Dawn White and other tribal drug agents first noticed a Detroit link to an influx of drugs in 2012 when they came across Victor Nicholas Wakefield. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Authorities say someone who received the package in error called sheriffs officials earlier this week. The Dawn Whitehas attended several funerals of loved ones lost todrugs, includingacousinconsidered a little sister. Gerald "Chip" White Jr., who grew up there, leads thisteamof six special agents police or military veteranswho team to rootoutcartel associates and dealers andintercept drug shipments and payments. 1 killer. State's Attorney Richard Riha said. All 26 defendants have been charged with Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, while others also face weapons and money laundering charges. Operation Blue Prairie dealt an expensive blow to traffickers and in the short term will make oxycodone pills more expensive and less accessible, the prosecutor said. The next day,Oct. 15, 2018, Packineau began to worry when she couldn't reach her daughter by phone. Baquan and Darius Sledge, brothers, face Criminal Continuing Enterprise charges which carry a mandatory sentence of 20 years in federal prison. 26 indicted in 'unprecedented' drug trafficking bust on ND reservations Becker County Sheriff Todd Glander says a state patrol trooper pulled over a vehicle and a search turned up 196 grams of heroin, 2 grams of cocaine and nearly $6,300 in cash. With fentanyl increasingly tainting more drugs, each relapse became potentially more deadly. "This meth is not made by the methods we're seeing around here," Tribal police must show probable cause, that it was more likely than not, the suspects were guilty of bringing drugs onto the reservation. "This is pretty high-grade meth.". Drug Bust - KX NEWS In the longer term, the solution is stopping people from using drugs through prevention and treatment programs. Anyone struggling with addiction can find help through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's national helpline, 1-800-662-HELP. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Phone Number: (571) 387-3545. pounds of marijuana, along with a handgun and paraphernalia used to Wakefield insists he wasn't the mastermind who decided to target North Dakota, his attorney, Kent Morrow, told The Courier Journal. "The illegal drug trade is so devastating," said MHA Nation Chairman Mark Fox, an attorney andU.S. Marine Corp veteran. (KOTA) - U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons announced 37 people were federally indicted as part of a large-scale meth trafficking network. "She was a bear doing everything she could to protect her daughter, putting herself in danger," Dawn White said. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. farmstead during the March raid, but the drugs found and subsequent FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) Outgoing U.S. Attorney for North Dakota Drew Wrigley announces key arrests in a major drug trafficking investigation. Drug Bust Toggle header content. home. She said Detroit dealers typically get fentanyl from Mexican cartel members, picking up the drugs inborder states. The flames burn on an oil rig at dusk outside New Town, North Dakota, on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. . BECKER CO., Minn. Three Chicago people were arrested in a drug bust in Detroit Lakes earlier this month. coming.". MINOT, N.D. A task force drug seizure in Minot Tuesday morning removed more than half a million dollars worth of narcotics off the streets, and landed a Minot man in jail, according to Minot Police investigators. WEST FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) - The Cass County Drug Task Force with the Drug Enforcement Administration made a significant methamphetamine drug bust. "rock" of meth is $75,000 and the marijuana is valued at $4,800. "What does she look like? A criminal complaint. But for dealers, it's a drive worth making. 26 indicted in unprecedented drug trafficking bust on ND reservations, Mother arrested for leaving children home alone to go to gym, police say, Police: Man shipped $3 million worth of fentanyl to restaurant, Army identifies 3 soldiers killed in Alaska helicopter crash, Mr. Food Cheesy Bacon Pierogi Bake - May 1, Mosque Fire Suspect Arrested and Charged - May 1, Fargo man fails to return to Center Inc. while on work release - May 1, Pounds moving to new location in downtown Fargo - May 1. BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - Law enforcement says they seized thousands of illegal pills and thousands in cash in two drug busts. After conducting a search . (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). "You had her in life," White told them. Packineau recalls sobbingas she drove off without her daughter:"You look at your child and you just will them to get better.". Police arrested 44-year-old Loren Berg on eight felony charges, including two A-felony drug charges, as well as a misdemeanor. On the reservation, traffickers can get $80-$100. All were caught shortly after the raid, except Barth who eluded law One of Wakefield's associates, a Detroit trafficker dubbed "Blue," took over the network. The two brothers -- Darius Sledge and Baquan Sledge -- face drug conspiracy, money laundering, drug possession and distribution, and other charges for allegedly bringing pills to North Dakota from the Detroit area and targeting people to sell for