", "This is the evolution where the criminal legal system needs to move towards," she said. Catalyzing Growth: Using Data to Change Child Care. Jermaine will have a hard time in prison with that beard. Stars, just like anyone else, have skeletons in their closets. "What we're talking about are sort of these one-off individual cases," he said. Biggie Smalls is remembered more for his violent death these days than anything else from his short life, most notably, the fact that he sold drugs before he made it big as a rapper. Sheunderstands the hold the cartels super drugs have on the region, and a surplus of would-be dealers eager tofollow in her footsteps no matter thedanger. That was my mindset, not realizing that I was literally being a part of this conspiracy to destroy our people by selling them that poison and bringing it into the Charlotte area and pumping those drugs into the neighborhood.. Lock These people are in their 50's, some of them. Are You Ready to Open a Child Care Business? That was the beginning of a new era of Belton Lamont Platts life.. Stomping Grounds: To his hometown of Washington dc, during his 1980s reign as the citys biggest cocaine dealer, Rayful Edmond was public enemy number one. The DEA encourages parents, along with their children, to educate themselves about the dangers of legal and illegal drugs by visiting DEAs interactive websites at www.justhinktwice.com, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com, www.campusdrugprevention.org and www.dea.gov. Also follow DEA Atlanta via Twitter at @DEAATLANTADiv. We would go to McDonalds. Bobbie Overbey is charged with possession of the drug. 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. Heroin is one of the deadliest killers on our streets. Suddenly, they are all in custody. If you squash one, two more take its place, said Lt. Williams, who worked both Saldanas and Bennetts cases. ATLANTA Antonio DaShawn Daniels has been indicted on federal charges related to possession with the intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Learn more about child care in public policy, access advocacy resources, and get updates on opportunities to engage in the effort to change the child care landscape. We never met nobody.. P-EBT benefits approved to continue in NC for 22-23 school year, Fishermen find remains of missing man inside shark. All arrests stem Carolina Coach & Marine is North Carolinas largest boat and RV dealer. It is one of the largest amounts of the opioid painkiller NC. Looks like Marky Mark thinks he should get special treatment. Charlotte woman was locked in room for 5 days before police shooting, report shows, Novant to take over two hospital systems near Charlotte in a $320 million deal, Get ready for less sleep in Charlotte. Police were able to proveto a jurythat Saldana smuggled about 20 pounds of methworthmore than $1 million, 1,500 miles to North Carolina and Virginia from Brownsville. WebCharges contained in the 41-count indictment range from drug conspiracy involving cocaine, heroin, and marijuana; operation of a "crack house" at 2317 Dundeen Street in Charlotte; "I have to leave to law enforcement what they do on the street and what strategies they decide to employ," Merriweather replied. Drugs and weapons in the hands of drug dealers are some of the deadliest killers on our streets. Conaway said the meth is shipped in liquid form to Atlanta where it's converted to crystal meth and brought to the Charlotte-area, often in tractor-trailers. He has covered a litany of other beats from public safety, education, public health and sports. Thanks, your message has been sent successfully. WebHe said the largest cartel operating in the Charlotte-area is the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion. It is unclear if they are involved in heroin trafficking. A lock ( Suite 1650 Inside a home in Atlanta, agents found 142 kilograms of heroin and four kilograms of cocaine. He only could blame himself, he said. Error, please try again. CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - The Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police (CMPD), conducted a major raid Wednesday morning in north Charlotte, targeting people who are accused of dealing crack cocaine. We bring unity.. Then he vanished, How a Mississippi trooper almost took down the worlds most powerful cartel boss, Mother searches photos of mutilated dead men, hoping to find her abducted son, Officer disabled after helicopter shot down by rising Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Right now meth is at an all-time high in purity and an all-time low in price.". CJNG hid drugs on trucks shipping furniture, ceramics and produce into the U.S. through Texas cities such as Brownville, Laredo and McAllen, Healy said. That happens by getting what you need.". While incarcerated, Platt said he realized that he couldnt blame the white man, his abusive father or anybody else. Martha Olivia Placencia Beltran, 48, of Charlotte. Records show since Dec.1, CMPD officers have made more than 30 arrests for possession of hard drugs or intent to sell them. In total, agents seized approximately 170 kilograms of heroin, 10 kilograms of cocaine, eight kilograms of marijuana, more than $1 million in cash, and 41 firearms. The money laundering charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Child Care Aware of America is a not-for-profit organization recognized as tax-exempt under the internal revenue code section 501(c)(3) and the organizations Federal Identification Number (EIN) is 94-3060756. Less than a decade old,MexicosCrtelJalisco NuevaGeneracin,better known as CJNG,hasfought its way to takeits place among the worlds largest drug networks, led by its ruthlessbutdisciplined leader, Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, better known as "ElMencho.". 