Thread: Traffic Stop Yields Big Meth Find & (Deported Mexican)

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Page Updated: Saturday, May 28, 2005 9:39 AM PDT
Traffic stop yields big meth find

By Carl Mickelson, Staff Writer

Oregon State Police and a Coos Bay Police Department canine unit seized 21/2 pounds of crystal methamphetamine - with an estimated street value of $250,000 - following a traffic stop early Friday morning.

The stop was made by a new recruit, Kelly Katsikis, 36, who had been out on patrol on his own for about a week, said OSP Lt. Steve Smartt.

The drug bust was the largest seizure of pure, uncut methamphetamine from a single suspect on the South Coast, Smartt said, noting that larger quantities of less pure meth powder have been seized.

According to Trooper Dan Davis, at approximately 7:35 a.m., Katsikis pulled over a 1996 light blue Ford Aerostar van traveling north near the junction of U.S. Highway 101 and state highway 42.

The van was going 68 mph in a 55 mph speed zone, Davis said.

Katsikis first conducted a records check of the driver - and lone occupant of the vehicle - which revealed that Sergio Madriz Villanueva, 54, of Manteca, Calif., was driving with a suspended California license.

A call to the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement revealed Villanueva had previously been deported to Mexico after serving time in the California prison system for a felony drug trafficking conviction, Davis said. It was the bureau of immigration that authorized OSP to arrest Villanueva for illegally entering the country, Davis said.

However, Davis said Villanueva also consented to a search of his vehicle, at which time a Coos Bay Police canine unit - Officer Ken Labrouse and Charlie, a 2-year-old German shepherd were called out to the scene. While inspecting the engine compartment, a fake battery was discovered that housed the meth.

"It was a very ingenious hiding spot - but we have seen it before," said Coos Bay Police Capt. Roger Craddock.

Villanueva was subsequently arrested on charges of possession, manufacturing and distribution of a schedule two controlled substance. He also was charged with driving under the influence of intoxicants (stimulants).

Smartt said South Coast Interagency Narcotics detectives interviewed Villanueva Friday afternoon, before he was lodged at the Coos County jail. The case is being referred to the federal Drug Enforcement Agency and U.S. Attorney's office in Eugene.

Law enforcement officers are trained to look for "indicators" that a subject is a possible drug courier, Davis said, and for other signs that a vehicle may be transporting drugs. He declined to elaborate on what those indicators were, but said Katsikis had "keyed in on some of the indicators."

Davis said the drugs were bound for Coos Bay, and pointed to a "very significant" crystal methamphetamine problem locally.

Smartt said he could think of only one other previous bust that netted more narcotics. During an operation called "Operation Crystal Coast, that focused on crystal methamphetamine dealers in the Bay Area, 9 pounds of meth from five different locations were seized.

Smartt was elated with Friday's arrest, just a few hours before the start of the long Memorial Day weekend, but also remained somewhat grounded.

"Unfortunately, there are loads like this coming in quite frequently," Smartt said.

However, Davis said Villanueva also consented to a search of his vehicle, at which time a Coos Bay Police canine unit - Officer Ken Labrouse and Charlie, a 2-year-old German shepherd were called out to the scene. While inspecting the engine compartment, a fake battery was discovered that housed the meth.

"It was a very ingenious hiding spot - but we have seen it before," said Coos Bay Police Capt. Roger Craddock.

I guess this rules out rocket science as Villanueva's next career move.