At Least 16 Arrested in Multi-Agency Drug Bust in Lawton
By: Melissa Foy
Updated: February 1, 2013
More than 100 officers teamed up early Friday morning to take down a group of what they call hometown terrorists who are extremely violent and want to gain wealth by peddling their drugs and destroying the Lawton community.
They say the group has been importing meth from Mexico and circulating it around the Lawton area---to the tune of one pound per week.
Darrell Weaver, director of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, says, "Methamphetamine is a hideous drug, as we know, in Oklahoma. It's probably destroyed more lives than anything. We're combating it. Today was about good versus evil, and today I feel like we're making a lot of headway."
This multi-agency bust involved the Lawton Police Department, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Comanche County District Attorney's Office, the Comanche County Sheriff's Office, and drug task forces.
This bust comes after a year-and-a-half long investigation.
Kenny Stradley, Comanche County sheriff, says, "We all had a piece of the puzzle when we first started. We kept putting it together and it worked out real good. We are thrilled always to take down people such as these."
Authorities served a search warrant at All Star Automotive and Performance, located in the 16-hundred block of North Sheridan.
They say that business was a hub where some drugs were kept and drug transactions were performed.
Some officers stayed on scene there while another group to served arrest warrants at two homes in the 19-hundred block of Euclid.
One arrest was made at each home.
"This is the top of the mountain, the meth and the drug program. And what comes off of that is your homicides, your robberies, your burglaries," Stradley says.
James Smith, Lawton police chief, says, "Our property crimes have been on the rise; breaking into cars, breaking into houses, so people can pawn things to get money fast to get drugs."
"This is cutting the head of the snake off," Weaver says. "They're going to take a while to regenerate. Often times they do, but it's going to take a while. But most importantly, it's going to send a shock wave through this area that, 'Hey, we're out here and we're not going to retreat.'"
Those arrested include:
They say the group has been importing meth from Mexico and circulating it around the Lawton area---to the tune of one pound per week.
Darrell Weaver, director of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, says, "Methamphetamine is a hideous drug, as we know, in Oklahoma. It's probably destroyed more lives than anything. We're combating it. Today was about good versus evil, and today I feel like we're making a lot of headway."
This multi-agency bust involved the Lawton Police Department, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Comanche County District Attorney's Office, the Comanche County Sheriff's Office, and drug task forces.
This bust comes after a year-and-a-half long investigation.
Kenny Stradley, Comanche County sheriff, says, "We all had a piece of the puzzle when we first started. We kept putting it together and it worked out real good. We are thrilled always to take down people such as these."
Authorities served a search warrant at All Star Automotive and Performance, located in the 16-hundred block of North Sheridan.
They say that business was a hub where some drugs were kept and drug transactions were performed.
Some officers stayed on scene there while another group to served arrest warrants at two homes in the 19-hundred block of Euclid.
One arrest was made at each home.
"This is the top of the mountain, the meth and the drug program. And what comes off of that is your homicides, your robberies, your burglaries," Stradley says.
James Smith, Lawton police chief, says, "Our property crimes have been on the rise; breaking into cars, breaking into houses, so people can pawn things to get money fast to get drugs."
"This is cutting the head of the snake off," Weaver says. "They're going to take a while to regenerate. Often times they do, but it's going to take a while. But most importantly, it's going to send a shock wave through this area that, 'Hey, we're out here and we're not going to retreat.'"
Those arrested include:
Ronnie Carter
Jimmie Hinson
John Hinson
Robyn Hinson
Anthony Martinez
Frederick Martinez
Joseph McCarthy
Mike Nash
Dawn Nye
Alejandro Olivio
Markus Pangus
Amanda Smith
Seth Speed
Wendy Truman
Florentino Villanueva Jr.
David Villanueva
Francis McCarthy
John Saign
Charlene Killsfirst-Barr
Kelly Jean Ragsdill