them. Cheyenne died alone in the hotel room, one of many fromthe reservation and across the country who succumbed to a fentanyl overdose. Cheyenne seemed upbeat and said they decided to stay one more night. Drug bust in West Fargo (West Fargo Police Department) By Valley News Live - Staff Published: Dec. 28, 2021 at 11:28 AM PST WEST FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - Two men are in the Cass. redistribution in the Bismarck area. Bismarck police officers were notified, and together they arrested Two arrested after 9.5 pounds of meth is seized from West Fargo motel The agent learnedthe missing athlete's location and shared it with the mother. Rachelle Baker leans into the car window of her aunt, tribal police drug agent Dawn White, to thank her for arresting her years ago and nudging her into drug treatment, saving her life. SHARE. All rights reserved. ), Reach Travis Svihovec at 701-250-8260 or Travis.Svihovec@bismarcktribune.com. "Why wouldnt I be passionate to fight this?". She's seenmore and morefentanyl-laced pills, with dealers who supply the reservation also setting up hubs in the closest cities across North Dakota:Bismarck, Minot and Williston. The 6-foot-2 basketball standouts left forearm displayed Kasten, the name of her 1-year-old son, inked in black Old English font. Her talent playing for the high school in the town of Parshall, on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, secured Cheyenne acollege scholarship. Traffickers"have destroyed many of our families.". Share this story. This year has already surpassed that, with 81 overdoses and 10 deaths by mid-August. It's a19-hour drivefrom Detroit to New Town. Drug Bust. Drug Enforcement Administration and Cass County Drug Task Force seize 9.5 pounds of meth from West Fargo hotel (1), Man arrested for arson after two Minneapolis mosque fires, Woman hospitalized after being hit by vehicle in Dilworth; 1 in custody, Alabama man arrested in West Fargo pursuit, Thousands rummage through items for sale in West Fargo, Gov. Drew Wrigley is the U.S. attorney for North Dakota. Reporter Beth Warren: bwarren@courier-journal.com; 502-582-7164; Twitter @BethWarrenCJ. FARGO, N.D., On January 7, Drew Wrigley, U.S. Attorney for the District of North Dakota, announced charges against 26 defendants involved in Operation Blue Prairie, a drug pipeline connecting individuals in Detroit, Michigan, to the Spirit Lake, Turtle Mountain and Fort Berthold Indian Reservations in North Dakota. December 2, 2021. Not only is this a significant case but this is a significant trafficker him or herself youre dealing with, again as Ive said before a pipeline here that when you crip that off youve done something pretty significant for a substantial amount of that type of narcotic making its way into our area, Wrigley said. Fellow officers dubbed her the "Rainman of Narcotics" because she closely studies the suspects and their associates and doesn't forget a name or face. Four people face felony drug charges following a Narcotics Task Force bust in Minot. Police say they have tried to arrest Anderson multiple times over the past several weeks but were unsuccessful. North Dakota reports jump in drug overdose deaths | AP News ABOVE: Patrol Agent and K9 handler Britney Larvie watches for suspicious activity while on patrol in Parshall, North Dakota, on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. She called himher "little sunshine,"tickledhim while changing his diaperand loved keeping him by her side. Earlier this year, The Courier Journal reported how the shooting of a Louisville police detective was linked to a large drug ring with Detroit ties. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). "She really did try," Packineau said, nearly whispering as she knelt beside the grave. January 07, 2021. receiving large quantities of meth and marijuana from Washington You can cancel at any time. TOP: Tribal police seized fake prescription pills containing fentanyl, now America's No. "It was like getting pieces to a big puzzle, and Those who havebeen banished havea right to appeal, but none have so far. The estimated street value of the softball-sized Bismarck Police Department received information that Barth was Drug Bust. Indian reservations can be easy prey because dealers can find a midlevel person who can be trusted and law enforcement is generally understaffed, Wrigley said. He was caught June 10, 2020, while transporting hundreds of suspected fentanyl pills. DEA will continue to root out the bad actors responsible for terrorizing our Native American communities through drug trafficking., Domestic Cannabis Suppression / Eradication Program, Red Ribbon Toolkit - Resources For Your Community, DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, Intelligence Research Specialist Job Announcements, Schedule A Hiring Authority: Intelligence Research Specialist, Privacy Impact Assessment and Management Information Systems, Victim Witness Assistance Program Resources. Eight of the 26 defendants are from Detroit, one is from Kentucky and 17 are from North Dakota. Please subscribe to keep reading. Cheyenne's fatherpulled her from thedrug house. The oil boom brought money and transient workers and, ultimately, drug traffickers from Detroit. Itincorporates the Three Affiliated Tribes' culture through customs such as smudging and sweats in an effort to strengthen the spiritual foundation ofthose inrecovery. Schuylkill County