Fort Smith - Federal prosecutors say 13 people have been indicted for allegedly taking part in a methamphetamine smuggling ring based out of northwest Arkansas. U.S. Attorney Bob Balfe says the indictments come as part of a joint investigation by federal, state and local police. Balfe says agents served four federal search warrants and seized about 15 pounds of methamphetamine. He says U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has identified six of the indicted as illegal immigrants. Balfe says those indicted in the ring include: -Jose M. Alvarado, 30, of Joplin, Mo.; -Saul Alvarez-Sifuentes, 31, of Lowell; -Adrian Avelar, 34, of Los Angeles; -Juan Carrillo, 45, of Gentry; -Lucia Carrillo, 44, of Gentry; -Adan Casarez, 33, of Monnett, Mo.; -Efrain Estrada-Gomez, 33, of Springdale; -Leonardo Gonzalez, 29, of Monett, Mo.; -Carlos Quiroz, 20, of Springdale; -Jaime Valencia del Monte, 29, of Moreno Valley, Calif; -Luis Yanez-Martinez, 30, of Springdale; -Victor Zepeda, 49, of Arkansas City, Kan.; -German Zepeda, 25, of Arkansas City, Kan.
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FORT SMITH — Federal officials say 13 people in four states have been indicted on drug charges after a multiagency investigation of a methamphetamine distribution ring in Northwest Arkansas. Twelve of the 13 suspects, from Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas and California, were arraigned Tuesday before U. S. Magistrate James Marschewski in Fort Smith. The 13 th, Victor Zepeda, 49, of Arkansas City, Kan., was charged in the indictment but will be arraigned at a later date, according to assistant U. S. attorney Debbie Groom. No reason was given why Zepeda was not arraigned. The other 12 entered innocent pleas before Marschewski, she said. Of the 12, 10 had attorneys appointed for them, while two had retained counsel. All were ordered detained pending their trials, which are scheduled for Dec. 1, Groom said.
A news release from the U. S. attorney’s office Wednesday said six of the 13 suspects were determined to be illegal aliens and were being held by the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The news release did not specify which suspects were in the country illegally. Local, state and federal agencies conducted the long-term investigation, according to the news release. Authorities executed four search warrants in Northwest Arkansas and seized 15 pounds of methamphetamine during the investigation. The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of all currency and property constituting proceeds from the methamphetamine operation. Groom said the forfeiture would be pursued as part of the criminal case and the trial jury would determine what, if any, property or money would be forfeited. Officials revealed no further details of the investigation or the drug ring Wednesday.
