Authorities Arrest Eight Today in Connection with Liquid/Crystal Methamphetamine Distribution Operation in the Odessa Area

Today, federal, state and local authorities arrested eight individuals for their role in a methamphetamine distribution scheme operating in the Odessa area.  A federal grand jury indictment unsealed today charges those eight, along with 15 other individuals who were previously arrested, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., Western District of Texas, and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Will Glaspy, El Paso Division.

“These defendants are accused of using family connections to establish a drug distribution ring that converted large quantities of liquid methamphetamine into crystal methamphetamine and sold it on the streets of Odessa,” stated United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr.  “The cooperation between the federal and local law enforcement agencies effectively disrupted this organization,” he added.

Between August 2015 and November 2015, the defendants, under the direction of brothers Moises and Jose Ramirez, allegedly conspired to distribute methamphetamine in the Western and Northern Districts of Texas.  On September 21, 2015, Ector County Sheriff’s deputies seized approximately 3.5 pounds of methamphetamine from Henry Andrade, Sr. and Monica Berumen Lopez following a traffic stop in Odessa.  In November 2015, federal and local authorities executed four search warrants in Odessa and seized a total of 11 pounds of methamphetamine allegedly belonging to this organization.  Ten pounds of the seized methamphetamine was in the process of being converted from liquid into crystal form; the other pound was in crystal form.

“Today we dismantled a dangerous drug trafficking organization that sold and distributed methamphetamine throughout the Midland-Odessa area. I am extremely proud of the work DEA and our partners have done in this investigation to help keep the Permian Basin safe,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Will Glaspy.

A list of the defendants charged in the federal grand jury indictment is attached.  They face between ten years and life in federal prison upon conviction.

This investigation was conducted by DEA agents in Midland, El Paso and Oregon together with the Midland County Sheriff’s Office, Midland Police Department, Ector County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).  The United States Marshals Service assisted in today’s arrests.  Assistant United States Attorney V. LaTawn Warsaw is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.

It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.