DPS Busts Four in San Angelo for Manufacture/Delivery of Meth and Heroin

Investigators for the Texas Department of Public Safety initiated a drug bust in San Angelo on Wednesday, leading to the arrests of four individuals each charged with two counts of manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance.

Captain Brian Baxter, who heads the DPS Criminal Investigations Division for 30 counties including Tom Green, said that the four suspects had been jailed as part of an investigation in San Angelo and were found with both meth and heroin. 

Priscilla Espinosa, 24, Juanita Perez, 32, Mario Ramos, 24, and Ramiro Vera Jr., 24, were all booked into the Tom Green County Jail between 2:30 and 3 p.m. on Wednesday by DPS officers. 

Baxter could not disclose whether the four were part of a drug ring or individual cases, however he did state that the investigation was ongoing. 

He explained that because the suspects were caught with quantities of both meth and heroin, they each received two counts of manufacture/delivery. The charge differs from possession in that quantity is generally more than what is considered a usable amount, and there is reasonable cause to believe there is an intent so sell or deliver the drugs. It can also be applied if someone is found to be manufacturing or making the substance.

Espinosa and Vera are familiar names in San Angelo, made infamous when the SAPD circulated wanted posters of each on their Facebook page in connection to a recent burglary. Espinosa then began commenting on the PD's post about Vera, indicating she clearly knew she was wanted as well at the same time.

Espinosa is the only one in the group booked solely on the manufacture/delivery charges Wednesday, and her jail records list only a few entries dating back to 2008, including assault and burglary of a building. 

Ramiro Vera Jr. was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon in addition to the two manufacture/delivery charges on Wednesday. His records show jailings for aggravated robbery, car theft, PI and criminal trespass, beginning in 2007 and continuing through Wednesday. 

Perez's records show she has been booked into the jail for DWI and possession of drug paraphernalia in the past, and she was also charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon Wednesday. Her records in Tom Green County date back to 2011.

Mario Ramos began his criminal career in the county in 2008, and has since been charged with evading arrest, marijuana possession and evading arrest. On Wednesday, he was also booked on indictments for possession and evading arrest with previous conviction.

Manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance >4 grams </= 200 grams is a first-degree felony punishable by 5-99 years imprisonment and an optional $10k fine.

Other Wednesday Bookings

In addition to the four jailed for manufacture/delivery, a fifth man was picked up on the same charge by the Tom Green County Sheriff's Office Wednesday, following indictments for two counts of manufacture/delivery and one indictment for marijuana possession.

The indictments stem from a June 6 traffic stop in the 1800 block of La Follette St., when SAPD officer Bryan Bylsma searched the vehicle of Adrian Herrera Medina and found two small plastic baggies containing a "purple crystal like substance which field tested positive for methamphetamine".

The weight of the baggies with their contents came out to approximately 2.5 grams, and Medina was also carrying $1,841 cash. A probable cause search of his vehicle revealed electronic scales and plastic baggies commonly used for meth distribution.

Medina was booked into the jail on that date, charged with man/del and possession. He was released the next day after posting a $25k surety bond on each offense.

On Wednesday, Medina and the other four suspects were joined in jail by 42 other individuals, booked on various charges. 

Drugs constituted the majority of felony charges at 10 counts of manufacture/delivery split among the previously mentioned five individuals, as well as four possession charges and two counts of mairjuana possession among the inmates.

There were an additional six charges of assault reported among the individuals, as well as six theft, four bad check charges, one evading arrest, one racing on highway, one PI and one DWI charge.

Thirty-four inmates were released on Wednesday.