Mattawa drug bust suspects identified
Twelve people arrested
MATTAWA - Information on the 12 individuals arrested during a Wednesday drug seizure in Mattawa was released Friday by the Grant County Sheriff's Office.
"Five residences in the Mattawa area yielded several pounds of finished and ready to be packaged marijuana," Grant County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy John Turley noted.
Two kilos of cocaine, one pound of methamphetamine and more than $135,000 in cash were located.
"In some residences, marijuana was found hanging and drying in the bedrooms normally used for the children of the household," he noted.
More than 2,500 mature marijuana plants were located and harvested by a helicopter unit with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and the Washington State Patrol in the Lower Crab Creek area near Mattawa, Turley added.
Hector Gonzalez-Fernandez, 24, a Mexican national, was arrested for conspiracy to manufacture marijuana. He is on an immigration and customs enforcement hold with no bail.
Ruben Gonzalez-Fernandez, 22, Mexican national, was arrested for conspiracy to manufacture marijuana. He is on an immigration hold with no bail.
Vicky Gonzalez was arrested for possession of cocaine with intent to deliver and possession of marijuana with intent to deliver.
Anna Barajas, a resident alien, was arrested for possession of marijuana with intent to deliver. Bail was set for Barajas at $25,000.
Isidro Gonzalez-Gutierrez, 35, was arrested for being an alien in possession of a stolen firearm. Gonzalez-Gutierrez is on immigration hold with no bail.
Jose Orlando-Sanchez, 25, Mexican national, was arrested for conspiracy to manufacture marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver and for being an alien in possession of a firearm. He is on immigration hold with no bail.
Edelmira Reyes, 32, Mexican national, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver. Reyes is on immigration hold with no bail.
Jose Leonides Cortes, 35, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver. He is on immigration hold with no bail. He identified himself as Socorro Barajas Cortes to a judge, Turley noted.
Espiridion Chavez-Lopez, 46, a resident alien, was arrested for possession of marijuana and for being an alien in possession of a firearm. His bail was set at $10,000.
Chavez-Lopez is married with six children, he added.
Salvador Mauricio Ramos Chavez, 24, a resident alien, had his bail set at $10,000l.
Law enforcement arrested Ramos Chavez after he jumped out of a window with a large amount of marijuana, Turley advised.
Ramos Chavez is married with two children.
Miguel Ramos-Lopez, 23, Mexican national, was arrested for conspiracy to manufacture marijuana. He is on immigration hold with no bail.
Marcelino Lopez, a resident alien, was arrested for conspiracy to manufacture marijuana. His bail was set at $25,000. He identified himself as Marcelino Ramos-Lopez to the judge.
Turley said further information on the suspects will be released later as the investigation is conducted. He said although the age of some suspects was not available, they were all adults.
More than 4,000 mature marijuana plants were harvested from five different wooded areas in Kittitas and north of the Old Vantage Highway in addition to drugs located in the homes, he said.
A residence in Sunnyside connected to the Mattawa drug bust was searched by a Yakima County task force.
Six marijuana plants were located growing, nine plants were hanging up to dry, and three and a half pounds were ready for packing. Officer confiscated scales, $300 in cash and two vehicles, Turley noted.
"No arrests were made as there was no one at home at the time of the search warrant," he advised. "Arrest warrants are anticipated."
More than 60 law enforcement personnel from 11 agencies provided service for arrests, drug seizures and drug eradication, Turley noted. Four months of constant surveillance was conducted leading to the bust.
"No one was injured during the exercise of the search warrants," he advised. "There were no complaints of harm to any of the 12 adults arrested."