The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nations illicit drug supply. At one time, Federal marshals used to ride out of the United States and into Indian Territory at this juncture. These arrests require the arrestees to post a bond or . Our strategies include but not limited to problem-solving techniques; building robust and lasting partnerships with all stakeholders, transparency, educating the community, accountability, and open dialogue with the residents and guest of Fort Smith. A person is presumed innocent unless or until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. A Pine bluff Man who has had at least 16 felony arrest since 2005 found himself sentenced to 12 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections on drug charges in proceedings that were held Friday in Sebastian County Circuit Court. In August 2020, a federal grand jury returned an Indictment charging several individuals in the Fort Smith, Arkansas area with a large-scale, multi-state drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy. We urge anyone with information about Arkansas criminal organizations to contact our FBI office.. OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. The four individuals were arrested on August 5, 2020, and are identified as Emmanuel Miranda, Israel Miranda-Zapata, Brenda Golden Day, and Alexis Tirado. The roundup came after an investigation into methamphetamine trafficking in Sebastian, Crawford and Logan counties lasting more than a year, according to a news release from the office of David Clay Fowlkes, first assistant U.S. attorney for the Western District of Arkansas. TRAFFICKING A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE. Local News FSPS will temporarily rotate to online learning . 40/29 is your source for the latest local headlines and live alerts. Recently, 14 of those. 2023 www.swtimes.com. Twenty-two defendants federally accused of drug trafficking in Sebastian, Crawford and Logan counties allegedly pushed at least more than half a pound of methamphetamine onto the streets of the three counties since the beginning of 2019. Perform a free Fort Smith, AR public arrest records search, including current & recent arrests, arrest inquiries, warrants, reports, logs, and mugshots. The OCDETF program is the centerpiece of the Department of Justices drug supply reduction strategy. Given the past forgiveness for his transgressions and the fact he has been sentenced to 106 years in the past fourteen years and has seemingly done about six, all those out there relying on him for their supply will be back in business before the 2024 Presidential election. Ezequiel Rodriguez age 43. (KNWA) Twenty-four people were arrested on warrants following a 10 month drug investigation, according to Van Buren police. Twelve members of illegal operation sentenced to federal prison terms. A longer wait time for treatment can translate to more drug use as they wait to get in, Coats said. Drug users seeking a bed at Harbor House now might have to wait four months to get into one of its 33 residential beds and four detox beds. The defendants 14 of whom were arrested Thursday in the Western District of Arkansas Operation Bear Mountain Bingo were arrested from an indictment with 15 counts related to meth distribution and money laundering. June 16, 2022. All rights reserved. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. The indictment included fifteen counts, all of which involved the distribution of methamphetamine or laundering of money earned from the distribution of methamphetamine. The individuals arrested today enriched themselves off the misery and sufferings of others, said FBI Little Rock Field Office Special Agent in Charge Diane Upchurch in the news release. 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. The drug users in the Fort Smith region were willing to pay full price. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Carter is prosecuting the case for the Western District of Arkansas, with the prosecution being part of the Western District's Operation Bear Mountain Bingo, itself part of the Department of Justice's Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force program. Have a question about Government Services? Copyright 2023, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. fort smith, ar drug arrests. - A Fort Smith man, Richard David Hulsey, 46, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine announced Drug Enforcement (DEA) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Matthew Barden and United States Attorney Kenneth Elser of the Western District of Arkansas. If people are locked up in their house, theyre going to get more depressed, theyre going to turn to more alternative measures to take care of that depression. Fort Smith, AR 72901. And drug users in the region for a time paid even more for their fix as cartels were prohibited from trafficking their substances into the United States. Another way to die First responders and investigators commonly face challenges when trying to prevent drug abuse. Its another obstacle theyll have to overcome, but theyre motivated to overcome for sure, Coats said. Multiple sheriff's deputies shot in officer-involved shooting. This created an inflation in the U.S. drug market during March and April, said 12th and 21st District Drug Task Force Director Paul Smith. This investigation resulted the arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment of twenty-two (22) individual drug traffickers and money launderers and the seizure of approximately 6.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, 15 firearms, and $146,687 in funds derived from drug trafficking. