Methamphetamine Investigation

 

 

            The Whitfield County Sheriff’s Department and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation have conducted a joint six-month undercover operation in Whitfield County. The investigation was conducted to identify and target major illegal drug traffickers distributing Methamphetamine in the county. The investigation has resulted in the seizure of over twenty pounds of un-cut Methamphetamine with a street value of approximately 1.3 million dollars, and the arrest of 18 violators.

            Also seized during the operation were sixteen vehicles the violators used to transport the narcotics, a Jet Ski that was purchased with “drug money,” ten firearms, and $ 147,000 in cash. The cash seized include $ 96,000 discovered in a safety deposit box when investigators executed a search warrant at a local bank being used by one of the suspects (Dionico Robles).         

            The investigation was initiated last November (2000) after we experienced a tremendous increase in the amount of Methamphetamine that was being seized by our Patrol and Narcotics Division. Our Narcotics Division teamed with Agents from the Region 1 Office of the GBI to concentrate on identifying and targeting the major distributors of “meth” in our area. Our goal was to target the individuals above the street or mid-level dealers and concentrate on the major distributors. During the investigation we were able to identify and penetrate four different organizations or “groups” of violators responsible for the distribution of large amounts of the illegal drug in our community. We were also able to arrest other violators that were “free lancing” and selling large quantities in the area. Based on the large amounts of Methamphetamine each violator was caught with, all the individuals arrested during this operation were charged with Felony Trafficking, which carries mandatory sentencing.

            During the investigation we were able to determine that a large amount of the Methamphetamine being distributed in our area was coming in from the Atlanta area. The majority of the drug in the United States is manufactured in Mexico and smuggled across the border, but it is also being produced in large quantities in clandestine laboratories that are being operated around the region. Investigation will continue.

Sheriff Scott Chitwood

Suspects Charged with Various Counts of Trafficking in Methamphetamine 

1-      Dionico Robles, DOB 12-13-70, 2705 Old Grade Road.

2-      Rigoberto Morales, DOB 01-09-77, 703 Selvidge  Street.

3-      Armando Morales, DOB 02-27-72, 104 West Tyler Street.

4-      Armando Galeana, DOB 06-15-68, Atlanta, Georgia.

5-      Irene Mendez, DOB 07-17-70, 2705 Old Grade Road.

6-      Evelyn Bojorges, DOB 12-06-76, 820 Shugart Road.

7-      Angel Rodriguez, DOB 02-04-63, 4025 Parker Road.

8-      Loreno Servia, DOB 02-03-79, 4025 Parker Road.

9-      Herminio Figueroa, DOB 10-3-71, 1805 Shadow Lane.

10-  Sergio Morejon, DOB 10-5-67, Highway 41 South.

11-  Eric Lynn Estrada, DOB 06-19-80, 4818B Tibbs Bridge Road.

12-  Melinda Faith Knight, DOB03-29-81, 61 Windmill Drive.

13-  Bravlio Garnica, DOB 08-21-81, 692 Dantzler Circle.

14-  Hector Martinez Garnica, DOB 06-07-78, 601 Burchfield Avenue.

15-  Vance Paige, DOB 05-19-61, 201 Gillespie Drive.

16-  Toni Fanelli, DOB 01-15-71, 201Gillespie Drive.

17-  Cristian Moscoso, DOB 11-09-80, 903 Underwood Street.

18-  Sergio Maldonado, DOB 01-16-72, 271 Broadacre Road.

 

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