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.". Nunnenkamp and Bennett joined forces after realizing they had the same CJNG connection, according to law enforcement. Thats how I help out people, he said. WebASHEVILLE, N.C. (Gray News) - Police in North Carolina said a tip helped lead them to their biggest drug bust in Buncombe Countys history. The DEA said the days of home cooks making meth in rural North Carolina are long gone, replaced by chemists in super labs in Mexico who are hired by drug trafficking organizations. Bobbie Overbey is charged with possession of the drug. DEA, its law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorneys Office will relentlessly pursue and ultimately prosecute criminals like Daniels, said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. 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. Police discovered a drug ring stretching from Texas to Fayetteville, which may have been operating for 20 years. Before Platt got out of prison in 2010, he said he stood up on a picnic table, looked up to heaven and said, Father I messed up my life, but whats left of my life, if you can use it, I give it to you to use for your glory, honor and praise., At that moment in my life, I didnt hear thunder roar or see lightning strike, so I knew God heard me, he said. According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges, and other information presented in court: In October 2019, federal agents uncovered ledgers from a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization showing that Daniels received just over 1,000 kilograms of cocaine between August 2018 and October 2019. Bennett made his connection to the cartel while he was locked up in Louisiana. Saldana, now 50, is serving a life sentencein a Kentucky federalprison forconspiracy to distribute meth and possession of an unregistered firearm. For her, the new policy is a full circle moment. A gunsmith who liked cocaine would handmake their bullets, Lisa Dawn said. Partnerships between local, state and federal agencies make our communities safer. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. The department's Narcotics Vice Interdiction Team began its drug smuggling investigation in 2006. The idea of drug decriminalization, especially to this degree, remains controversial. Rodolfo Medina and Martha Beltran are also facing charges of international money laundering, stemming from money transfers of drug proceeds wired to Mexico. Avehiclefrom Texasparkedat the Walmart in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, Williams said. It was Williamswho started staking outSaldana'spropertyin 2010, often watching from the woods or taking down vehicletagscoming and going. But hes in a very dangerous business. If youre in Charlotte and looking for reliable RV sales, then Carolina Coach & Marine is a good business to visit as it has served the community for years. This poly-drug trafficker brazenly continued his drug trafficking activities despite having served time in federal prison for drug distribution. The cartel doesnt care if they live or die, he explained. 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. I bought kids shoes and helped single mothers, but that good dont outweigh the bad.. 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. The DEA credits that to better intelligence and information sharing among federal, state and local law enforcement. Hugo Curbello and Lilia Parada, are reputed to be among the largest cocaine dealers in the city. His mayhem came to an end when he was arrested and jailed at 16. An official website of the United States government. The former Morehead-Cain scholar says UNC Chapel Hill banned him based on a conspiracy by four women to falsely accuse him of sexual misconduct. 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. Yannick However, it can just as easily be done in urban counties.". Local man, called prolific drug dealer, sentenced to 30 years. We will not tolerate the destruction of lives through the scourge of the drug trade., Our community and our citizens are safer today because of the removal of a massive amount of drugs, weapons and cash that were destined to destroy lives, said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. Since early 2011, CJNGhassmuggled hundreds of millions of dollars of drugs over the borderinto the U.S., spreading into atleast35 stateswith a sophisticated network thathas usedless populated rural areas to quietly movetons of product, a Courier Journal investigation found. Dealers with connections to cartels typically dont cooperate because theyll likely get killed if they talk, Williams said. For those caught with just enough drugs for themselves, prosecutors won't pursue cases unless guns are involved, there's a connection to violence or police have arrested the same person multiple times within a year for similar crimes. WebFENTANYL DRUG DEALER IS CONVICTED TO PRISON FOR DRUGS AND GUNS Also on that date a second search warrant was executed at a storage unit rented by Juan at a In 2014, he entered a plea to have his criminal past erased, as it interferes with business ventures, according to CBS News. We must do everything we can to combat these deadly