Martha Olivia Placencia Beltran, 48, of Charlotte. Platt was surrounded by violence during his adolescence, and even in his home. "This is someone that is out here putting all the drugs back into the community that you don't want to prosecute on. ", RELATED: Millions in cash found hidden in barrels with raw pork shoulders. In Charlotteand the nearby mountain counties, othercartels have supplied drugs to the region, but CJNG has been the mostdominant. Become a member to benefit your organization no matter your role in child care. The penalties associated with the drug charges range from a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of up to life in prison and a monetary fine of up to $10 million. Puckett Williams knows what it's like to sit in jail on drug charges, waiting for her day in court, while battling addiction. Saldana, now 50, is serving a life sentencein a Kentucky federalprison forconspiracy to distribute meth and possession of an unregistered firearm. Bennetttookthe car tohis auto shop. He tried beating them at their own game, and became one of the biggest drug dealers in Charlotte in the 1980s. WebIt sent in at least five trusted, high-level cartel members who set up North Carolina stash houses and front businesses in metro Charlotte, Hickory (a suburban town of about She wasdriving around with adrunk, passed outRoger Dale in the red Mustang thatsomeone had tradedthem for$2,000 and some dope. Typically the age range for homicide suspects in Charlotte has been the 18- to 35-year-old demographic. Police were able to proveto a jurythat Saldana smuggled about 20 pounds of methworthmore than $1 million, 1,500 miles to North Carolina and Virginia from Brownsville. It's part of a larger federal enforcement effort to combat the organized drug trade. 2023www.courier-journal.com. Bennett's girlfriend, Tammy Wynette Woody, did not stand byher man. He said the largest cartel operating in the Charlotte-area is the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion. In New York Magazine, he explains his turn toward dealing, saying, "When you grow up without finances, it starts to feel like finances are the answers to all of your problems," and drugs were the easiest solution. As crazy as that sounds, he really did.. In Catawba County, these seizures reflect excellent working relationships and partnerships between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson's lucky to be alive with his drug dealing past. Your donation or partnership can help families access high-quality, affordable child care. Local man, called prolific drug dealer, sentenced to 30 years. It is unclear if they are involved in heroin trafficking. The DEA credits that to better intelligence and information sharing among federal, state and local law enforcement. In 2014, he entered a plea to have his criminal past erased, as it interferes with business ventures, according to CBS News. What do you want? That case stopped with him, but he was connected to the CJNG.. Hehasrefused to cooperate with authorities. That was me, Platt said of Charlottes troubled youth. Everyone went crazy over the Mexican meth they sold. ATF will continue to work collaboratively with our federal, state and local investigative partners to identify and apprehend violent career criminals and keep our communities safe, said Wayne Dixie, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Deploy network infrastructure faster and easier than ever before, with pre-packaged yet massively scalable infrastructure components for top packet and optical systems. There were 41 firearms stashed throughout the apartment, along with kilo-presses, scales, strainers with white powder residue, and a money counter. Brown is being held under a $150,000 bond and Gause is being held under a $450,000 bond. His business is tied to the decisions police, prosecutors and judges make. We will continue to work with our federal partners to identify and arrest anyone who brings these dangerous and highly-addictive drugs into our community, said Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney. It sentin at leastfive trusted, high-levelcartel memberswhoset up North Carolina stash houses and front businesses in metro Charlotte, Hickory(a suburban town of about 40,000 an hour north of Charlotte)and nearby Johnson City, Tennessee,federal agents say. But when asked about it during his appearance on George Lopez Tonight, Snoop Dogg said, "I might have sold her some of that white-girl weedtwigs and sticks.". Suite 1650 Charlotte woman was locked in room for 5 days before police shooting, report shows, Novant to take over two hospital systems near Charlotte in a $320 million deal, Get ready for less sleep in Charlotte. They stop at nothing to achieve their goals. Some people are raising chickens to fight high egg prices, In response to high egg prices, some are choosing to raise chickens instead, Kevin Durant scores 23 points in Charlotte