There were 12,052 individuals who entered treatment for marijuana addiction. Other Opiates Additionally, Rory Dale Bechtel, 37, of Kansas City, Mo. A KOLR 10 investigation set out to find out if Missouri, or Greene County, is still the meth capital of the world. The CCTF is a joint task force between the Springfield Police Department, the Greene County Sheriffs Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, whose mission is to reduce street violence by focusing on career criminals committing crimes involving weapons. Ortega allegedly was also in possession of a Ruger .22-caliber rifle, two Marlin .22-caliber rifles, and two Browning .22-caliber pistols on June 21, 2019. Ortega also is charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in Howell County, one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms. 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. Coinciding with the unmet treatment needs of those in Missouri is the rising number of those suffering from serious psychological distress. At their peak in the early 2000s, at-home meth labs in the Ozarks became synonymous with the local area code, 417. Thats why it often takes more than medicine to save a life from addiction. There were 257 addiction treatment facilities in 2006. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. According to the indictment, Sparks was the principal leader of the criminal enterprise and obtained substantial income from the criminal enterprise. Gutierrez also is charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in Texas County. (null!=i&&i!=o.tag||null!=t&&t!=o.priority)}),gform.hooks[o][n]=r)}}); document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); How to Choose The Right Drug and Alcohol Treatment Program, Addiction Treatment Focused on Health And Wellness in FL (Florida). Earlier that day, police overheard them setting up a buy. Have a question about Government Services? There have, however, been some standout years for LSD and ecstasy seizures. The drug remains a stubborn scourge in southwest Missouri, according to Tim Garrison, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. Western District of Missouri Morgan is also charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. 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. 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. The officer seized 564.4 grams of heroin (1.24 pounds). With 189 in Greene County, that was second only to Jefferson County near St. Louis. April 5, 2021: A trooper stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation on I-70 (EB) at the 79 mile marker in Saline County. To report a correction or typo, please email digitalnews@ky3.com. We focus more on the harder scale drugs like meth and heroin. Police say they have seized 626 grams of cocaine this year after taking only 17 grams in 2015. 673 people were treated for cocaine/crack addiction who used the drug other than smoking it. The only structure to the group appears to be itstwo kingpins Kenna Harmon and Kenneth Friend who facilitated purchasing and distribution. "But there's no upward trend toward LSD or ecstasy use.". Amphetamine/Methamphetamine Before you go to work, before you make breakfast for your family, before anything.. Court documents note that Tapia had abused drugs from as young as 14, but they don't explain how he became one of the ring's richest sourcesof meth in 2013 and 2014. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. 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. Among the defendants who were arrested and charged in November and December 2019, 19 defendants along with two new defendants were charged in two separate superseding indictments this week. Marijuana was the most commonly cited drug of abuse in Missouri in 2007. Though he doesnt know for sure, Jones hears that meth in the Ozarks could now be coming from south of the border. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. A superseding indictment in April 2015 raised the number to 19, then 10 more were tacked on in a second superseding indictment three months later. 'You either open the door or were gonna kick it in,'" Flesch recalled an officer saying. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS The first indictment came Dec. 10, 2014. Gonzalez also is charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in Howell County. 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. Faced with decades in federal prison, people started flipping. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. When the weather is nice, Flesch, who's in her 60s now, likes to sit outside on her front porch and letthe dogs play in the yard. ; Phillip Tra Joseph Hoyt, 43, of St. Joseph, Kenneth James McClure, 41, of Kingdom City, Missouri; Christapher Dean Parton, 31, of St. Joseph, and Marion Douglas McCrorey Jr., 40, of Rich Hill, Missouri, each of whom are already in custody on unrelated state and federal cases, were charged in the superseding indictment. "Everything went to hell in a handbasket, Flesch said. Updated: Apr 15, 2021 / 07:37 PM EDT. They were like a vacuum, feds say, sucking up meth from St. Louis, Kansas Cityand Oklahoma, then dumping it on the Ozarks. They wrote letters to the federal judge handling the Lee's Summit man's sentencing. Meth is everywhere. 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. Carlos Tapia, a man they knew as a dedicated father with no criminal history, was a drug mule. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. "I think the problem is only continuing to skyrocket and blossom in our community," Martin said. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. One of the biggest year-to-year spikes in the data was the amount of cocaine seized by investigators in 2016. Fill out the form below and one of our team members will reach out to help you get started. "I want to thank the leadership of Commissioner Barbieri, D.A. Officers pulled them over, seizingthe Harley and $34,310 incash. Largest Meth Bust in Missouri BootheelBy: CJ Cassidy. Defendants originally charged in the indictment are Trevor Scott Sparks, 31, Gerald L. Ginnings, 40, Gloria May Jones, 30, Vicente Araujo, 23, Leslie Ladon Walker, 33, and Paul J. Kibodeaux, 37, all of Kansas City, Mo. Fax Line:(816) 426-4210. In addition to the drug-trafficking conspiracies, Farisse is charged with three counts of distributing heroin and/or fentanyl, two counts of possessing heroin and/or fentanyl with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. 