“Nolan County Meth Meltdown”
On Tuesday, April 16th, 2019, several Nolan County, District and State law enforcement officers continued arrests on seventeen more co-defendants connected to an ongoing criminal conspiracy drug investigation that has already netted 13 arrests on January 22nd of this year and November 2nd of 2018. The warrants and arrests were the result of a joint operation involving Nolan County Sheriff’s Office – Criminal Investigation Division, Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigations Division (Abilene) and investigators with the 32nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
The Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigations Division (San Angelo) also assisted with the arrests today by serving two of the arrest warrants on subjects located in San Angelo.
These latest arrests were co-defendants that have participated in “Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity”, a first-degree felony, involving the manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance, in particular methamphetamine and heroin.
Of the 17 new arrest warrants issued, as of 5:00PM today, 14 have been arrested. 10 were arrested in Sweetwater, 1 in Roscoe, 2 in San Angelo and a hold was initiated on 1 subject already serving time in prison. One other individual was also arrested on an unrelated misdemeanor warrant at one of the Sweetwater locations. Law enforcement officers continue their search for three (3) remaining subjects with the warrants for the same charge.
Those arrested are as follows:
- Chance Brooke BENSON, age 28, white male, arrested on Tuesday, April 16, 2019 in San Angelo. Benson is charged with Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity – 1st Degree Felony.
- Jason Lee COSBY, age 39, white male, arrested on Tuesday, April 16, 2019 in Sweetwater. Cosby is charged with Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity – 1st Degree Felony.
- Arnulfo DELGADO, age 32, white male, arrested on Tuesday, April 16, 2019 in Sweetwater. Delgado is charged with Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity – 1st Degree Felony.
- Adam Martin GARZA, age 32, white male, hold placed on Tuesday, April 16, 2019 as Garza is already serving prison time in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Garza is charged now with the additional charge of Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity – 1st Degree Felony.
- Christopher Joseph HAMM, age 29, white male, arrested on Tuesday, April 16, 2019 in Sweetwater. Hamm is charged with Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity – 1st Degree Felony.
- Jody Shane JONES, age 47, white female, arrested on Tuesday, April 16, 2019 in Sweetwater. Jones is charged with Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity – 1st Degree Felony.
- Moses Jacob LARA, age 42, white female, arrested on Tuesday, April 16, 2019 in Sweetwater. Lara is charged with Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity – 1st Degree Felony.
- Michael Alan LEDBETTER, age 49, white male, arrested on Tuesday, April 16, 2019 in Sweetwater. Ledbetter is charged with Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity – 1st Degree Felony.
- Douglas James MONDAY, age 45, white male, arrested on Tuesday, April 16, 2019 in Sweetwater. Monday is charged with Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity – 1st Degree Felony.
- Michael David MORGAN, age 51, white male, arrested on Tuesday, April 16, 2019 in Sweetwater. Morgan is charged with Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity – 1st Degree Felony. Morgan was also found in possession of heroin in a “drug free zone”, at the time of his arrest on the warrant, and was charged with an additional third-degree felony.
- Francisco Javier PENA, age 29, white male, arrested on Tuesday, April 16, 2019 in Roscoe. Pena is charged with Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity – 1st Degree Felony.
- Tyler Scott POLK, age 29, white male, arrested on Tuesday, April 16, 2019 in San Angelo. Polk is charged with Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity – 1st Degree Felony.
- Monica RODRIGUEZ, age 28, white female, arrested on Tuesday, April 16, 2019 in Sweetwater. Rodriguez is charged with Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity – 1st Degree Felony.
- Helena Jade TOLLISON, age 29, white female, arrested on Tuesday, April 16, 2019 in Sweetwater. Tollison is charged with Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity – 1st Degree Felony.
Those charged with 1st Degree Felony offenses could potentially face a penalty of 5 – 99 years in prison or life – and up to a $10,000.00 fine.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Sheriff David Warren stated, “We are proud to see this investigation continue to produce results. Some folks that needed to go to jail – went to jail today. Others are soon to go to trial; some are on bond pending trial and many others are in custody pending trial and additional arrests are expected.”
Excellent work
Good job NCSO! Thank you!
Appreciate the job our law enforcement does for our community. I have to wander if it’s only me or is anyone else wandering why only 2 of the 27 “drug dealers” were in possession of drugs at the time of their arrest. Per the statement released by ncso Jan 24, one of the 13 was charged with more than 200 less than 400 grams of meth, and the another for possession of herion on April 16. My confusion is how does 25 drug dealers involved in the large drug dealing ring have no drugs? Drugs have not been taken off our streets, several people have been. I would like dealers WITH drugs off our streets not the dealers who don’t have any.