drugs and the many crimes they bring with them," said Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney. Puckett Williams knows what it's like to sit in jail on drug charges, waiting for her day in court, while battling addiction. Drug abuse is a growing concern across North Carolina. Lock The couple had four-wheelers, mopeds, a pool table, a boat, vehicles, guns, lawnmowers and any tool you can imagine, Lisa Dawn said. Sitcom star Tim Allen once had an intimate relationship with cocaine: he was addicted to the stuff, he dealt it, and he even got busted for selling as well. ", 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. Emilio Mejia, Kevin Velasquez Melendez, Mauco Contreras, and Alejandro Ceballos are charged with additional counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. While the advocate applauds the actions of prosecutors, she condemns the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department's reaction to his policy change. ", Jason Cunningham owns a bonding company. That doesn't happen by being locked up. He preached in Conway for eight years, before he said the Lord spoke to him again. we asked Puckett Williams, who protested CMPD in 2020. WebAs the leader of a statewide drug ring, Antonio McKoy was connected enough to get bricks of cocaine from international cartels, careful enough to bury bags of cash around rural The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. WebBelton Money Rock Platt was one of Charlottes biggest drug dealers in the 1980s. The arrests of these individuals are a testament to the high level of cooperation between our federal and local law enforcement counterparts as we work together to achieve our common goal: to disrupt drug networks from operating in this district and to stem the flow of drugs they pour into our communities, said U.S. Attorney Murray. According to CMPD records, officers have arrested more than 30 people on charges of possession and sale of cocaine and opium since December 1, 2020. CMPD officers continue to have the discretion to arrest as they perform their duty.". Join us for partnership and thought leadership as we unpack todays child care challenges and opportunities. WebClevo O. Shuff (Photo courtesy of the Mecklenburg County Jail) CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - A Charlotte man convicted of drug trafficking and firearms offenses has been sentenced Become a member to benefit your organization no matter your role in child care. Saldana we were never able to interview him, said a North Carolina state law enforcement official who didnt want to be namedbecause he wasnt authorized to discuss the case. Bennett andNunnenkampwereamong severalmajormethtraffickerswho operatedout of this cluster of North Carolina counties, drivenbythe explosion of meth into the regionfrom CJNG and other cartels. Ive known Bones since I was 16,and I got tired of tracking him down. The email 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. Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson's lucky to be alive with his drug dealing past. In-depth strategy and insight into critical interconnection ecosystems, datacenter connectivity, product optimization, fiber route development, and more. The cocaine came from Porter, Texas, just north of Houston. After that, Biggie went biggie time. Pam Kelley, a former Observer reporter and the author of Money Rock: A Familys Story of Cocaine, Race, and Ambition in the New South, said the ATV job was appropriate for the subject of her book. Assistant U.S. Charlotte, NC 28202, Charlotte: (704) 344-6222 These kids are out here killing, and theyre out here being killed, because they lack knowledge, Platt said. Asheville:(828) 271-4661. Looking back, Lisa Dawn said selling meth where the addiction is rampant was easy. Late Tuesday afternoon, in response to our reporting, CMPD emailed officers, detailing Merriweather's new policy and telling them they "have discretion to police and should continue to police in a way that builds confidence and safety in our community, equipped with the knowledge that certain cases will likely not be prosecuted.". 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. Main Office: "Increase in population equals increase in demand. we asked. 2023www.courier-journal.com. And CJNG will be there with their endless supply. District Attorney Spencer Merriweather is no longer prosecuting many drug cases, so his office can focus on violent crimes. Since 2012, a joint local, state and federal task force known as Operation Dixie Crystalhas led to the convictions of more than 266federal defendants inwestern North Carolinafor meth trafficking, federal officials said. But by this year, CMPD was seeing a shift toward the 15-to-24 age range, police Lt. Bryan Crum told the Observer in June. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has not changed our enforcement strategy as we continue to identify alternative solutions to arrests in drug possession cases. It also reflects our commitment to removing drug traffickers and their co-conspirators from our streets. Wilmington police say they've rounded up four "big time" drug dealers. (arrested), Jose Javier Reyes, 19, of Charlotte. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department arrested 18 people and seized $3.5 million in heroin, meth, and cocaine in March 2019. It looked like a hotel for shelter. The FBI values our partnerships with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. 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