Operation “ICE STORM” Nets 23 Drug Arrests

HAMILTON, TX -- On Thursday, Feb. 15 the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit obtained 24 felony warrants for 20 Defendants through Hamilton County Justice of the Peace James Lively. On Friday, February 16, 2018 HCSO began coordinating with surrounding law enforcement agencies to serve the warrants. HCSO with the assistance of Coryell County Sheriff Scott Williams began traveling to locations the wanted Defendants frequented. While searching for the Defendants, methamphetamine, marijuana, digital scales and other drug paraphernalia were observed in plain view at two residences. The “warrant round up” landed three more Defendants in Coryell County Jail for Possession of a Controlled Substance. During the operation, Officers were informed by local citizens and landlords that the houses and apartments had been suspected for narcotics distribution for some time.

In October of 2016 the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office began an undercover narcotics operation with the primary focus of targeting methamphetamine suppliers either in or transporting to Hamilton County, Texas. Through the course of the investigation it was learned methamphetamine dealers were traveling from several locations in order to supply Hamilton County with narcotics. HCSO found a majority of the methamphetamine supplied to the City of Hamilton and Southern Hamilton County, Texas came from Coryell, McLennan, Tarrant, Travis and Bell County.

The primary investigation took well over a year to establish credible information and place undercover officers in a position to deal directly with distributors. The overall goal of Operation “Ice Storm” was to target actual methamphetamine dealers and not street level users. A focus was placed on the distribution of methamphetamine, however, during the operation it was discovered black tar heroin was also being transported to the City of Hamilton and peddled out of the (now closed) Bush's Chicken drive thru. Furthermore, it was uncovered several of the Defendants were actual or self-proclaimed members of the criminal street gang Aryan Brotherhood of Texas, better known as The ABT.

Phase One of the operation resulted in 20 Defendants being arrested for felony delivery of a controlled substance. A vast majority of the Defendants are facing up to 99 years in prison if convicted of the crimes against them. Sheriff Justin Caraway stated, “When running for Office the drug issues in our County were a hot topic. We knew we had to do something to send a message that type of behavior would not be tolerated in our community! This is the first set of Defendants in our ongoing narcotics operation in and around Hamilton County. Let the record show, if you choose to peddle your poison in our county, we will hunt you down and work to prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law! OUR COMMUNITY and OUR CHILDREN are worth the fight!”

A big thank you to Coryell County Sheriff Scott Williams and his Deputies for all their assistance throughout this long term investigation. This was another prime example of how working together can have big results!!