Salem The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation has released the lists of Oregon's most expensive and most prescribed drugs, as well as the prescription drugs that cause the. The cousin traveled to Mexico in May 2006 and stayed in a house owned by Pocho. He supplied methamphetamine to Mariana Franco-Maldonado, who operated her own drug ring in Portland. The methamphetamine has a street value of more than $45,000.00 Both Elizondo Licarton H/M 10/09/68 and Rivera-Bogarin, Luis Fortino, H/M 12/31/84 were arrested for unlawful possession and distribution of Methamphetamine and lodges at the Justice Center. Victor Alvarez Farfan began sneaking into the U.S. and targeting the Portland area more than two decades ago when he was in his early 20s. Farfan agreed to forfeit $100,000, and the judge ordered him to remain on supervised release for five years after he serves his time in prison. This case was investigated by DEA and DINT. Chopa: Uh-huh. "I wanted to get back . By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy. There's a serious danger. Tuesday at noon for an online reader Q & A. He previously was convicted on federal drug charges in the U.S. and was deported at least twice. Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement. And I said, Not me, I dont know them. Pocho calls DEA agent Lou Nalepa in Portland and threatens his family. Historical Photos of Each Top TenFugitive, FBI.gov is an official site of the U.S. Department of Justice. Barragan: Yeah. "One of the techniques cartels use here in the United States is to take young people and make them responsible for significant amounts of drugs in order to shield themselves," Schindler said. The new group used the same Corvallis Mexican market for its operation, distributing methamphetamine and heroin in Benton, Linn and Marion counties. A drug addict is someone who goes into withdrawl if you remove that substance from their life. Mexican police caught Pocho himself weeks after that in Puebla, about 75 miles southeast of Mexico City. Lock For two years, Farfan's nephew, Eduardo Alvarez Farfan, was scared silent. 12 arrested in Oregon drug trafficking ring, (The U.S. Attorney's Office - District of Oregon), Father remembers son killed in hit-and-run in NE Portland, Oaks Park annual 4th of July fireworks show sells out second year in a row, Shoppers and clerk stop NE Portland armed robbery. Early the next year, Panama's president approved Pocho's extradition. Every person we have arrested in this space has a college education, one agent said of the cases his Cincinnati-based unit has worked. Erika Rosales San Agustin is photographed in September 2010 delivering drugs to a waiting customer in a Southeast Portland apartment complex. Roberto never talked to agents or prosecutors. Oritz Oliva headed a multi-pronged drug trafficking organization that manufactured meth, operated marijuana farms in California and Oregon, and imported cocaine. Nalepa, fellow DEA agent Shaun Alexander and Guy Gino, then a special agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, flew to Panama City, arriving Feb. 21, 2008. This information may be copied and distributed, however, any unauthorized alteration of any portion of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives posters is a violation of federal law (18 U.S.C., Section 709). By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our. But law enforcement officials know Arevalo-Cuevas as one of the most prolific drug traffickers in Oregon history, a violent thug with ties to Mexico's most notorious cartels. The Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement team and the FBI took down the organization in 2011. Angel: He said that he will meet you in that thing, over there, by, by, by 131st, dude, where Dairy Queen is located. . Drug dealers may not have worried about being caught here, in Clatsop County, a 90-minute drive northwest from the bustling city of Portland. The threat illustrates the extraordinary brazenness of cartel-connected traffickers in the Northwest. A DEA task force in Salem began tailing Pocho's associates, tapping phones and prodding for inside sources. of Corrections Most Wanted. In September 2000, Salem police caught him with 7,400 pills of pseudoephedrine, a key meth ingredient, plus $1,240 and a .40-caliber Taurus handgun, according to Salem Police Department reports. Pocho and his family then settled in a two-story house just off of Salem's busy State Street. Agents arrested him in 2006, and he was convicted of illegally reentering the U.S. and trafficking cocaine and meth. The drug customer, by then acting as a police informant, pressed for better prices and other drugs. But he ended up working for his Uncle Victor. Ortiz Oliva: Oh, [expletive]! Pocho moved to a home nine miles east of Scio, a small town northeast of Albany where residents gather each spring for a Lamb & Wool Fair