In Charlotteand the nearby mountain counties, othercartels have supplied drugs to the region, but CJNG has been the mostdominant. It is unclear if they are involved in heroin trafficking. As an adult, Platt lost three sons to gun violence. It was Williamswho started staking outSaldana'spropertyin 2010, often watching from the woods or taking down vehicletagscoming and going. 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. 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 A locked padlock Example video title will go here for this video. HICKORY, N.C. RogerDale Franklin and Lisa Dawn Wentworth got tired of waiting on the dope man. 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.". Frustrated by three-hour holdups for a quarter-bag of crystal meth delivered by a man folks called Bones, the couple from Lenoir, North Carolina,started thinking about alternativesin thewinterof2013. And he did.. He committed violent assaults, did drugs, and even sold them. It wasnt hard to sell,she said. "Apparently, that has not happened.". Drug dealers victimize our communities, strain law enforcement resources, and diminish quality of life for everyone. Instead, for now, the agency is maintaining its status quo. Meanwhile, CMPD enforcement continues. OCDETF is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nations primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets. Behind the History: Mayor Vi Lyles is Charlotte's first African American female mayor, Pictures of vehicles released in search for missing SC 6-year-old girl, Housing Boom: Micro-apartments are popping up in South End, Man arrested for burglary after seen on camera terrorizing Charlotte neighborhood. Yannick Expert architecture and design solutions for private carriers, next-generation metro and long-haul optical networks, ultra low-latency networks, and Internet backbones. His hardworking guisewas just whatCJNGwanted:Someonewithroots, a house,a joband a clean record. They are destroying families. "The bulk smuggling of narcotics is not an anomaly but unfortunately a regular course of business for these trafficking enterprises," Turk said. The youth ranging from ages 12 to 25 participate in basketball, other team activities and empowerment sessions. 2023www.courier-journal.com. she replied. WebNorth Carolina Drug Dealers Exposed. "It makes them be more alert and productive if they're working and it can get out of their system quicker," Conaway said. According to Kid Rock's bio on Rolling Stone's official website, the musician sold drugs from time to time as a teenager in order to make some extra spending money. The arrest of Daniels, along with the seizure of hundreds of kilograms of drugs, dozens of guns, and more than a million dollars in cash, represents a significant victory for DEA, our law enforcement partners, and most of all for the people of Atlanta, said Acting Administrator Timothy J. Shea. Hugo Curbello and Lilia Parada, are reputed to be among the largest cocaine dealers in the city. 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.". Conaway said some of the meth goes to Virginia and then on to other major cities in the northeast, while some heads west to California. An official website of the United States government. Have a question about Government Services? This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Help us expose your local drug dealers for all of the world to see! "We have been assured that the District Attorney will continue to prioritize drug cases that are associated with violence in addition to cases involving drug sales and trafficking. Read our latest blog on how important the 118th Congress is for the fight for affordable and accessible child care for all families. Instead, she took a plea. The cocaine came from Porter, Texas, just north of Houston. Now that's method acting. Platt said he initially didnt know why God wanted him to return to Charlotte, but one day in 2019, he said the Lord spoke to him again and told him to begin a youth program called Sunday Hoops. That place is for prostitutes, druggies, drug dealers, etc. U.S. Attorney Murray also noted the invaluable assistance provided by the North Carolina National Guard Counterdrug Program. Once the cartel brings a huge load across and throws it out there for everyone to sell, its out of their hands. "And he'svery lucky thathe didnt die,Kaufman, the federal prosecutorwho tried the case against Saldana, said in his closing statement. Jermaine will have a hard time in prison with that beard. "Increase in population equals increase in demand. Saldana, now 50, is serving a life sentencein a Kentucky federalprison forconspiracy to distribute meth and possession of an unregistered firearm. (arrested), Martha Olivia Placencia Beltran, 48, of Charlotte. Ten people are now facing charges. The federal charges announced today are the culmination of a 10-month investigation into a drug conspiracy responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin in the Western District. What's the state of child care in your state. And while there are no harrowing stories tied to those days, except for an arrest for possession with intent to sell, it turns out Snoop had some celebrity clientele. No telling how many lives will be saved by the collaborative efforts of all the agencies working together, said Chief Chuck Atkinson of the Doraville Police Department. "They'll come here, some will stay and some will go on to other areas," Conaway said. 