A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas has indicted 16 individuals, alleging their involvement in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. The defendants are charged with federal drug and gun violations. A multi-agency law enforcement operation led to their arrests on April 16, 2025. The investigation began in November 2022 and has resulted in the seizure of over 10 kilograms of methamphetamine and 14 firearms. The accused made their initial court appearances on the same day in Beaumont, Texas.
The individuals allegedly involved in the methamphetamine conspiracy operating in Angelina, Nacogdoches, and Polk counties have been identified as Albert Lopez, Adaryl Douglas, Hector Gomez, Oscar Padilla, Leanna Jean Busby, Amanda McBride, John Christopher Rios, Jose Pedro Guzman Jr., Lorene Michelle Baker, David Davis, Jr., Penny Ann King, Jodi Calvin Sparkman, Christopher Dewayne Harvey, Gary Mills, Clifton Collin-Dakota Smith, and Corey Mullan. Charges include conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. If the accused are convicted, they face sentences ranging from 10 years to life in federal prison.
In addition to these charges, Eduardo Barajas-Macias, a close associate of the conspiracy, was arrested for an immigration violation.
The operation is part of the broader initiative called Operation Take Back America. This initiative aims to combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent crime. The operation involves the resources of the Department of Justice's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case is under investigation by multiple agencies, including the Angelina County Sheriff's Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Lufkin Police Department, Nacogdoches County Sheriff's Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, and U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter is overseeing the prosecution.
Authorities remind the public that a federal indictment is not evidence of guilt, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
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