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2 drug trafficking rings operating in West Virginia ‘dismantled’
By Alexandra Weaver,
2024-07-31
MARTINSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — Two drug trafficking organizations that operate in West Virginia, one of which has ties to the Sinaloa Drug Cartel, were “dismantled” after a federal grand jury returned 25 indictments, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia (USAO) announced Tuesday.
The alleged founder of the Sinaloa Drug Cartel, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute fentanyl in El Paso, Texas after his arrest last week .
The pair were arrested last Thursday after the two flew into an airport near El Paso, Texas. Zambada’s attorney says he was tricked by Joaquín Guzmán López and forced against his will to travel.
The USAO said the local operation with ties to Sinaloa was running out of an autobody shop in Martinsburg, West Virginia. Drugs were coming from Puerto Rico through the U.S. Postal Service as well as from a source connected to the Sinaloa Cartel, the USAO said.
The following were indicted:
Saul Alexi Padilla-Garcia, 34, of Shepherdstown
Juan Carlos Suarez-Lugo 55, of Martinsburg
Victor Jose Canales, 45, whose hometown is unknown
Alexis Alvarado, 37, of Ranson
Mauricio Antonio Alvarado-Flores, 37, whose hometown is unknown
Olvin Luis-Melendez Robles, age unknown, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania;
Mario Pellot-Acevedo, 58, of Martinsburg
Eddi Heredia Cruz, 27, of Shepherdstown
Jose Alberto Camarena Rocha, 30, of California
Manuel Sanchez Gomez, 37, of California
Angel Lopez, 43, of Fresno, California
Sergio Rubio Pacheco, 33, of Fresno, California
Moises Marrero, 39, of Ranson
James Reyes, 54, of Martinsburg
David Reyes, 60, whose hometown is unknown
Charles Edward Branson, 53, of Martinsburg
Danny William Mendez Delacruz, 41, of Martinsburg
Yan Lionel Diaz-Cruz, 27, of Ranson
The USAO said that 15 of them were arrested on Tuesday, but law enforcement is still looking for Gomez, Melendez-Robles and Diaz-Cruz.
In a different case, the USAO said seven people are facing charges after nearly 40,000 fentanyl pills and 12 firearms were seized by investigators in Berkeley County:
Delano Alan Butler, 43, of Martinsburg
Faith Elizabeth Small, 22, of Hagerstown, Maryland
Jwan Martine Smith, 38, of Martinsburg
Geraldine Lagata Hill, 43, of Stephens, Virginia
Cody Aaron Ashby, 32, of Martinsburg
Crystal Lyn Lewis, 34, of Martinsburg
Matthew James Elsea, 42, of Martinsburg
Officers are still searching for Smith, but all other defendants were taken into custody, the USAO said.
Dozens of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies investigated the cases from California to Virginia.
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