in Suns debut, Very warm and rain-free for the first day of March, Weather is 95% favorable for a liftoff tonight, but teams are keeping an eye on weather along Dragons ascent corridor, Millions in cash found hidden in barrels with raw pork shoulders, CMPD: 18 arrested, $3.5 million worth of drugs seized after year-long investigation. A lock ( ATLANTA Antonio DaShawn Daniels has been indicted on federal charges related to possession with the intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.. At the height of Dodge Citys brutal crack epidemic, Rayful distributed 60 percent of the cocaine that flooded the citys streets. WebAccording to these court documents the owner was trying to get thirty kilos of cocaine to Charlotte from south Florida. The couple had four-wheelers, mopeds, a pool table, a boat, vehicles, guns, lawnmowers and any tool you can imagine, Lisa Dawn said. Who is El Mencho, the most powerful drug kingpin in the world? CJNGs high-potency meth started making its way into the region post-2011 through Atlanta, the cartels Southeast hub, Healy said. DEA agents said the drugs were linked to the CJNG cartel. Recent emails between Merriweather's office and CMPD show some officers never got the memo. His connectiongavehimacode to open a hidden safe full of drugsinside the vehicle, Williamssaid. Matador Recovery 44 subscribers Subscribe 17 Share 3.9K views 4 years ago Matador Recovery takes the TN The arrests of these individuals are a testament to the high level of cooperation between our federal and local law enforcement counterparts as we work together to achieve our common goal: to disrupt drug networks from operating in this district and to stem the flow of drugs they pour into our communities, said U.S. Attorney Murray. Graves made a young Platt join protest, read Black history books, watch Black history films and help Black candidates with their political campaigns. Along the way, CJNG relied on residents like Roger Dale and Lisa Dawn to deal its drugs to users people who would seamlessly blend with the local community without arousing suspicion. He probably would've been less of a burden on the world. ", Jason Cunningham owns a bonding company. I could have given up, but I had to keep moving and I had to keep living, he said. Watching neighborhood drug dealers rake in cash without helping their community, Platt says, made him want to make all the money so he could give back. "When they know English and are familiar with the law, they can communicate with law enforcement to cover up what they're doing," he said. He said hell teach the youth lessons by getting lawyers and other guests to speak, but by also using his own personal experiences. She didnt know Roger Dale was dealing withacartel. Your message has not been sent. And apparently, his mother knew he dealt drugs the whole time, but she basically ignored it because he didn't deal in front of the house. Conaway also said agents are having success busting these operations, which is evident by several high-profile cases last year alone. After that, Biggie went biggie time. Kenneth Bennett and JeremyNunnenkampforged anothermain connection tothe border that linked CJNG meth to the region in2012 and 2013 before they got busted, according to law enforcement. During the investigation, federal agents identified multiple apartments and homes in the metro-Atlanta area that Daniels allegedly used to prepare and distribute drugs. WebCharlotte, NC 53 Charlotte, NC CHARLOTTE, N.C. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police arrested a man in connection with a drug and weapons ring after a weeks-long investigation, detectives said. Meanwhile, the @ACLU_NC manager who protested @CMPD in 2020, says police are not protecting and serving by continuing to make arrests. She was sentenced to 2years and released in June 2015. "If its coming from a cartel, they could have sold a pound to Asians, black guys, outlaw motorcycle gangs, white trash, said Ashe County Sheriffs Lt. Jeremy Williams, whose testimony helped convict a trafficker connected to CJNGin 2014. Right now meth is at an all-time high in purity and an all-time low in price.". Drug dealers victimize our communities, strain law enforcement resources, and diminish quality of life for everyone. Stay informed, connected, and inspired in an ever-changing ECE landscape. We're sure he found that to be a vast improvement on his life. At age 5, he said, he watched his father try to stab his mother to death. The idea of drug decriminalization, especially to this degree, remains controversial. Take that, ivy-league business school. WebThe Drug Enforcement Administration has reported a notable increase in seizures of methamphetamine and cocaine that include fentanyl. This case is presented as a part of Operation SCOPE (Strategically Combatting Opioids through Prosecution and Enforcement), which is an initiative launched by the U.S. Attorneys Office to