Twenty-two individuals, including some with ties to Erath County, were recently federally indicted on charges of meth trafficking.
The case began in 2019 when Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office ID’ed a criminal enterprise operating in several central Texas counties including Erath, Hamilton, Comanche, Hill, Bosque, Tarrant, Dallas, Bexar and Hood.
Investigators began conducting undercover purchases from the defendants to build a criminal case. During the investigation, it was determined that meth was being sold and transported in Hamilton County and the surrounding area, and was tied to a criminal organization that spans from Dallas to Mexico.
Liquid meth was being smuggled into the U.S., transported to areas of Dallas/Fort Worth, converted into crystal meth and then sold in kilogram quantities.
According to information released by Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, the case was built from more than 200 hours of interviews and hundreds of surveillance hours.
The HCSO combed over one hundred thousand pages of social media transcripts of conversations between narcotics traffickers, dealers and users.
The defendants were directly linked to cartel drug trafficking organizations within Mexico and the U.S.
Affiliates of these organizations were directly responsible for delivering multi-kilogram qualities of methamphetamine to the Hamilton, Erath and Comanche County regions of Texas.
One Defendant admitted to possessing and distributing over 200 kilograms of methamphetamine from sources directly tied to the cartel.
Other defendants were directly tied the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas, Aryan Circle, Tango Blast and Bloods Criminal street gangs, HCSO stated in the release.
It was later discovered HCSO’s case connected with an ongoing DEA Eastern District criminal case.
DEA Agents and the U.S. federal prosecutor traveled to Hamilton in the Spring of 2022 to meet with Sheriff Justin Caraway and HCSO narcotics investigators.
In conclusion of the meeting, it was agreed the HCSO would provide information aiding in prosecuting other defendants in the Eastern District and further submit their criminal investigation for federal prosecution.
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division returned an indictment for the following defendants: Ricky Castillo, 35, of Irving; Brandon Leon Kimberling, 25, of Dallas;
Desiree Traxel, 25, of Dallas; Sandi Kristine Villicana, 33 of Arlington; Chad Anthony Hughes, 41, of Dallas; Kevin Priesley Srader, 33, of Hamilton; Kristin Nicole O’Dell, 33, of Stephenville; Justin Scott Allbright, 35, of Stephenville; Michael Brandon Downey, of Stephenville; Sandra Fay Rhodes, 33, of Hico; Cathlene Cecile Callahan, 35, of Hico Jeffrey Don Champion, 36, of Stephenville; James Edwin Smith, 43, of Stephenville; Dustie Lee Been, 22, of Stephenville; Cassandra Bower, 37, of Dallas; Genna Ann Long, 47, of Stephenville; Lyndon Kale Coker, 42, of Hico; Jerry DeWayne Knight, 30, of Stephenville; Kendon “Keno” DaWayne Baker, 34, of Stephenville; Lois Ann Srader, 41, of Stephenville; Claud Thomas Taylor, 42, of Stephenville; and Megan Diane Cameron, 24, of Stephenville.
Each defendant was indicted to knowingly and intentionally possess with the intent to manufacture and distribute 500 grams or more or a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of meth and 50 grams of more of meth (actual). When convicted each defendant can be sentenced to not less than 10 years and not more than life imprisonment, a fine not exceeding $10 million, or both; supervised release of at least five years.
“This was a great effort to stop the flow of narcotics to our rural communities and sends a message to those who may try to deal meth in the future in Hamilton County. The investigation continues with more arrests still to come. We feel there are more defendants still tied to this criminal enterprise and we will not stop until each one is brought to justice,” Sheriff Caraway said.
It should be noted that five other defendants were federally indicted directly linked to Operation Long Reach within other agencies criminal investigations. Information from the investigation was used to help sentence those individuals as well.
Operation Long Reach found the defendants were responsible for the distribution of a minimum of 500 kilograms of meth (1,100 pounds) with a street dealer value in excess of $24 million directly linked to Mexican drug cartels.