:


    Roger Dale French, 55, of Reagan, charged in January; n Linda Shamblin, 45, of Medford, Ore., charged in February;

    Penny McCay Griggs, 44, of Linden, charged in October;

    Dennis Vestal, 56, of Lexington, and Samuel Martinez, 18, of Reagan, both charged in June 2006; and

    Jose Luis Rodriguez, 32, Raul Velasco Pina, 32, Martin Garcia Manriquez, 25, and Juan Manuel Rodriguez Lopez, 30, all of Parsons, charged in February 2004.
    Charges against Manriquez and Pina were later dismissed, according to the press release.

    Vestal, Griggs, Martinez and French have all entered guilty pleas and are awaiting sentencing. Vestal is scheduled for sentencing on Friday.

    Griggs is scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 2. Martinez is scheduled for sentencing Sept. 18. French is scheduled for sentencing Sept. 24.

    "District Attorney General Hansel McCadams has brought various state charges against other individuals associated with these cases," the press release said.

    Investigators in these cases include the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, DEA and the Decatur County Sheriff's Department.

    In the case of French, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives assisted in the investigation. In the case of Martinez and Vestal, the Henderson County Sheriff's Department initiated and assisted in the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Kitchen is prosecuting the case for the government.

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  2. #2
    Senior Member swatchick's Avatar
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    The illegal in this does not surprise me. They used to come from Mexico cook meth in large labs in California and then after several months they would go back to Mexico and then return again. They are an ideal candidate for the job as most Americans won't do it due to the toxicity of the chemicals. Law enforcement personnel who used to raid them in the past ended up with cancer. Now to raid one you wear a hazmet suit and a respirator.
    Illegals are often used in drug production both here and in Canada. In Canada they had illegal Vietnamese people live in and operate marijuana grow houses.
    Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)

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