drugs were seized in March, but the fourth, and reportedly most The names of Bakers two children are tattooed on her forearms to cover scars from past intravenous needle use and to inspire her to stay sober. The drug division chief's brother, Jeff White, leads a team ofsix canine handlers and eight dogs to find drugs, bombs, guns and cadavers. In 2015, investigations began into a drug ring responsible for trafficking tens of thousands of Oxycodone pills, worth an estimated $2.5 million, throughout the three North Dakota reservations and Michigan. The two used a methodical approach to recruit sellers who would in turn recruit others, Wrigley said. The operation led to several arrests on the threereservations. The group began dealing oxycontin pills in the state about five years ago and switched to fentanyl during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drug Trafficking Investigation Yields Largest Methamphetamine Bust in West . Rachelle Baker leans into the car window of her aunt, tribal police drug agent Dawn White, to thank her for arresting her years ago and nudging her into drug treatment, saving her life. Copyright 2021 KVLY. Published: Nov. 22, 2021 at 1:56 PM PST BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - Two people have been charged after law enforcement conducted a search for drugs at a Williston hotel. Two arrested after 9.5 pounds of meth is seized from West Fargo motel, Mother arrested for leaving children home alone to go to gym, police say, Police: Man shipped $3 million worth of fentanyl to restaurant, Army identifies 3 soldiers killed in Alaska helicopter crash, Mr. Food Cheesy Bacon Pierogi Bake - May 1, Mosque Fire Suspect Arrested and Charged - May 1, Fargo man fails to return to Center Inc. while on work release - May 1, Pounds moving to new location in downtown Fargo - May 1. "He had some money, flashed it in Michigan," White said. Wakefield, who grew up in a rough area of Detroit and began his life of crime as a teen,was seen near the town of White Shield with an associate, a Native American womanwilling to sell drugs to feed her addiction. He was caught June 10, 2020, while transporting hundreds of suspected fentanyl pills. The two brothers -- Darius Sledge and Baquan Sledge -- face drug conspiracy, money laundering, drug possession and distribution, and other charges for allegedly bringing pills to North Dakota from the Detroit area and targeting people to sell for them. On Fort Berthold, 108 people overdosed last year, and 10 died. Barry Christopher Brown Jr., 28, known as "Big Splash,"of Taylor, Michigan, was indicted by a federal grand jury in February on drug trafficking charges. farmstead during the March raid, but the drugs found and subsequent During the past eight years, 18 people have been banished. (KOTA) - U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons announced 37 people were federally indicted as part of a large-scale meth trafficking network. Great American Bike Race News / Apr 21, 2023 / 06:32 PM CDT. Read More. All 26 defendants have been charged with Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, while others also face weapons and money laundering charges. ), Reach Travis Svihovec at 701-250-8260 or Travis.Svihovec@bismarcktribune.com. redistribution in the Bismarck area. Copyright 2021 KFYR. FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) Outgoing U.S. Attorney for North Dakota Drew Wrigley announces key arrests in a major drug trafficking investigation. Doug Burgum signs massive tax cut package, North Dakota lawmakers adjourn after approving record $19.6B budget, State Auditor's Office to audit Bismarck Public School District; 5,700 petition signatures submitted, Shots fired during Saturday chase that reached 120 mph, police say; suspect appears in court, Bismarck City Commission finalizes water rates decision, State Street, Bismarck Expressway work beginning, MDU Resources Teen of the Week: Wilton runner earns prestigious, full-ride scholarship, North Dakota Senate defeats bill with revived 80 mph speed limit, Bismarck Quarterback Club announces winners, Burleigh County dealing with $5.5 million revenue shortfall; options discussed for rectifying issue, North Dakota House sustains Burgum's veto of book ban bill, Burgum signs off on revisions to North Dakota abortion laws. SHARE. Authorities say someone who received the package in error called sheriffs officials earlier this week. 1 killer. When law enforcement executed a search warrant for Calix-Lopezs hotel room they seized 9.5 pounds of methamphetamine. You have permission to edit this article. . "Let us have her in death.". She was in Bismarck, taking a relative to a medical appointment. