Tyler, Texas (KETK) – An man had been sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to charges in connection with cartel marijuana grows in East Texas.
According to Smith County judicial records, on Monday, Regulo Ramirez-Duarte, 22, pleaded guilty to criminal conspiracy to commit possession of marijuana > 50 pounds
Fifteen fields were discovered following an 18-month long investigation by numerous East Texas law enforcement agencies.
On Tuesday, March 7, 2017, law enforcement issued warrants on multiple people believed to be involved in grows stemming from 2016. Warrants issued that day resulted in the arrest of four people from Mexico. ICE also detained several others who were present during those arrests.
The arrests were part of Operation Joint Venture which was initiated on July 28, 2015, in northeastern Smith County with the eradication of three illicit marijuana cultivation sites and the seizure of an estimated 22,000 marijuana plants. These seizures were initiated by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division and the US Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration.
As a result of this investigation, several suspects connected to the marijuana operation were identified. The investigation continued on this group, based out of Tyler, through December 2016.
Through investigative interviews, it was determined this organization was linked to the Los Zetas Cartel.
In all, from July of 2015 to November of 2016, approximately 77,000 individual marijuana plants were seized from fifteen sites. Utilizing DEA’s formula for estimating the quantity of marijuana that could have been produced from these plants it is estimated that approximately 169,400 pounds of marijuana would have been produced. Estimating the cost per pound at $600, approximately $101,640,000 was disrupted from aiding illegal activities of Mexico-based cartels.
Multiple grows have been found in the East Texas area over the past two years, including:
July 2015, Smith County – 22,000
March 2016, Smith County – 4,000
August 2016, Houston County (Davy Crockett National Forest) – 3,964
August 2016, Sabine County (Sabine National Forest) – 2,862
August 2016, Upshur County – 2,786
August 2016, Smith County – 4,125
September 2016, Anderson County – 3,828
September 2016, Smith County – 4,867
September 2016, Anderson County – 5,214
September 2016, Morris County – 4,406
September 2016, Van Zandt County – 3,375
September 2016, Henderson County – 9,010
September 2016, Upshur County – 7,087
September 2016, Harrison County – 3.334
October 2016, Upshur County – n/a
The total number of plants seized comes out to 76,858.
Officials tell KETK, Eduardo Ramirez Pineda, the reported leader of the ring, turned himself in to authorities on Friday, April 7. Prior to his surrender, he was listed as a fugitive.
Officials are still seeking Benito Duarte-Ramirez, who is listed as a fugitive, as well as five to six other people connected to the marijuana cultivation sites.
Co-conspirators listed in the case with Ramirez-Duarte include:
Erick Cruz-Olemedo
Ranferi Ramirez-Duarte
Albert Rueda-Ramirez
credit:easttexasmatters.com
