A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. 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. 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. 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. All rights reserved. The FBI investigation began in January 2013. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 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 This investigation culminated in the indictment of 18 defendants. 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. Kelley pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl in February. 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. Tuesday, the unnamed drug interdiction deputy was patrolling along highway 67 near Searcy when he pulled over a car for a lane change violation. 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 or Every Body Killas gang and resulting in the indictment of 35 defendants. Three defendants are named in multiple indictments. News of Gladney's arrest was reported by TMZ on Wednesday afternoon. 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. O.C. Market data provided by Factset. or redistributed. 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. Before Wednesdays DEA arrests, investigators seized $146,000 in cash, 10 firearms, 12 pounds of methamphetamine, 1.2 kilograms of powder fentanyl, 600 pressed fentanyl pills, 10 pounds of marijuana, and nine ounces of cocaine. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use. Kraneum is legal everywhere. Before todays DEA arrests, investigators seized $146,000 in cash, 10 firearms, 12 pounds of methamphetamine, 1.2 kilograms of powder fentanyl, 600 pressed fentanyl pills, 10 pounds of marijuana, and nine ounces of cocaine. Of the 80 defendants indicted on Wednesday, eight were in custody before the roundup began. 15 people arrested in Little Rock-based drug trafficking bust. "Kevin really worked hard at his job and being a police officer," Hobbs said. The defendants arrested include Hart, Jenkins, Justin Cross, 29, of North Little Rock; Jonathan Dunigan, 23, of Austin; Andre Graves, 44, of Little Rock; Bianca Lavonda, 33, of North Little Rock; Prince Strong, 37, of Jacksonville; Steven Taylor, 64, of Jacksonville; Daniel White, 34, of North Little Rock; and Dayton Wiggins, Jr., 47, of Jacksonville. 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. 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. Arraignments held for 13 people charged in NLR-area drug bust 2021-11-11 - DALE ELLIS . WDAR Case No. Get FBI email alerts LITTLE ROCK, Ark. The total street value of the bust more than $3 million, one of the largest traffic-stop-related drug busts in White County history. 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. (KAIT) - The eight people arrested in connection with a federal and state drug bust earlier this week in Jonesboro have appeared in federal court, with an initial trial date now set. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. He is charged with capital murder and is facing a possible death sentence if he is convicted. 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. Twenty-seven fugitives remain after this mornings arrests. They also bought more than a 2.2 pounds of cocaine from the organization and used. Two Drug Conspiracies Land Little Rock Man in Federal Prison for 18 Years Thursday, May 5, 2022 Share For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Arkansas LITTLE ROCKA Little Rock man's involvement in two separate drug conspiracies will end with him spending 18 years in federal prison. Three other defendants were charged in stand-alone indictments, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorneys Office Eastern District Arkansas. 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. According to a news report, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas said a grand jury indicted 19 . 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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. U.S. Attorney Jonathan Ross said Wednesday's operation was part of an ongoing effort to address the problem of gang violence in central Arkansas. We will continue to identify and bring to justice offenders like these to protect our communities and the U.S. Mail.. Gladney was listed as a defendant in the indictment that was a result of the FBI focusing on the EBK gang, as was his father Freddie Gladney, Jr. Main Office: 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 CAROLINA MAN SENTENCED TO 40 YEARS FOR RUNNING DRUG TRAFFICKING OPERATION OUT OF DAYCARE, An FBI seal is seen on a wall on Aug. 10, 2022, in Omaha, Nebraska. The 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana: Possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine: Possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine is punishable by not less than 10 years, not more than life, incarceration in the Bureau of Prisons with a possible fine of up to $10,000,000, and not less than five years supervised release. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. All three will be sentenced at later dates. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Chris Givens and Benecia Moore. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julie Peters and Amanda Fields with assistance from Cameron McCree. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Rapper Bankroll Freddie attends 1st Party of The Year at Gold Room on January 1, 2022 in Atlanta. Collins' parents, Charles and Dornetta Hobbs of Pine Bluff, attended the press conference. Detectives arrested Krystal Bolen, 37, the report said. Afterward, Charles Hobbs, Collins' stepfather, expressed his appreciation for the work that went into the investigations. U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Arkansas, Investigations Built on the Work of Late Pine Bluff Detective Kevin Collins, Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (LECC), Three Federal Operations in Pine Bluff and Little Rock Lead to Dozens of Drug & Firearm Arrests, 35 Years In Federal Prison for Convicted Cocaine Trafficker, Operation "Candyland" Leads to Multiple Drug Arrests in Marianna and Forrest City, Little Rock Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl That Resulted in Death. Gioelli faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. "We won't stop until we have all of them in custody.". Have a question about Government Services? Prior to todays 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. A locked padlock Market data provided by Factset. A lock ( We appreciate the dedication and commitment of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners who conducted this investigation and made these arrests., Methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl are insidious, addictive drugs that consume all who abuse them, said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jarad Harper. Later on, agents retrieved two arrest warrants for Amber Smith and Tylor Clairday for trafficking a controlled substance. This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Material from the Associated Press is Copyright 2023, Associated Press and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at. 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. The drugs tested positive for opiates and are believed to be fentanyl. According to the Johnson County Sheriff's office, the driver of a vehicle ran away from the traffic stop after a deputy saw methamphetamine . Michael Gioelli pleaded guilty to knowingly distributing a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl with prosecutors dropping the rest of the counts against him. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Rhodes told the confidential source to meet him in the John Barrow area of Little Rock. Main Office: The 80 individuals sought were charged with various federal firearms and drug trafficking charges. 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. Have a question about Government Services? Legal Statement. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 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. In recent weeks, Little Rock police and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have teamed up in an effort to help combat violent crimes. She said 27 suspects were still at large Wednesday afternoon and another eight defendants were already in state custody. 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. 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. Dubbed Operation Candyland, this investigation by the FBI, Arkansas Eastern District of Arkansas Your email address will not be published. Copyright 2023, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. (Prince Williams/Wireimage). Box 1229 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. 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 is charged with felony trafficking Xanax, felony possession of methamphetamine with purpose, felony possession of drug paraphernalia, felony possession of drugs in proximity to certain facilities and felony unauthorized use of another person's property. 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. P.O. A coordinated arrest operation took place this morning in Marianna and Forrest City as part of an ongoing federal drug investigation. Law enforcement began early this morning by searching for 72 suspects, all of whom were indicted for federal gun and drug trafficking crimes. 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 press release from the drug task force detailed a large interagency drug bust this week in NEA. As a part of his guilty plea Wednesday, Gioelli admitted the amount of fentanyl he distributed was between eight and 16 grams. An indictment contains only allegations. 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. Lock 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. 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.

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