partner with federal and local law enforcement to fight the devastating effects that illegally-prescribed painkillers, heroin, and synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl have on our neighborhoods. Instead of jail, he spent some time in a boot camp, where he earned his GED, and eventually became one of the most successful rappers of all timebut not before getting shot nine times. Maybe about a quarter of the time, (the dealer) will talk to us and tell us how it is. This case illustrates the devastating impact that violence fueled by drug trafficking can have on our communities. Drug traffickers, and the organizations they work with, use fear and violence to enrich themselves with little regard for the communities they destroy in the process. The deal was so big that the cartel members in and manager. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Official websites use .gov Yannick "I can't say that anybody in the city should feel safe with them not prosecuting them.". She calls @CharMeckDA a trailblazer. He is a proud UNC Charlotte graduate and a Raleigh native. "It's not fair, number one just off the surface level of being arrested for a mental health condition. They take their sentence on the chin.. ", The @CMPD email, which comes in response to our investigation, also reminds officers, instead of making arrests, they can seize drugs and divert people to a treatment center on the spot, something the agency is hoping to track. Bobbie Overbey is charged with possession of the drug. If you're not, then you sit there until those court dates happen. WebClevo O. Shuff (Photo courtesy of the Mecklenburg County Jail) CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - A Charlotte man convicted of drug trafficking and firearms offenses has been sentenced ", RELATED: Iredell County deputies make three major drug arrests in the span of one week, ACLU Smart Justice Campaign Manager Kristie Puckett Williams calls Merriweather "a trailblazer. Bobbie Overbey is charged with possession of the drug. CJNG hid drugs on trucks shipping furniture, ceramics and produce into the U.S. through Texas cities such as Brownville, Laredo and McAllen, Healy said. It was Williamswho started staking outSaldana'spropertyin 2010, often watching from the woods or taking down vehicletagscoming and going. Allen's trial was set for that following November and, according to Biography.com, it was during that one-month waiting period that Allen decided to give comedy a try, debuting at the Detroit Comedy Castle. We were proud to provide this financial expertise as we worked alongside our law enforcement partners to bring these criminals to justice, said Matthew D. Line, Acting Special Agent in Charge for IRS-CI. They have no regard for human life. The youth ranging from ages 12 to 25 participate in basketball, other team activities and empowerment sessions. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has not changed our enforcement strategy as we continue to identify alternative solutions to arrests in drug possession cases. According to allegations contained in the criminal indictment and other filed court documents, from 2015 until the present, the defendants operated as a drug conspiracy responsible for trafficking methamphetamine and heroin in Mecklenburg County and surrounding areas. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Records show since Dec.1, CMPD officers have made more than 30 arrests for possession of hard drugs or intent to sell them. A federal criminal indictment was filed on February 22, 2018, and was unsealed late yesterday in federal court following arrests conducted during an early morning round-up. The FBI values our partnerships with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. "I was given an opportunity at recovery and will celebrate 12 years in May," she said. Rather than bring those people to trial, prosecutors will refer them to voluntary treatment programs. Most of the large quantities of meth in the region come from cartels, butthe drugscan change hands so many times that its often difficult to trace, Williams said. "I was in treatment for 10 months and came out on the other side," she said. "Sometimes they send their own people to establish the network or sometimes it's just to oversee the distribution network and then other times, they recruit local gangs, people that are already in the area to do their business and distribute their drugs.". A Duplin man deemed to be a prolific drug dealer, growing an operation dating back to last century when he was just a teenager, was sentenced in federal court to 30 years following a jury trial that extended over three days. An official website of the United States government. Intelligencefrom other narcotics cases in Ashe County landed Saldana onauthorities radar around 2008. Because it's here, Mexican cartel in US: Rural folks who cant escape drug trade end up locked up or dead, A