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( In 2015, she was the district's Senior Athlete of the Year. Earlier this year, The Courier Journal reported how the shooting of a Louisville police detective was linked to a large drug ring with Detroit ties. They get a premium here.. "Thats a lot of love and frustration.". Several law enforcement agencies Nearby, oil rigsites punctuated byneon flareslure outsiders with more sinister motives. The other markets are saturated, he said. "Lots of money, lots of cash.". cops@ndonline.com. Court records indicate Berg had an initial appearance scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. Names and photos of those who are banishedare posted on social media sites and tribal websites. Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. By 2017, she was in the grip of addiction. It started with a few Michigan menwho were visiting the remote area and saw an opportunity: fewer police, fewer armed competitors and rampant addiction generating plenty of customers ready to spend royalty money from the state's oil boom. You can cancel at any time. Across North Dakota, DEA agents intercepted 1,541 fake pillsin the fiscal year that ended in September 2018withseizures skyrocketing to16,035 so far this fiscal year. All rights reserved. ajohnson@minotdailynews.com. She fields calls from tipsters and worried parents even on days off. state and breaking it down at a vacant farmstead in Oliver County "With drug investigations, time is of the essence," Feland said. She remembered how excited Cheyenne had been as she planned hisdinosaur-themed first birthday. They'respread over a million acreslive insmall towns in the middle of opengreen plains with roaming cattle, golden wheat fields, yellow canola fields androcked buttes. In June, a federal judge in Bismarck sentenced Mario R. Garmoo, 32, of Detroit, to 15 years in prison for smuggling hundreds of opioid pills into North Dakota cities and the Fort Berthold. An official website of the United States government. BECKER CO., Minn. Three Chicago people were arrested in a drug bust in Detroit Lakes earlier this month. Cheyenne and hundreds of other Native Americansin North Dakota have been ensnaredby Detroittraffickers, who set up a drug pipeline more than a decade ago targetingNorth Dakota cities and reservations, according to tribal police and a supervisor withthe U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. There arefewer police and less competition among drug dealers. Twenty-nine-year-old Jacob Wishinsky, FARGO (KVRR) An intensive drug investigation that started in February has ended with the arrest of a Fargo man. An oil boom meanstribal members haveroyalty money to spend and the Detroit dealers canblend in on the reservation amid a bevy of diverse workers brought in to extract and carry off the oil. For me, this is the biggest enemy against our people. After conducting a search . The large quantity of meth still in the "rock" form was an The collaborative work of the DEA and the Cass County Drug Task Force is one of the most important protections we have in place to stop the flow of drugs into our community, said West Fargo Police Chief Denis Otterness. Please subscribe to keep reading. She said Detroit dealers typically get fentanyl from Mexican cartel members, picking up the drugs inborder states. White and the tribal drug force, Bismarck police, a local drug task force and agents with Homeland Security Investigations and the DEA teamed to nab Wakefield and severalothers in 2017. included a search of the farmstead. Her slight smile hides an inner fierceness. The reservation sits on the Missouri River and stretches across amillion acres, crossing the border of six counties,sotribal police and local sheriffs must cooperate to fight the influx of drugs. SISSETON, S.D. Wakefield pleaded guilty in 2018 and is serving a 12-year sentence in federal prison. Riha said. Fellow officers dubbed her the "Rainman of Narcotics" because she closely studies the suspects and their associates and doesn't forget a name or face. Wrigley says the investigation, called Operation Blue Prairie, has been going on for a few years and deals with very significant oxycodone dealers based out of Detroit, Michigan. The oil boom brought money and transient workers and, ultimately, drug traffickers from Detroit. December 2, 2021. Posted: Sep 9, 2021 / 09:33 PM CDT. Copyright 2021 KVLY. She was arrested after police executed a search warrant at her storage unit in Mandan. Charges announced in large drug operation on Native American reservations in ND Investigators are calling it "Operation Blue Prairie" January 7, 2021 Raya Quttaineh NORTH DAKOTA Twenty. 