U.S. Attorney's Office Busts Up Central Texas Drug Trafficking Ring

AUSTIN, TX -- U.S. Attorney’s Office officials said Thursday that 20 people were arrested in connection with a Central Texas methamphetamine trafficking operation.

An indictment alleges the defendants have distributed controlled substances -- including methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana -- in the Austin/Temple/Killeen area since January 2013.

The federal charges were filed by the Western District of Texas section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. A federal grand jury indictment, returned in Waco, was unsealed on March 10. It charges 17 of those arrested with either conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance or distribution of a controlled substance.

Other charges in the indictment include use of a communications device (in this case a cell phone), in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, officials said. Charges also include possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, officials added.

Defendants charged in this indictment include:

• Ramon Rodriguez, Jr. (aka “Bacon”), age 30, of Temple, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana;
• Elias Mendoza (aka “Big E”), age 35, of Temple, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana;
• Eliodoro Denova Lopez, age 28, of Pflugerville, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana;
• Joel Jaimes Denova, age 30, of Austin, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana;
• Gabriel Rangel, age36, of Cameron, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine;
• Jose Salomon, age 29, of Cameron, marijuana;
• Kenneth Montgomery (aka “Wege”) , age 57, of Cameron, cocaine;
• Nora Tijerina, age 35, of Temple, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine;
• Oscar Rodriguez, age 34, of Cameron, marijuana;
• Thomas Lee, age 30, of Temple, marijuana;
• Atilano Felipe Garcia, age 33, of Temple, less than 50 grams of methamphetamine;
• Crystal Beck Diggs, age 36, of Belton, less than 50 grams of methamphetamine;
• Douglas Junior Taylor, age 37, of Temple, cocaine;
• Jonathan Salazar, age 29, of Cameron, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine;
• Kevin Kuehnle, age 50, of Killeen, less than 50 grams of methamphetamine;
• Tawuan Stewart (aka “Gator”), age 37, of Temple, cocaine; and,
• Rodney Jerome, age 46, of Temple, less than 50 grams of methamphetamine.

If convicted, Ramon Rodriguez, Mendoza, Lopez, Denova, and Tijerina face between ten years and life in federal prison; Rangel, Rollins, Salazar and Arthur face between five and 40 years in federal prison; Diggs, Garcia, Montgomery, Stewart, Kuehnle, Jerome, and Taylor face up to 20 years in federal prison; and, Salomon, Oscar Rodriguez and Lee face up to five years in federal prison based on their involvement, drug type and drug amount involved, U.S. Attorney’s Office officials said.

Ramon Rodriguez, Mendoza, Lopez, Denova and Lee face up to four years in federal prison upon conviction of the use of a cell phone during a drug trafficking crime. Salomon faces five years in federal prison upon conviction for possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.

Authorities also arrested three other Temple residents today: Jerry Alexander, age 39; Carlos Brown, 41; and, T.J. Olivarri, 28.

In the course of their investigation, authorities seized approximately two pounds of “crystal” methamphetamine, several ounces of heroin, approximately ½ pound of cocaine, several pounds of marijuana; approximately $45,000 and up to 15 firearms. Previously, authorities have seized approximately one kilogram of “crystal” methamphetamine and smaller amounts of cocaine and marijuana.

All of the defendants remain in federal custody. Detention hearings are expected to occur over the next two weeks before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey C. Manske in Waco.