dangerous Mexican drug cartel has infiltrated the addicted, mountainous region of North Carolina. We are grateful for the hard work of all the federal agents, local officers and federal prosecutors who participated in this long term drug investigation. While in Mexico in the summer of 2012, Saldana letanassociate live in a trailer on his property and run his drugtrade. Asheville:(828) 271-4661. Afterspending more than two years in federal prison,Lisa Dawn recalled the absurd lifestyleshe and Roger Dale had while running their small-town empire. A locked padlock Spurred by his own fierce addiction, Roger Dale used his connections to gain access to mass quantities of nearly pure crystal meth, dispensing kilograms of drugs that had been smuggled into the region from cartel labs in Mexico. DEA, its law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorneys Office will relentlessly pursue and ultimately prosecute criminals like Daniels, said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. He said communities are seeing results from these investigative techniques. WebBiggie began selling drugs at the age of 12, and dropped out of school at the age of 17 to pursue crime as a full-time career, according to Ready to Die, a biography chronicling his The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department arrested 18 people and Supercharge your procurement process, with industry leading expertise in sourcing of network backbone, colocation, and packet/optical network infrastructure. The amount and frequency of his dealing varies depending upon the source. Hes been kind of preparing for it for a number of years now, she said. A separate criminal indictment was filed charging Brandy Nicole Short, 34, of Gastonia, N.C. with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, bringing the total number of those arrested in connection this investigation to nine. Merriweather said he modeled the change after other cities, including similarly sized Santa Clara. Lisa Dawnsaidshe knew one sourceof theirdrugswasthe Mexicans, but shed never heard of CJNG. He preached in Conway for eight years, before he said the Lord spoke to him again. Avehiclefrom Texasparkedat the Walmart in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, Williams said. Kaufman, who prosecutes Dixie Crystal cases,told The Courier Journal that he couldn't discuss specific trafficking organizations,but he said the task force'sefforts have "disrupted the networks" in the region and will "continue to do so.". Charlotte Alerts. . And when you're young and struggling, it can be hard to make ends meet unless you pursue someextra-legal means. "I have to leave to law enforcement what they do on the street and what strategies they decide to employ," Merriweather replied. Ive always had a desire to help people, even when I was out there dealing drugs, Platt said. And theyre using Americans to pedal their meth. In an interview with George Lopez back in 2011, Cameron Diaz, who attended the same school, claims that she bought weed from Snoop Dogg back then. He said he sold drugs because he had to, adding, "I know that sounds corny, but this is the truth." Nunnenkampand Bennetteachpleadedguilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The FBI will continue to join forces with our state and local law enforcements partners to track down these offenders to end the deadly cycle of drug abuse in our communities, said John Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina. The cartel doesnt care if they live or die, he explained. Domestic Cannabis Suppression / Eradication Program, Red Ribbon Toolkit - Resources For Your Community, DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, Intelligence Research Specialist Job Announcements, Schedule A Hiring Authority: Intelligence Research Specialist, Privacy Impact Assessment and Management Information Systems, Victim Witness Assistance Program Resources. They call Charlotte a cartel transshipment location due to its booming population and network of highways. (His mother, who also sold drugs, died when 50 Cent was 8.) Thats how I help out people, he said. Carolina Coach & Marine is North Carolinas largest boat and RV dealer. According to CMPD records, officers have arrested more than 30 people on charges of possession and sale of cocaine and opium since December 1, 2020. (arrested). That's a painful lesson. "Hell no!" In the meantime, those arrested for minor drug charges remain caught between competing policies. The pictures below are a lie. CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - The Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police (CMPD), conducted a major raid Wednesday morning in north Charlotte, targeting people who are accused of dealing crack cocaine. Would 've been less of a larger federal enforcement effort to combat the organized drug trade this degree remains... 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