0. broken down and sold, it would have been substantially more It's a19-hour drivefrom Detroit to New Town. "I don't think it's about love. home. (Reach reporter Mike Albrecht at 250-8261 or They found 41-year-old Joann Tiegen and 44-year-old Michael Garner, both of Devils Lake, in possession of meth, marijuana, packaging materials, scales and, FARGO (KVRR) Police have arrested a Fargo man in connection with several drug-related charges. said. Could trucks be to blame for killing more pedestrians? Investigators held up a sheet tocover the ashen face of the young Native American woman, while Rhonda Packineau confirmedthe victim was her 21-year-old daughter, Cheyenne. End of the Rope. The Burleigh County Sheriff's Department received a tip Tuesday "You got to hurt their pocketbooks, make it less profitable and reduce demand," Fox said. 2021 Oct 1, 2021; "It's taking so many lives," she said. The Courier Journal found families and communities marredby addiction and agroup of new tribal drug agents doggedly pursuing the outsiders who arebringing in the poisons. On November 3, the police departments Narcotics Unit and the Cass County Drug Task Force, served a search warrant at 743 Oak Street North. Celebrate Jobs Wildfires 37 Clear 3 arrested in 3-pound meth bust BISMARCK TRIBUNE STAFF Dec 10, 2021 0 Morton County and North Dakota Highway Patrol officers arrested three men on. OtherMichigan menjoined him, meeting women from the reservation in person or on dating apps, then using the women's connections torecruit area dealers and build a customer base, saidvon Trytek, who oversees DEA operations in North Dakota as the assistant special agent in charge of the Minneapolis-St. Paul District Office. Chrisikos was charged with possession of meth and marijuana, She's seenmore and morefentanyl-laced pills, with dealers who supply the reservation also setting up hubs in the closest cities across North Dakota:Bismarck, Minot and Williston. Two men were charged Friday after officials found at a Mandan residence five pounds of . But sports injuries led to a pain pill addiction that ultimately cut short her studies and eventually, her life. Those who havebeen banished havea right to appeal, but none have so far. Contact: Emily Murray. "Its a tempting target, abig target," said Bismarck defense attorney Kent Morrow, who has defended suspected traffickers. But drug traffickers can get a lot more money hauling drugs here, where there are fewer police and competing dealers. It was. cut and take meth. It is fueling and driving the addiction problems we have in Indian Country and across the state of North Dakota, Wrigley said. Since the start of the year, federal authorities have arrested almost 60 people in connection to a drug pipeline running from Detroit to the Peace Garden State. Two police officers led a frantic mother into a Bismarck, North Dakota, hotel room in 2018 toidentifythe tattooed arm of a body found sprawled on a bed. Shestood up to leave and glanced around the cemetery, pointing to two gravestones side by side brothers who overdosed in the same week, leaving another family reeling from the drug epidemic. The level of offense is higher it's a third-degree controlled substance crime. Local authorities warned drug trafficking activity is on the rise in North Dakota, especially when it comes to dealing fentanyl pills. A multiyear anti-drug effort that aimed to cut off the supply of narcotics being funneled into North Dakota's American Indian reservations has produced an indictment that accuses 26 people,. All three are charged with possession with intent to deliver. U.S. Attorney Drew Wrigley announced that 26 people have been indicted in an anti-drug effort called Operation Blue Prairie, which targeted the movement of oxycodone pills from the Detroit area to North Dakota. Authorities say it is expected that this case will be federally adopted in the United States District Court for theDistrict of North Dakota. There was a problem saving your notification. WEST FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) - The Cass County Drug Task Force with the Drug Enforcement Administration made a significant methamphetamine