SAN ANTONIO – Members of the Drug Enforcement Administration and other agencies on Thursday descended on more than a half-dozen homes across San Antonio and arrested 30 people.
The raids early Thursday morning were a coordinated effort that was the result of an investigation that took nine months, DEA group supervisor Richard Sanchez said.
"We're focusing on a drug trafficking organization with tentacles that reached down to South Texas, McAllen area, as well as to Dallas and into Mexico," Sanchez said. "The emphasis with this particular organization is that they're trafficking large amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine."
Thursday afternoon, the U.S. Attorney's Office confirmed the names of the arrested suspects. They are Jon Paul Flores; Maribel Rios; Edward Saucedo; Francisco Cerda; Pablo Rios; Pedro Sosa; Frank Montejano;
Jesus "Jesse" Flores; Jorge Navarro; Isaac Hernandez; Joseph Acevedo; Quintin Vega; Alan Ramirez; Joel Olivas; Laura Romero-Zelaya; Jose Luis Alvarez-Torres; Victor Lamont Robinson; Frank Zepeda; Manuel Roel Castillo; San Juanita Rodriguez and Andrew Flores.
They face at least one or more of the following charges:
- Conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine
- Conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine
- Aiding and abetting with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine
- Aiding and abetting with intent to distribute a substance containing methamphetamine
- If the suspects are found guilty in a trial, they could face a maximum of up to life in prison.
Sanchez said raids were simultaneously held in Dallas and McAllen.
Agents barged into the homes around 6 a.m. and in some cases, roused the suspects and their neighbors from sleep.
"In San Antonio, we have approximately seven locations that we conducted search warrants at, " Sanchez said.
One of the locations was on Chalmers Avenue near Huron Street on the city's South Side. Sanchez said agents not only searched the home thoroughly, but went through several cars that were parked near a church across the street.
"The individuals that we're targeting were parking their cars across the street," he said. "The church is not involved in the investigation."
The agents arrested 30 people in San Antonio, including two at the home on Chalmers. Sanchez said he was not sure if any evidence was seized at the home. He said drugs and cash were found at some of the locations.
Sanchez said it could take weeks to determine how much property was seized and what impact the raids had on the drug trade.