22 People Arrested in Midland-Odessa Drug Bust

Federal, state, and local authorities arrested seven individuals for their role in a methamphetamine distribution scheme operating in the Odessa area, said a press release from the DEA on Tuesday. A federal grand jury indictment, unsealed Tuesday, charged those 7, along with 15 other individuals who were previously arrested, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., Western District of Texas, and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Will Glaspy, El Paso Division.

“Today we dismantled a dangerous drug trafficking organization that sold and distributed methamphetamine throughout the Midland-Odessa area. I am extremely proud of the work DEA and our partners have done in this investigation to help keep the Permian Basin safe,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Will Glaspy.

“These defendants are accused of using family connections to establish a drug distribution ring that converted large quantities of liquid methamphetamine into crystal methamphetamine and sold it on the streets of Odessa,” stated United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr. “The cooperation between the federal and local law enforcement agencies effectively disrupted this organization,” he added.

Between August 2015 and November 2015, the defendants, under the direction of brothers Moises and Jose Ramirez, allegedly conspired to distribute methamphetamine in the Western and Northern Districts of Texas.

On September 21, 2015, Ector County Sheriff’s deputies seized approximately 3.5 pounds of methamphetamine from Henry Andrade, Sr. and Monica Berumen Lopez following a traffic stop in Odessa. In November 2015, federal and local authorities executed four search warrants in Odessa and seized a total of 11 pounds of methamphetamine allegedly belonging to this organization. Ten pounds of the seized methamphetamine was in the process of being converted from liquid into crystal form; the other pound was in crystal form.

This investigation was conducted by DEA agents in Midland, El Paso and Oregon together with the Midland County Sheriff’s Office, Midland Police Department, Ector County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The United States Marshals Service assisted in today’s arrests. Assistant United States Attorney V. LaTawn Warsaw is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.

It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The following is a list of those arrested. They face between ten years and life in federal prison upon conviction.

John Flores, 51, of Odessa

Julian Ruiz, 39, of Odessa

Bonnie Aguilar, 49, of Odessa

Argentina Lujan, 35, of Odessa

Raul Gardea, 29, of Odessa

Toby Eaton , 39, of Odessa

Deidra Elaine Acosta, 37, of Odessa

Mauro Delgado, 39, of Odessa

Paul Levario, 41, of Odessa

Oscar Escudero, 19, of Odessa

Manuel Perez, 21, of Odessa

Juan Daniel Vega, 21, of Odessa

Raul Robles, 26, of Odessa

Janet Perez, 36, of Cornelius, Oregon

Jose Luis Miranda Ramirez, 63, of El Paso                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Mercedes Garcia De Ramirez, 62, of El Paso

Henry Andrade Sr., 43, of El Paso

Monica Del Carmen Berumen Lopez, 30, of El Paso

Martin Llanez, 38, of Odessa

Chastity Grooms, 26, of Odessa