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Because of this, Harbor House personnel have taken their clients outside for recreational activities as much as they can. One State Police Plaza Dr. Little Rock, AR 72209. Any time we advocate for not using drugs or staying away, we do it, but I dont know what the answer is, he said. Sebastian County Circuit Court. Below are the addresses and contact details of this court: Sebastian County Circuit Court. DEA Fort Smith, AR; McAllister, OK; Atlanta, GA, FBI Fort Smith, AR; Oklahoma City, OK; Miami, FL, U.S. Booking Date: 02-13-2023 - 3:14 pm. The 2020 Drug Enforcement Administration National Drug Threat Assessment said the number of drug overdose deaths that could be attributed to synthetic opioids other than methadone, such as. An official website of the United States government. There are around a dozen national hotel chains in Fort Smith, concentrated around the local airport. Under the Search tab, select the Card Catalog and look for the title "Fort Smith, Arkansas, Criminal Case Files, 1866-1900." Select "view original image" to be taken to . The region was already ravaged by drug addiction. Marshals Service, ATF Fort Smith, AR, State & Local Agencies - Logan County Sheriffs Office, Fort Smith Police Department, Sebastian County Sheriffs Office, Greenwood Police Department, Paris Police Department, Crawford County Sheriffs Office, 12th/21st Judicial District Drug Task Force, Arkansas State Police, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol investigated the case. Mounts recommended family members with loved ones who are addicted to drugs have a naloxone kit on hand in case of an overdose. 100 S 10th St, Fort Smith, AR 72901, United States Fort Smith Police @FortSmithPD Friday, February 24th, 2023 at 7:06pm TRAFFIC ALERT: Rogers / Phoenix Avenues, two-vehicle accident, see release for more details https://t.co/wu7qpp8vyK 0 1 Fort Smith Police @FortSmithPD Friday, February 24th, 2023 at 11:00am Philip Pevehouse. Thirty-seven -year-old Carlton Deshane Mathews, who has addresses listed in both Pine Bluff and Waldron, appeared in court on a number of felony drug counts on Friday. Ive ran into a couple of people who have overdosed over the past few days, most of them accidentally, Mounts said. Fort Smith Police Dept. A Fort Smith man with multiple felony and misdemeanor arrests and convictions dating all the way back to 2014 was sentenced to the Arkansas Department of Corrections for 25 years plus five years suspended on charges of trafficking drugs, possession of Schedule VI controlled substances, and maintaining a premises for drug activities. "Because of persistent and collaborative efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies in the area, a major supplier of methamphetamine to this region of Arkansas is out of business.". The indictment is directly related to a similar July indictment of Emmanuel Miranda, Israel Miranda-Zapata, Brenda Golden Day and Alexis Tirado, all of Fort Smith. People call me saying, Look, I need help. Alabama Arkansas Arizona California Colorado Florida Georgia Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kentucky Kansas Louisiana Maine Maryland Michigan Minnesota Missouri Mississippi Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico North Carolina Oklahoma . Career criminal picks up an additional 12-years on drug charges from 2020 arrest. Constantly updated. Smith in December also said perceived hopelessness contributes to drug addiction. February 22, 2023. 1. All rights reserved. An official website of the United States government. Photo Name Subject Number In Custody Race Gender Date of Birth Height Weight Multiple Bookings Housing Facility; AUSTIN, JOHN KESNER: 281: Yes: White: Male: 04/27/1977 A F0rt Smith-based drug dealer who has been arrested for over a dozen drug-related felonies in the past sixteen years in Sebastian County entered a guity plea to Possession of Methamphetamine with Purpose to Deliver and Possession of a Controlled Substance in a plea agreement with the Sebastian County Prosecutor's Office and picked up a six year sentence with an additional fourteen years suspended. Fort Smith, AR 72903 479-783-1002 www.hhsafetycenter.org Brad L. Byerley, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, said Thursday that a "violent methamphetamine trafficking organization" with direct ties to Mexico and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and a reach extending to many states had been taken down. 2023. Charges: SIMULTANEOUS POSSESSION OF DRUGS AND FIR - 2000000. Over the last 18 months, there have been nearly 1,200 arrests related to drugs in Fort Smith ranging from juveniles to senior citizens. Agents of the FBI, DEA, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Arkansas State Police, detectives from the Fort Smith, Greenwood and Paris police departments and investigators from the Crawford, Logan and Sebastian county sheriffs offices executed the investigation. Western Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma's local news leader! Any time we can take folks off the street that are cartel-connected, thats always going to make your community safer, said Sebastian County Sheriffs Capt. "We could almost expect to see this increase," Smith said. Measures put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Arkansas created an environment that lends itself to drug use, officials say. In Fort Smith, nearly 14% of arrests are due to drug-related charges. Fort Smith, Arkansas David Clay Fowlkes, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, Brad L. Byerley, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Diane L. Upchurch, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, announced that 14 individuals were arrested today by federal, state, and local law enforcement as part of a roundup following an over year-long investigation into methamphetamine trafficking in Sebastian, Crawford, and Logan Counties in Arkansas. An arrest warrant represents a finding of probable cause. Prior he has done stretches in the ADC for theft by receiving and residential burglary out of Sebastian County from all the way back in 2014. Work Fort Smith Director Miles Crawford in April said widespread joblessness is a predicting factor in widespread drug abuse. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Its first fort was built at Belle Point, where the Arkansas and Poteau rivers unite. Step 2. Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. Western Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma's local news leader! According to Luft, the Regime had him arrested on bogus weapon trafficking charges last month in an effort to silence him. Mathews was arrested in August of 2020 and charged with a total of three drug-related violations including possession with purpose to deliver meth or cocaine, and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia. Fort Smith Transit provides local bus transportation on seven core routes. She was arrested for delivery and possession of meth and simultaneous possession of drugs and a. Fort Smith, ARKANSAS - According to the statement, two people pleaded guilty in court to excavating and damaging archaeological resources. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette is the largest source for award winning news and opinion that matters to you. Fax: (479) 784-1580. Benjamin Valdez age 38, Paris, Arkansas sentenced October 21, 2021 to 262 months BOP, $100 special assessment and a $5,000 fine for Distribution of More Than Five (5) Grams of Methamphetamine. The price of methamphetamine, the longstanding hard drug of choice, had dropped 50% from 2017 to 2019 due to supply and demand. But COVID-19 has made their fight even tougher. The charges to all 18 defendants are part of a large-scale, multi-state drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy, according to a Thursday news release from the Western District. Drug dealer with multiple convictions sent away for another short stay after plea deal. The four individuals were arrested on August 5, 2020, and are identified as Emmanuel Miranda, Israel Miranda-Zapata, Brenda Golden Day, and Alexis Tirado. Main Office: Featuring up to the minute breaking news and the most in-depth Razorback, business, and . 2020: 2019: 2018: 2015: 2010: Table: Drug Arrest Data for 2010-2020 Table: Total Annual Arrests in the US by Year and Type of Offense FBI Uniform Crime Report. The four individuals were arrested on August 5, 2020, and are identified as Emmanuel Miranda, Israel Miranda-Zapata, Brenda Golden Day, and Alexis Tirado. He also said the wait time could prompt drug users to use more heavily because they know they will eventually receive treatment. 414 Parker Avenue They allegedly dealt 280 grams of meth in the three counties as they resided on both sides of the Arkansas-Oklahoma state line, according to court and arrest records. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearings for the United States District Court in Fort Smith. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. He is serving out his current sentence in the Delta Regional Unit in Dermont. Users rely on this information at their own risk. Once a bed opens up, a drug user must recover in a different Harbor House than he would outside the pandemic. Mounts said paramedics perform the same procedures on overdose patients as they had before the pandemic, but now with increased safety protocols. Fares are $1.25. While these protocols add additional elements to what can already be a difficult or stressful job, Mounts and his fellow paramedics do them anyway. The defendants who were arrested today will be scheduled to appear in the United States District in Fort Smith before United States Magistrate Judge Mark Ford in the coming days. North Platte Woman Sentenced for Drug Trafficking Crime. Narmada Kidney Foundation > Uncategorized > fort smith, ar drug arrests. Read More. Mugshots TODAY IN FORT SMITH TodayInFortSmith@gmail.com (479) 461-0126 TODAY IN FORT SMITH Serving 28 counties in western Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma! surveillance photo Fort Smith Police Department Narcotics Arrests and Convictions for March 18, 2016 According to the Fort Smith Police Department individuals on this page were arrested and convicted in the area of the crimes listed below. Those arrested Thursday will be scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Fort Smith before Magistrate Judge Mark Ford "in the coming days," according to the release. At the end of the day, if we dont get up and go back to work, who takes care of everybody else? Mounts said. And despite the pandemic, Coatss clients are determined to overcome drug addiction, he said. Mounts said hes recently seen the prevalence of narcotics likely containing the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl at his overdose calls. Perform a free Sebastian County, AR public arrest records search, including current & recent arrests, arrest inquiries, warrants, reports, logs, and mugshots. Acting U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas, FBI Little Rock, Special Agent in Charge JimDawson, and DEA Little Rock, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jarad Harper made the announcement. And clients are limited from coming into the building except on specific instances like medical calls, meals and counselor groups. . Around 6 a.m. 70 officers from multiple agencies went to execute 30 narcotic related search warrants in Dewitt, Stuttgart and Gillett. A federal grand jury returned an indictment in August charging multiple people in the Fort Smith area with a "large-scale, multi-state drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy," the release states. All complaints regarding the accuracy of information contained in these documents should be submitted, in writing, to the Jail Administrative Office, Sebastian County Sheriff, 801 South A Street, Fort Smith AR, 72901. Work Fort Smith Director Miles Crawford in April said widespread joblessness is a predicting factor in widespread drug abuse. New Orleans Resident Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy. Phone: (479) 782-1046. This helps compensate for services that would otherwise be offered, Coats said. The defendants 14 of whom were arrested Thursday in the Western District of Arkansas' Operation . Simultaneous POSSESSION of drugs and FIR - 2000000 Point, where the Arkansas and Poteau rivers unite Featuring... Few days, most of them accidentally, mounts said paramedics perform the same procedures on overdose patients as can! From 2020 arrest drug-related charges likely containing the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl his! 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fort smith, ar drug arrests 2020