Bust nets 7 arrests
By RYAN CHRISTNER
The Department of Justice, in conjunction with the Ellis County Sheriff's office, announced Wednesday the indictment of six men and a woman from Hays on federal drug trafficking charges.
Named in the 21-count indictment were Rigoberto Rubios, 24; Rusty "Ben" Marshall, 27; Thomas J. "T.J." Matheny, 19; Dylan Motta, 22; Keaton M. Molleker, 19; Franklin L. Graton, 20; and Angela Marie Alvarez, 27.
The indictment alleges that from about April 1 to June 30, Rubios, Marshall, Matheny and Motta conspired to distribute methamphetamine. Related counts allege that throughout May and June, those four men distributed various amounts of meth.
The second conspiracy charge alleges that from about April 1 to Oct. 31, all but Alvarez conspired to distribute cocaine and subsequently distributed the drug throughout that same time frame. Other charges include possession with the intent to sell either drug.
If convicted, the crimes carry severe penalties.
A conviction of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine results in a minimum 10-year prison term and a possible $4 million fine. The maximum penalty is life in prison.
A meth distribution conviction could net a five- to 40-year sentence and $2 million fine for each count.
Similar cocaine charges carry maximum penalties of 20 years and fines of up to $1 million.
Additionally, conviction of any of the charges could force the defendants to forfeit "any and all property constituting or derived from, proceeds obtained, directly or indirectly, as a result of the said violations and any property used, or intended to be used, in any manner or part, to commit, or to facilitate the commission of the said violations," the indictment states.
Such proceeds include more than $11,000 acquired on dates in July and September.
Sheriff Ed Harbin this morning said five other, unnamed people have charges pending.
Harbin said 12 arrests were made Wednesday as he and other local, state and federal officers executed five search warrants at locations throughout the city.
Although he could not yet elaborate further on the ongoing investigation, he did indicate that police activity at the Main Street 66 auto repair shop and at a garage behind an apartment complex located in the 300 block of East Fifth Street was related to the case.
Wednesday's activity was the culmination of an eight-month investigation led by the Ellis County Drug Enforcement Unit, a joint city, county and state task force unit.
According to Harbin, 73 officers from nine different departments were involved in the bust, including two special tactics teams made up of members of the Ellis, Russell and Lincoln county sheriff's offices, Hays and Garden City police, Kansas Highway Patrol, Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Alcoholic Beverage Control and a Drug Enforcement Agency unit out of Garden City.
Harbin said further details were not available, as not all reports had been turned in.
"We're still going, trying to get everything figured out," he said.