drug bust. FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - 26 people have been indicted in what North Dakota U.S. Attorney Drew Wrigley calls an unprecedented drug trafficking bust on three Native American reservations. Twenty-seven-year-old Travis Henley of Hazlehurst, Mississippi, ST. MICHAEL, N.D. (KVRR) A drug bust at Spirit Lake Casino south of Devils Lake. BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - Law enforcement says they seized thousands of illegal pills and thousands in cash in two drug busts. Published: Sep. 29, 2021 at 3:12 PM PDT MINOT, N.D. - A task force drug seizure in Minot Tuesday morning removed more than half a million dollars' worth of narcotics off the streets, and landed. Agents with the Southwest Narcotics Task Force were. Wrigley says the operation involves tens of millions of dollars of narcotics and thus far has targeted 22 defendants from Michigan and eight from North Dakota. "It was a heartbreaking moment," White said. Both are facing possible charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute of a controlled substance. Packineau recalls sobbingas she drove off without her daughter:"You look at your child and you just will them to get better.". More people involved in the case will be made public as the investigation progresses. In Detroit, DEA agents say oneopioid pill sells for $5-$8 wholesale. Both have hubs in Detroit. Becker County Sheriff Todd Glander says a state patrol trooper pulled over a vehicle and a search turned up 196 grams of heroin, 2 grams of cocaine and nearly $6,300 in cash. 1 killer. Wakefieldrecruited associates in Michigan to bringshipments of OxyContin, court records show. (KFYR) By Joe Skurzewski. A locked padlock Bismarck Police Department received information that Barth was Feland said the men arrested represent three levels of the drug Beebe with delivery of meth and Brelje with possession of meth with 25-year-old Michael Stavedahl was arrested following, Update: Large amount of meth, cash, seized during I-29 traffic stop in SD, Two Arrested In Drug Bust At Spirit Lake Casino, Police seize drugs, cash, gun from north Fargo home, Fargo Police K9 Leads Detective to Major Drug Bust, Mandan Woman Accused in Large Drug Bust to Face Trial in May, Sheriff: Meth Bust is Largest Ever in Grant County, Detroit Lakes Drug Bust Lands Three People From Chicago Behind Bars, Three Men Arrested After Theft Investigation Turns Into Drug Bust, Thousands rummage through items for sale in West Fargo, Woman hospitalized after being hit by vehicle in Dilworth; 1 in custody, Minnesota Senate votes 34-33 to legalize recreational cannabis, NDSU Star and Hankinson Native, Mauch Drafted By Bucs. MANDAN, N.D.A Mandan woman accused of possessing more than $1 million in illegal drugs with intent to sell will face trial in May. The Owens opted to plead guilty totrafficking fentanyl, according to his plea agreement. All rights reserved. Two Detroit men have been convicted of leading adrug trafficking organization that targeted three American Indian reservations in North Dakota. FARGO, N.D. Federal authorities said Wednesday they are investigating a drug pipeline that involves moving the powerful opioid fentanyl and other painkillers from the Detroit area to . "Detroit-based guys came over and dated native women, living with them so they have a foothold and a reason to be on the res," she said. already had been broken down and distributed. A criminal complaint. White is haunted by all the losses in her community, andprefers to stay away from the funerals: "Thats somebody you didnt get to save.". Acting on a tip Friday, law. "It was three crazy days of getting information and acting on "The illegal drug trade is so devastating," said MHA Nation Chairman Mark Fox, an attorney andU.S. Marine Corp veteran. Is she short or tall?" A Detroit man convicted of running a drug trafficking organization that targeted three of the states reservations was sentenced to 30 years i, A Detroit man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for his part in a drug trafficking organization that targeted American Indian Reservati. Cheyenne and hundreds of other Native Americans in North Dakota have been ensnared by Detroit traffickers, who set up a drug pipeline more than a decade ago targeting North Dakota cities. End of the Rope News / Apr 21, 2023 / 04:53 PM CDT. But then she startingwithdrawing from him and the rest of her family. Eight of the 26 defendants are from Detroit, one is from Kentucky and 17 are from North