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. Any street corner, any hotel room you go to around here, you can find meth, Cody Pickens, a recovered meth addict, told KOLR 10. Shubhra Mohanty June 09, 2022. Worsham, Sims, and Lindsey are each also charged with one count of possessing heroin and/or fentanyl with the intent to distribute. Marlin Martin is theregional director for Behavioral Health Group,a local provider of opioid addiction treatment. 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. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. 400 East 9th Street In 2012, about 24 percent of high school seniors reported they had used marijuana in the last month, that number dropped to 16 percent in 2014 and then moved to 22 percent this year. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the FBI, and the Buchanan County, Mo., Sheriffs Department. However, it's unclear if taking down the meth ring has had any effect on meth use in theSpringfield area. The Springfield Police Department is committed to continuing to fight to reduce the number of heroin and opioid deaths. "If you see a big jump one year compared to another, it is probably because of one investigation where we ended up seizing a large amount of that drug.". The officer. Pickens struggled with addiction for about 16 years, but never bothered to find out where his drugs were coming from. This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justices Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. These cases were investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration St. Louis Division Task Force Group in Springfield; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Springfield, Mo., Police Department; the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff's Department; the Phelps County, Mo., Sheriff's Department; the Bourbon, Mo., Police Department; The federal indictment charges each of the 15 defendants with participating in a conspiracy to distribute a kilogram or more of heroin and/or 400 grams or more of fentanyl in Christian and Greene counties from Sept. 23, 2018, to Nov. 14, 2019. 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Lock 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. GREENE COUNTY, Mo. So far this year, investigators with the SPDs Special Investigations Section have taken almost five pounds of heroin off the streets of Springfield. Leath is also charged with possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possessing firearms in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Call Recovery Connection now 866.812.8231 and let one of our trained coordinators help you find the appropriate treatment facility. Join Recovery Connection in celebrating your recovery with our sobriety calculator. 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). YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Police estimated that the seized drugs are worth between $600,000 and $700,000. SALINE COUNTY, Mo. Troopers arrested one man in the investigation. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. All rights reserved (About Us). 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. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Get information related to substance abuse in Missouri. On Thanksgiving 2014, Flesch fixed dinner, put on a jacket and sat out front. The most common form of ingestion was smoking. [vc_row][vc_column][vc_btn title=866-812-8231 style=custom custom_background=#81387d custom_text=#ffffff shape=square size=lg i_type=entypo i_icon_entypo=entypo-icon entypo-icon-phone css_animation=bounceIn add_icon=true link=url:tel%3A866-812-8231|||][/vc_column][/vc_row]. "But it's not our focus. The largest demographic receiving treatment for opiate addiction was in the 21-25 year old age group. Glosson was allegedly in possession of a Springfield 9mm semi-automatic pistol and an SCCY 9mm semi-automatic pistol on March 7, 2019. Once the cases are resolved, a judgewill issuea destruction order,and Springfield police have the drugs incinerated. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the arrests and initial court appearances of Hicks, Ortega, Griffin, Cooper, and Ross. 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. I came here and in my first shift I probably saw four or five patients acutely intoxicated on meth.. 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. But data from local law enforcement shows meth lab busts have become nearly non-existent. On Thanksgiving, Friend and his girlfriend hopped on his motorcycle and headed to meet Harmon. An official website of the United States government. One cousin remembered him as the man whodanced with all the ladies at a quinceaera. These cases were investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration St. Louis Division Task Force Group in Springfield; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Springfield, Mo., Police Department; the Greene County, Mo., Sheriffs Department; the Phelps County, Mo., Sheriffs Department; the Bourbon, Mo., Police Department; and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Authorities charge 25 in Springfield drug bust Tuesday, July 12, 2005 SPRINGFIELD, Mo. Missouri had the most meth lab busts in the country that year. Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno praised the Springfield Police Department for taking "poison" off of the city's streets and urged judges to impose lengthy sentences for the suspects' alleged crimes. It should be noted that these Missouri drug abuse statistics are not intended as an academic reference. Other Drugs The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The superseding indictment replaces an earlier indictment and includes additional defendants. According to the most recent data, Missouri has experienced an increase in marijuana and methamphetamine use over the last two decades. Its awful, Romine said. In addition to the conspiracy, Crawford is charged with three counts of possessing heroin or fentanyl with the intent to distribute, two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. A federal. 