20 netted in Grants drug bust

By Helen Davis
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — In the biggest drug bust in five years, agents reaped the harvest of an extended investigation.

New Mexico State Police agents issued 20 arrest warrants Tuesday for persons wanted in connection with drug charges in areas in and around Grants. Sixteen suspects had been apprehended and eight individuals were given citations in lieu of arrest today. Six warrants remain outstanding, said New Mexico State Police Capt. Dominic Pargas of State Police District 6.

Agents found hundreds of pounds of marijuana at one site, a “significant” amount of methamphetamine at another, crack cocaine and one instance of methadone, Pargas said.

“One arrest was a big scale player,” Pargas added.
Authorities do not believe the 20 instances of drug violations to be an indication of one trafficking network.

Pargas said they appear to be unrelated.
The arrests are the result of a four-month investigation involving the uniformed branch, the Narcotics Division and other state polices agents. Pargas said that although state agents often work with local police, this investigation was an exclusive state police operation.

Arrests began at approximately 6:00 a.m. Tuesday, Sgt. Hernandez, also of District 6 offices in Gallup and Milan, said. All those arrested were taken to the Cibola County Detention Center in Grants and have bail set at between $50,000 and $80,000 on a full cash only basis.

Many of the suspects were arraigned in Magistrate Court Tuesday, Hernandez said. He added that one suspect had contacted the state police and said she would turn herself in.

Hernandez, a member of a New Mexico State Police tactical team, said the tactical unit was brought in to apprehend t Joseph Valdez, 24, in San Rafael because he presented a risk of violent behavior, but no firearms were found in the raid. The sergeant said that at the time of the interview no firearms had been reported in any of the arrests.

In spite of a significant amount of methamphetamine being seized, no “meth lab” was found in the operation, Hernandez said. But authorities believe there may be at least one operating in the area. He encourages citizens to report any suspicious activity or chemical smells coming from buildings. The sergeant indicated that labs can be found any kind of neighborhood and are not restricted to warehouse districts or rundown areas.

Those arrested include: Billy Savedra, John Cody Calvert, Reyes Salazar, Jesse Meredith, Reynaldo Chavez, John Mireles. Robert Chacon, Carlos Gonzales, John Tieme, Nathan Gonzales, Federico Martinez, Zeke Gonzales, Claudine Montano, Josh Ramirez and Valdez, no relation to the current Cibola County Sheriff.

Warrants remain outstanding for: Leo Esparza, Jacob Fernandez, Loren Urioste, Brian DeHerrera, Joseph Torrez and Tracy Marsh.

To report suspicious activity, contact the New Mexico State Police in Milan at 287-4347 or in Gallup at 287-4141.