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). (arrested), Kevin Eliezer Velasquez Melendez, 18, of Concord, N.C. (previously arrested on a complaint), Alejandro Jose Lopez Ceballos, 20, residence unknown. Meanwhile, the @ACLU_NC manager who protested @CMPD in 2020, says police are not protecting and serving by continuing to make arrests. WebHis office is no longer prosecuting most marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine possession cases, including some involving suspected drug dealers and not just And thats what can happen.". P-EBT benefits approved to continue in NC for 22-23 school year, Fishermen find remains of missing man inside shark. Allen wound up serving a little over two years in federal prison, and upon his release, he went full-tilt into comedy, eventually landing his first sitcom, Home Improvement. WebOver 20 kilograms of cocaine and heroin were sold on the streets. We would go to McDonalds. ", 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. Im excited!. Puckett Williams knows what it's like to sit in jail on drug charges, waiting for her day in court, while battling addiction. "I have to leave to law enforcement what they do on the street and what strategies they decide to employ," Merriweather replied. "If I'm able to get a homicide trial or a violent crime trial in the court a month faster, a year faster, I think that does so much to increase the level of accountability and increase people's confidence in our justice system and increase safety on the streets and neighborhoods of Mecklenburg County. 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. 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. Allen began selling drugs during college and continued to do so until his arrest for bringing about a pound-and-a-half of cocaine into the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport in October 1978. A 21-year federal prison sentence later, Platt, now 57, is shedding the Money Rock nickname he earned during his drug-dealing heyday to focus on helping prevent others from going down the same destructive path. Platt and his wife packed up and moved to Charlotte on June 27, 2018. Bobbie Overbey is charged with possession of the drug. For 28 years,Saldanalivedat the same North Carolina address on Ervin Houck Drive in West Jefferson, a rural town of about 1,300roughly 100 miles north of Charlotte. It wasnt always cash we got, she said. we asked Puckett Williams, who protested CMPD in 2020. "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. Bennettreceived15 years and 8 months and will be released in December 2026. I will get it for you.. He said he sold drugs because he had to, adding, "I know that sounds corny, but this is the truth." Attorneys Jennifer Dillon and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik Lindahl of the U.S. Attorneys Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case. Recent emails between Merriweather's office and CMPD show some officers never got the memo. After partnering with federal drug enforcement agents, Fayetteville police seized drugs, cash, cars and houses. Wilmington police say they've rounded up four "big time" drug dealers. We're sure he found that to be a vast improvement on his life. Money Rock: A Familys Story of Cocaine, Race, and Ambition in the New South, I have blood in this. A former drug dealer will try to help curb Charlotte violence, Officials hopeful a newly named program can help cut violent crime in Charlotte, Expelled UNC student says he was targeted by women who falsely accused him of assault, Deputy rapes woman at traffic stop and tells her she wont be charged, Tennessee cops say. Don't get him wrong though, it's not like he's proud of what he did. Either way, his passion in life was always music, and he managed to get away from dealing and become a very successful performer. WebThe $4 Million and Drug Story From March 2019 to September 2019, Cheng Cam Yang led a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy operating in Caldwell County, North Carolina Platts credibility within the community and suitability for the job makes his hiring a perfect fit, he said. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. With egg prices on the rise, are more people buying chickens? A federal jury in Statesville, NC returned a guilty verdict on February 23, 2023 against 41-year-old Jermaine Grandy for trafficking fentanyl and illegal possession of firearms. The charges contained in the indictment are allegations. Vice officers confiscated three guns, around $15,000 and a quarter kilo of cocaine. Looking back, Lisa Dawn said selling meth where the addiction is rampant was easy. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department arrested 18 people and What do you want? Catawba County Sheriff's Office Captain Aaron Turk said drug cartels have a history of exploiting opportunities for smuggling in both urban and rural areas. It was a symbiotic relationship that allowed Roger Dale and Lisa Dawns drug business to thrive. "People want homicides tried in Mecklenburg County, people want to make sure that violent crime offenders are held accountable in a court of law in Mecklenburg County and we need to make sure we're doing that," he said. "Law enforcement has been successful in making strides towards identifying these trafficking patterns by utilizing a myriad of investigative techniques. Jay Z, who grew up in Marcy Projects, Brooklyn, began dealing drugs after his uncle was killed and his father walked out on him and his mother. 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. And many dealershave no idea theyre connected to a dangerous cartel, he said. Back in his younger days, he was quite the hellraiser, to put it lightly. They've been involved in the drug world for decades," Evangelous says. And when you're young and struggling, it can be hard to make ends meet unless you pursue someextra-legal means. Evangelous says none of the four men saw the bust coming. 134 likes. 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