3,277 people were admitted to treatment for cocaine addiction. Due to their hard work, thats almost 300 pounds this week! What seems like good news, could represent merely a change in meth manufacturing. In 2004, data from the Missouri State Highway Patrol shows meth back then most likely came from an at-home lab. On the county level, the number of busts and seizures decreases from nearly 200 to just three. The Missouri State Highway Patrol also reported that it had seenan exponential increase over the last fewyears in the seizures of marijuana-infused food products known as edibles. Bags of everything.. The national opioid crisis has not missed Springfield. Looking to break addictions strangle hold? Sparks is charged with one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise that involved the distribution of at least 10 kilograms of methamphetamine. Additional charges and more defendants have been added to two federal indictments that now charge a total of 21 defendants for their roles in separate conspiracies to distribute heroin and fentanyl in the Springfield, Mo., area, resulting in the overdose deaths of at least two people. 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 plaguesouthwest Missouri. That indictment was unsealed and made public following their arrests. 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. Earlier this week, troopers confiscated 187 pounds of marijuana from a vehicle in Webster County. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. All sorts of cars were pulling up to the house late at night and leaving shortly after, Flesch said. FRANKLIN COUNTY, MO (KTVI) - Drug cops made a record breaking bust in Franklin County. When Friend finally gets sentenced, that will be the end of the ring. The former church deacon who said he turned back to meth after his wife's death. The Greene County Medical Examiner's Office says there have been 56 confirmed drug overdose deaths in the county this year and several more cases are still pending complete results. She had $4,604 and only a small amount of meth. Other homes were raided over the next few days. All six are now named in a 16-count superseding indictment, which includes additional charges, returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield. While seizures like that don't happen often, data obtained by the News-Leader shows the amount of drugs seized by the Springfield Police Department's investigative units has been increasing over the last six years. He said the reason investigators are seizing more of the drug is because the current system of dealers bringing meth in from out of state lends itself to multi-pound seizures, like the one on Feb. 29. The number of drug induced deaths in 2007 remained consistent with the national figure. The investigation has led to four arrests: Springfield residents Hector Rodriguez, 42, and Luis Acevedo, 43, and Holyoke residents Emmanuel Hernandez, 30, and Nellys Garcia, 32. The federal indictment alleges that all of the defendants, with the exception of Sparks, participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Jan. 1, 2017, to July 21, 2020. Wheeler is also charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes and being a felon in possession of firearms. Meth ring: Springfield woman at'ground zero' of drug ring gets 22 months in prison. The number of drug induced . It used to be that wed see folks that were making meth at home. For two months, she sat and watched her new neighbors a woman she called "tattoo lady," a man, and a young boy and girl. Since 2004, meth lab busts across the country become scarce. Glosson was allegedly in possession of a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol and a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol on Oct. 23, 2019. ", The biggest year for marijuana seizures was 2013 when Springfield police collected more than 185pounds of pot. Missouri was once known as the meth capital of the U.S. Now the drug is coming from major distributors With 189 in Greene County, that was second only to Jefferson County near St. Louis. In some states, the number of meth lab seizures has been significantly reduced. - 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. But now it just seems that theyre acutely intoxicated and they come in with altered mental status.. Room 5510 Investigators have recovered nearly 300 pounds of marijuana this week from drug busts in the MSHP Troop D region, which covers most of southwest Missouri. The federal indictment alleges that each of the nine defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Howell, Greene, and Texas counties from Dec. 31, 2015, to June 21, 2019. It was investigated by the South Central Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Howell County, Mo., Sheriffs Department, the West Plains, Mo., Police Department, and the Mountain View, Mo., Police Department. Banasik said since 2011 he hasn't noticed much cocaine in the local drug market. KOLR-TV Childrens Television Programming Reports, KOZL-TV Childrens Television Programming Reports, KRBK TV Childrens Television Programming Reports, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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. In 2005, there were 630 drug related arrests. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Official websites use .gov Major Springfield Drug Bust Part of Year-Long Investigation by: Lindsay Clein. Two men from California face drug trafficking charges in that investigation. Learn about the latest Missouri drug abuse statistics. Acevedo, Rodriguez and Hernandez are all charged with trafficking more than 200 grams of heroin and cocaine, eight counts of illegal firearm possession, possession of ammunition without an FID card, larceny of a firearm and improper storage of a firearm. 18-25 year olds were among the group most suffering from unmet treatment needs for alcohol dependency in 2006 and it ranked among the highest in the country for this demographic. Patrick Brigaudin, 54, is one of four men charged last week with . The only person who didn't plead guilty was Robert A. Edson, who has eluded capture for years. Sheron Loggins, also known as Bane, 47, of Florissant, Missouri; Jerry Bedell, also known as dAndre, 29, his father, Jerry Wheeler, also known as Love, 44, his significant other, Bethany Rice, 29, all of Springfield, Missouri, and his mother, Nichole Bedell, 48, of Nixa, Missouri; and Delante Worsham, 35, Crystal J. Hill, 23, William Leath, also known as Chill, 44, Marquise Martin, 29, Robin Roberts, 50, and Laurel J. Lindsey, also known as Mama, 47, all of Springfield, were among those charged in November and December 2019.