Dakota. The Tribal Business Council is based just outside New Town, a community of less than 3,000that attracts gamblers to itscasino and hikers andboaters to itsparks and 180-mile-longLakeSakakawea. On Wednesday, December 8, 2021 the bust came after a tip that a drug courier was at a West Fargo hotel. "I guess growing up where they do, you either grow up hard or you dont grow up at all," she said. News. Before the funeral in 2014, White tracked down her relative's friends who were drug users and told them to stay away from the service or face arrest. Causes, Symptoms & Treatments, Bill to close North Dakota public employees' pension plan goes to Burgum, North Dakota Gov. Weve always fought our enemies. One of the most notorious traffickers was Wakefield. But drug traffickers can get a lot more money hauling drugs here, where there are fewer police and competing dealers. Metro Area Task Force officers say they found 5,000 fentanyl pills, handguns, and more than $40,000 cash when searching the Mandan apartment of David Jeffrie, 29, and Hashannah Sawyer, 25, on Tuesday. Phone Number: (571) 387-3545. "It was like getting pieces to a big puzzle, and "In every picture she took, she had this big smile and bright eyes," Packineau said. The Fort Berthold reservation is home to an estimated 5,628 enrolled members of theMHA Nation, which includes members of Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara, known as the Three AffiliatedTribes. The TribalBusiness Council on theFort Berthold Indian Reservation made a bold move in voting to banish suspected drug traffickers. Two to three milligrams of fentanyl can lead to death, according to the CDC. And the financial rewards are immense. If the meth had been Cheyenne, whose Hidatsa name means"Cherry Blossom," used to dote on her son. According to a press release, a Minot Police officer observed Joshua Brydon, 41, driving a vehicle without license plates. A special investigative report by The Courier Journal in 2019 detailed CJNG's surprising reach into small-town America, devastating families and communities while its leader, known as "El Mencho," remains a top and elusive U.S. target. Drug Bust Toggle header content. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Officers, paramedics and even many drug users carry the opioid antidotenaloxone. Wakefield established networks of area dealers and users in various North Dakota cities and on the Fort Berthold reservation, about an hour southwest of Minot, according to drug agents and court records. "We just took 1,000 pills off him. TOP: The remote North Dakota plains, home to rodeos (left) and a running of the steers event (right) on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation seems like a world away from the bustle and violence of Detroit. "This is pretty high-grade meth.". Reporter Beth Warren: bwarren@courier-journal.com; 502-582-7164; Twitter @BethWarrenCJ. "And good kids. On Wednesday, December 8, local Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents and the Cass County Drug Task Force received a tip that a drug courier was at the Rodeway Inn with a large amount of meth. They smuggled the pain pillsby train, plane, bus andcar. world's "food chain." Gerald "Chip" White Jr., who grew up there, leads thisteamof six special agents police or military veteranswho team to rootoutcartel associates and dealers andintercept drug shipments and payments. Cheyenne's doctor first prescribed opioids yearsago, before physicians and patients understood the addiction risks. Drug traffickers coming to North Dakota from Detroit bypass the bigger cities along the way, but its a simple business decision for them, Wrigley said. coming.". The drugs and Calix-Lopezs vehicle were seized. Our tribal communities are no different than any other when it comes to the destruction that drug addiction and the associated property and violent crime brings. Share this story. "You have to work up the food chain before they know you're enforcement and prosecutors are calling the second-biggest {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Securities commissioner issues order against eastern North Dakota men, What Is Meth Mouth? Wakefield left prison in 2015 and made new contacts in Michigan and North Dakota, building a second drug network usingNative Americansand Detroit associates as area dealers. The same pill could sell for $70 or $80 in North Dakota. This was a multiagency operation comprised of investigators from the DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Fargo