and its pie-eating contest. "That puts a target on my back," he told his attorney. He also had a girlfriend in addition to his wife, and children with both. Je kunt je keuzes te allen tijde wijzigen door te klikken op de links 'Privacy- en cookie-instellingen' of 'Privacydashboard' op onze sites en in onze apps. He wears these ostrich skin boots. Answer (1 of 3): Yes, Oregon wins, with drug addicts and drug dealers, by a landslide. bureaucracy creates the list, starting with names submitted by the 56 F.B.I. OREGON CITY & COUNTY MOST WANTED CRIMINALS. Carillo: So, where is the guy then? Surveillance photo in 2009 shows Joaquin Tapia-Martinez, aka Spider, leaving the Aloha store that was a cover for drug trafficking. Now 34, Pocho remains in that prison, awaiting extradition to Oregon and U.S. justice. Aaron Mahanaim Orozco Sandoval. A DEA task force conducted months of surveillance and wiretaps to document the drug trafficking of Ortiz Oliva and his crew. An official website of the United States government. Law enforcement. One of her confederates had been a U.S. national boxing champion. Two years later, Pocho called Nalepa's government cellphone. Barragan: Try and find another good spotand then call me back so I can move those guys over there. A woman who churned out thousands of fake coupons was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison and ordered to pay $31.8 million in restitutiona conservative estimate of what she helped steal from stores, restaurants, and product makers. Even as Pocho's relatives and associates trooped through federal court in 2005 and '06 -- Arturo was packed off to a federal prison in Eden, Texas, to serve 11 1/2 years -- Pocho was making plans. Both are in custody pending trial. The DTOs source in Southern California was getting the heroin directly from a cartel-connected trafficker. [1] The FBI added, Donald Eugene Webb, on May 4, 1981, who remained on the list until March 2007 when . A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. one of the men asked. His last known address was in New Castle Delaware, but he is. Porfirio Arevalo-Cuevas, better known as Pocho (center), was one of Oregon's most infamous drug traffickers. Armas, in turn, paid Farfan, who then oversaw the flow of money back to cartel members in Mexico. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. "That's why they have the cars with the hole," Pocho chided, referring to secret compartments in drug cars. In Oregon, 76.9% of 117 pharmacies surveyed reported having buprenorphine. 1. Walker realized he wasn't the only one watching this drug ring. The group served customers in Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington and Marion counties. Date Added: May 10, 2010. Agents searched but never found a body, according to Marion County Sheriff's Office records. Domestic Cannabis Suppression / Eradication Program, Red Ribbon Toolkit - Resources For Your Community, DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, Intelligence Research Specialist Job Announcements, Schedule A Hiring Authority: Intelligence Research Specialist, Privacy Impact Assessment and Management Information Systems, Victim Witness Assistance Program Resources. Juan: And they just left. In order to be listed, a suspect must be considered especially dangerous. Pocho in particular turned Salem into a national hub for meth, cocaine and heroin distribution before leading U.S. officials on a maddening international chase. Jason Hoover, who oversaw Walker and teamed to raid area drug houses in the case. Authorities must also believe the publicity would increase chances of apprehension. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. To an extent, it worked, illustrating how cartels manipulate on both sides of the border through threats and violence. When he gets out, he again faces deportation. All rights reserved (About Us). To date, 509 fugitives have been apprehended since the inception of the TBI's Most Wanted program. A few instances of the harm: A co-defendant killed himself to avoid prison, and a 9-year-old girl tested positive for meth after her parents helped repackage drugs for resale. In May, a judge sentenced Armas to serve seven years and six months in prison, followed by five years of supervision. Vidal Carrillo-Carrillo, Miguel Castro-Lopez, and Griselda Aguilar, wife of Vidal, are photographed in a Portland area parking lot on their way to a meeting. Toroffersadditional levels of privacy by obscuring theusers IP address and encryptinginformation. "We see these nodes or pockets of cartel-related activity springing up in small, rural towns on the east side of Washington, in metropolitan areas like Portland and Seattle. The cook says some meth eggs was produced but says they are having trouble with another batch. Yulan Adonay Archaga Carias, the alleged leader of MS-13 for all of Honduras, has been added to the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, and the FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading directly to his arrest. Organized Crime News and Press Releases. The dudes are well dressed. Here are snapshots of previous drug trafficking organizations, all taken down by police. He coolly gave police a false identity and chewed off portions of his fingertips on the way to jail to keep his true name secret. On November 8, 2019, Lander was charged by criminal complaint and he was indicted on November 20, 2019. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Reward: $5,000. emailStay Connected Juan: And, and, uh, the one in the truck has a pistol. ", "He said: 'I'll do the time. Botello: Yeah. Arrendondos significant other and suspected accomplice, Jacqueline Paola Rodriguez Barrientos, 41, has been indicted as the chief money launderer for the operation. Do not attempt to apprehend this individual. She sold meth throughout central Oregon, according to a search warrant affidavit. I hate violence," according to a transcript of the hearing, with Farfan appearing before the judge from prison on Zoom. "When I saw it, I felt like I sunk the winning putt at the Masters.". With his jet-black hair combed straight back and piercing eyes dominating a round face and thin mustache, Pocho regularly held court at El Flamingo, a nightclub on Salem's east side. Submit request to Governor's Office. Oregon Dept. FARGO, N.D. (AP) A violent drug dealer hailed by associates in North Dakota and Minnesota for his ability to stay out of jail was sentenced Monday . Click on sites to see DTO members, surveillance photos and, in some cases, wiretap excerpts. He slept overnight in the store to provide security for the drug operation. For police, it was d vu. Clackamas County. Did they stop you or what? He received credit for time in jail awaiting trial and has since been released and deported. The organization was unusual for the number of women in leadership roles. Pocho was born in the Mexican state of Michoacan and peddled pot for his dad as a kid. The leader was a mother of two young children. Two days later, the three men and a DEA agent stationed in Panama headed back toward the airport expecting Pocho to be handed off there for the flight back, Gino said recently. 4.8 star rating out of 214 dispensary reviews. Agents and prosecutors didn't openly discuss in court records or hearings which cartel supplied Farfan, but The Courier Journal learned in February that he was supplied by a top U.S. target, the Crtel Jalisco Nueva Generacin the subject of a nine-month investigation and 28-page special report by the newspaper in 2019. I am just arriving to the park and its so lonely over here. In a January 2008 call, Mariana Franco-Maldonado talks to her meth supplier, Angel Ramirez-Arroyo about the lack of supply when another dealer gets robbed. Cruz-Mena is wanted by the Hendersonville Police Department and TBI to face a charge of First Degree Murder, in connection to an incident on May 4, 2010 in Hendersonville, Tennessee. of heroin. These purchases were funded by various accounts under Barrientos name or Mazatln Beauty Salon, which at times exceeded $370,000 per deposit. PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - A drug bust has resulted in the seizure of properties across Oregon, Washington, California and Nevada and the arrests of 12 people. In a bizarre twist, Pocho had the body shipped back to Salem for an elaborate graveside service at City View Cemetery, complete with a mariachi band. A DEA task force in Salem took down the remnants of his Oregon organization in 2007. field offices. "This is Pocho," said the voice on the other end -- Porfirio Arevalo-Cuevas. Maintaining and using a drug-involved premises and intentionally causing, counseling, aiding and abetting. Pocho moved labs around the Willamette Valley, according to investigators. Conveniently located near the PDX Airport, Doctor's Orders is a top . Was this page helpful? Their investigation was one of several carried out this year as JCODE agencies worked with state and local partners to keep pressure on buyers and sellers and disrupt these markets. Wanted for the following alleged federal violations: : FENTANYL IMPORTATION CONSPIRACY, FENTANYL TRAFFICKING CONSPIRACY, POSSESSION OF MACHINEGUNS & DESTRUCTIVE DEVICES, CONSPIRACY TO POSSESS MACHINEGUNS & DESTRUCTIVE DEVICES, AND MONEY LAUNDERING CONSPIRACY, Wanted for the following alleged federal violations: Cocaine importation; racketeering conspiracy; possession and conspiracy to possess machine guns, Wanted for the following alleged federal violations: Title 21 USC 846, Wanted for the following alleged federal violations: Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substance; Attempt/Conspiracy-Controlled Substance-Import/Export with Intent to Distribute, Wanted for the following alleged federal violations: 21 USC 84621 USC 96321 USC 95921 USC 84121 USC 924. Pocho put his brother, Arturo, in charge of day-to-day operations but otherwise maintained brutal control. U.S. officials made catching Pocho a national priority, distributing "most wanted" fliers offering a $25,000 reward. His attorney lobbied for 13 years, claiming his client likely couldn't survive a longer prison stint. The Westside Interagency Narcotics Team and the state Justice Department dismantled the organization in 2009. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. It's a common and effective tactic used by many cartels. Police had long known John Armas was a major meth trafficker, but he was careful. This case had some odd twists, including the involvement by a retired U.S. Marine and his wife, an agonizing test of family loyalties and a gruesome threat from Mexico. Maintaining and using a drug-involved premises and intentionally causing, counseling, aiding and abetting. Pixabay/Public Domain. "I don't know who they are, but they know who I am, and they know what's going on here. Email PREA Coordinator. He also didn't want to be shunned by his close-knit family for betraying his uncle, a senior relative. Known as "El Mencho," he's remained in hiding for years and is on the DEA's Most Wanted list. Armas enlisted help from his neighbors, a retired U.S. Marine and his wife. The DEA raids a meth lab outside Brownsville, arresting Pocho's brother, sisters, girlfriend and others. Notice: The official FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list is maintained on the FBI website. In summer 2009, Barragans operation was nursing along a new marijuana plantation on the northern edge of Grant County. Agents executed search warrants in Hillsboro, Portland, Tualatin, and Wilsonville, Oregon; Fresno and Hawaiian Gardens, California; and Las Vegas. The judge also noted that while there was no evidence Farfan was physically violent, "the drugs that he played a role in distributing, including as a leader, caused so much harm in our community.". In 2002, a meth cook's mistake destroyed the group's lab outside Scio in a fireball. Lou Nalepa, an agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, reached for his ringing cellphone as he guided his car through Portland freeway traffic. I am a family man. I don't want to put my wife, my family in danger.'". .. Hearing the word "cartel" uttered in open court instantly rattled Eduardo. Theyre not coming from a place where people are following policies and procedures to create medication or other products in a way thats safe.. A DEA task force in Salem, including local police officers, dismantled the operation in 2007. This may be partly because many laws have been publicly championed by . Get FBI email alerts In 2006, Manuel Pedraza Botello was headed south with $290,000 when he was stopped by police. A federal grand jury had indicted him and more than 20 others on money laundering and drug trafficking charges. Barragan: Yeah. Gives false name and gets out on bail. The investigation began in July 2021 when PCSO received a Heartland Crime Stoppers tip indicating that people were openly selling drugs on the well . But they didn't know about dogged sheriff's detective John Walker, who developed informants and bought drugs while undercover. She must report to a federal probation officer for five years. Adelma Cook was on probation for a state drug charge when she started up her DTO. Robert Hammer, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Seattle, told The Courier Journal that cartels take advantage of the Interstate 5 corridor, a straight route that runs from the San Ysidro border crossing north through Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and into Vancouver, Canada. He agreed to talk to agents only about certain drug crimes, including detailing his actions and his uncle's actions inside the U.S., after a judge released him from jail on bond and after his elder family members gave him their blessing. Lock He sent collectors to rough up a Fresno, Calif., dealer behind on a $96,000 debt. Spends 13 months in prison, then is deported to Mexico. "You guys get your story straight and act dumb," he ordered. Angel Ramirez-Arroyo is photographed in 2008 in Hillsboro by undercover officers. By the time of the hearing, the veteran was 560 days sober. The Portland-based drug network, which stretched into affluent area suburbs, westbound to Oregon's quaint coastal cities and north into southwestern Washington, is emblematic of a key Mexican cartel strategy to establish drug pipelines far beyond the border and into small, unsuspecting towns. Nineteen-Year-Old Oregon Woman . He ordered rounds fired into the Salem home of one brother, though no one was hit, according to a federal wiretap affidavit, and had the other brother's home in Gervais burned to the ground. Its leader was arrested in California after finishing a state prison term there.