Twelve Brazoria County residents were among 15 individuals arrested in a federal drug operation that took place on August 8. The operation, led by law enforcement officials from eight agencies including the FBI, targeted two large-scale conspiracies to distribute methamphetamine in the area. According to a news release from U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani’s office, all individuals are facing charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, with some also facing substantive counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
If convicted of any of the charges, each individual could face up to life in prison and a possible $10 million fine. Several of the arrested individuals appeared in court for detention hearings, where their alleged roles in the drug distribution conspiracies were discussed. Among those who appeared in court were Clute residents Joseph Andre Luna, Jacklyn Luna, and David Allen Nunez, Houston resident Eloy Tre Delarosa, Angleton resident Juan Manuel Lara, Bay City resident James Wayne Andrews, Wharton resident Andrew Bryan Compian, and Lake Jackson resident Luis Angel Rodriguez. Two other accused co-conspirators, Mary Alice Galindo and Edward Villarreal Humphrey, both of Oyster Creek, are scheduled to make their initial appearances soon.
Five other individuals, including Irvin Lopez of Clute and Lake Jackson residents Monissa Shayla Najera, Liliana Contreras, Jordan Rodriguez, and Robert Blake Partlow, have already made their initial appearances in court. The arrests were the result of a months-long investigation into narcotics distribution organizations operating in Brazoria County. The probable cause for the arrests was outlined in an indictment returned on August 7 and unsealed on August 8. It is important to note that an indictment is not a finding of guilt but rather a determination that there is enough evidence to proceed to trial.
The FBI spearheaded the investigation with assistance from the Brazoria County District Attorney’s Office, Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office, police departments in Houston and Aransas Pass, Texas Department of Public Safety, U.S. Marshals Service, and San Patricio County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian J. Hrach and Lisa M. Collins have been assigned as prosecutors on the case.
In conclusion, the arrests made in Brazoria County as part of the federal drug operation highlight the collaborative efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies to combat drug trafficking in the area. The investigation serves as a reminder of the ongoing efforts to address the distribution of illegal substances and uphold the law.