Police Department, West Fargo Police Department, Moorhead Police Department, Cass County Sheriffs Office, and Clay County Sheriffs Office. Woman hospitalized after being hit by vehicle in Dilworth; 1 in custody, Alabama man arrested in West Fargo pursuit, Legal cannabis in Minnesota will lead to law enforcement challenges in North Dakota, Minnesota Senate votes 34-33 to legalize recreational cannabis, NDSU Star and Hankinson Native, Mauch Drafted By Bucs. Some were "traffickers" who brought the drugs afternoon. Roberts County Sheriff Tyler Appel says a deputy found the drugs during a routine traffic stop Tuesday. ", The officer continued:"I'm in a hotel room and we have a female. Putting North Dakota First Home; Watch KX News; About our Ads; KXMA/KXMB/KXMC/KXMD EEO Report; FARGO, N.D. The hard work of a Fargo Police K9 leads to a major drug bust in south Fargo. Once Cheywas hooked, she easily found illegal drugs inBismarckand on the reservation, a two-hour drive northwest ofthe city. But court and police records on Detroit traffickers illustrate the pipeline, which agents blamefor bringing in millions of dollars in drugs annually. WEST FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - Two men are in the Cass County Jail after a drug investigation uncovered more than nine pounds of methamphetamine at a West Fargo motel. Law enforcement seize thousands of fentanyl pills, $40,000 in cash in Tuesday drug busts, Burgum signs bill to reform state pension plan, Horse set to compete in Kentucky Derby euthanized after severe injury, Williston man found guilty of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, Air Force could return to Williston this year for mosquito spraying, Williston teachers ratify new agreement with school board, Changing of the Guard at Tomb of the Uknown Soldier a highlight for ND veterans, KFYR - First News at Ten - Sportscast 4/30/2023, Closed Caption Inquiries - (701) 255-5757. when we got it all together, we got Barth.". Bismarck Police Lt. Bob Haas said they received The flames burn on an oil rig at dusk outside New Town, North Dakota, on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. The multiagency operation comprised of investigators from the DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Fargo Police Department, West Fargo Police Department, Moorhead Police Department, Cass County Sheriffs Office, and Clay County Sheriffs Office. COVID: Where are we now? Sep 10, 2021 / 01:39 PM CDT. meth and marijuana, class A and B felonies that carry a combined enforcement until Tuesday. I want to commend all of the law enforcement personnel involved with case who worked tirelessly to bring these men to justice.. "This is a significant amount to seize at one time," Feland August 16, 2021 BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) North Dakota recorded the most deaths from drug use in a decade last year as the pandemic caused isolation and fentanyl became widely available. The indictment is a major step in the fight against drugs, Wrigley said, but he added that its not the solution. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Operation Blue Prairie -- named for the color of popular oxycodone pills sold for big profit in North Dakota -- resulted in the arrests of people who U.S. Attorney Drew Wrigley said are responsible for bringing tens of thousands of pills to three reservations in the state since 2015 --Turtle Mountain, Spirit Lake and Fort Berthold. North Dakota's U.S. Attorney Drew Wrigley says it's a step in the right direction. Authorities say it is expected that this case will be federally adopted in the United States District Court for the District of North Dakota. "She was a bear doing everything she could to protect her daughter, putting herself in danger," Dawn White said. In Bismarck, 74 victims overdosed and eight diedlast year,according to police data. About $80,000 worth of meth and marijuana was seized in what law enforcement and prosecutors are calling the second-biggest methamphetamine bust in south central North Dakota history. Prosecutors say 24-year-old Megan Isaak sold more than half a ton of marijuana between March 2018 and April 2019. December 2, 2021 TJ Nelson ST. MICHAEL, N.D. (KVRR) A drug bust at Spirit Lake Casino south of Devils Lake. (The Associated Press contributed to this report. Court . It's not just a personal use crime any longer." Hemmah and Groves were charged with intent to deliver a controlled.
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