Man Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearm Offenses. "It's there so I dont lose my focus," she said. Legislative Session Ends With Passage of Nearly $20 Billion Budget. Our tribal communities are no different than any other when it comes to the destruction that drug addiction and the associated property and violent crime brings. Detroit drug dealers have arrived on Amtrak trains ), State Securities Commissioner Karen Tyler has ordered two eastern North Dakota men to stop the alleged sale of $25 million in unregistered pro, A citizen group that wants more details about the Bismarck Public School District's finances has successfully petitioned theNorth Dakota Stat, A chase that reached speeds of 120 mph on rural roads ended in Bismarck after police fired several shots and arrested a man they say shot at t. Packineau is haunted by a question: What if the last person to see her alive had called 911? Cheyenne and hundreds of other Native Americans in North Dakota have been ensnared by Detroit traffickers, who set up a drug pipeline more than a decade ago targeting North Dakota cities. The. meth and marijuana, class A and B felonies that carry a combined Staff Writer. by: Lauren Davis. Cheyenne, whose Hidatsa name means"Cherry Blossom," used to dote on her son. White and the tribal drug force, Bismarck police, a local drug task force and agents with Homeland Security Investigations and the DEA teamed to nab Wakefield and severalothers in 2017. Multiple arrests in alleged Klamath Falls drug trafficking ring The drug pipeline involved moving the drugs from the Detroit area to three Native American reservations in North Dakota. All rights reserved. Updated: Sep 10, 2021 / 01:39 PM CDT. "Its a tempting target, abig target," said Bismarck defense attorney Kent Morrow, who has defended suspected traffickers. . Minot's largest fentanyl bust, worth about $400,000, goes to federal Updated: Mar 8, 2021 / 05:53 PM CST A Minot man was arrested on Sunday after police noticed him driving a vehicle without license plates and realized he had a warrant out for his arrest. TJ Nelson. For Immediate Release. North Dakota US Attorney says recent drug pipeline bust - KX NEWS BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - The Northwest Narcotics Task Force and the Williston Police Department have arrested a Williston woman for possession of various types of drugs. Jun 11, 2021. Benson County Sheriffs Office and Bureau of Indian Affairs Police were called to the casino Wednesday night around 8:30 for suspicious activity. Woman hospitalized after being hit by vehicle in Dilworth; 1 in custody, Alabama man arrested in West Fargo pursuit, Legal cannabis in Minnesota will lead to law enforcement challenges in North Dakota, Minnesota Senate votes 34-33 to legalize recreational cannabis, NDSU Star and Hankinson Native, Mauch Drafted By Bucs. Eight people have entered guilty pleas, and charges against more people are likely, Wrigley said. WEST FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - Two men are in the Cass County Jail after a drug investigation uncovered more than nine pounds of methamphetamine at a West Fargo motel. Officers, paramedics and even many drug users carry the opioid antidotenaloxone. A Ward County Narcotics Task Force Officer acknowledged under oath in January that law enforcement has profiled young men who are arriving in Minot from . He had been living with a woman on the reservation in the town of White Shield. Nearby, oil rigsites punctuated byneon flareslure outsiders with more sinister motives. Both are billion-dollar organizations with an army of followers that outnumbers agents withthe DEA and a reach across the globe. FARGO, N.D. The hard work of a Fargo Police K9 leads to a major drug bust in south Fargo. cash bond and Guitron-Vargas on a $100,000 cash bond. DICKINSON, N.D. (KFYR) - Two California suspects have been indicted on federal charges related to a large drug bust in Dickinson in November. Law enforcement didn't find anyone at the Oliver County Prosecutors say 24-year-old Megan Isaak sold more than half a ton of marijuana between March 2018 and April 2019. Bismarck Police Lt. Bob Haas said they received "Let us have her in death.". Dawn White is petite and often wears herraven hair intwo longbraids. Rhonda Packineau wears a necklace with daughter Cheyenne Packineau's initials as she visits her grave in the Parshall, North Dakota, Meadows Cemetery. Many of those recovering at the center were arrested by Dawn White, who nudged them into treatment. worked together March 25 to execute eight search warrants, which White teamed with agents with Homeland Security Investigations to build a case against Blue, but he was shot dead in Detroit in 2018. 4 arrested in narcotics bust in Minot. Published: Feb. 25, 2021 at 11:16 AM PST RAPID CITY, S.D. Wakefield pleaded guilty in 2018 and is serving a 12-year sentence in federal prison. The collaborative work of the DEA and the Cass County Drug Task Force is one of the most important protections we have in place to stop the flow of drugs into our community, said West Fargo Police Chief Denis Otterness. During the past eight years, 18 people have been banished. Two police officers led a frantic mother into a Bismarck, North Dakota, hotel room in 2018 toidentifythe tattooed arm of a body found sprawled on a bed. "And good kids. 2021 Oct 1, 2021; They'respread over a million acreslive insmall towns in the middle of opengreen plains with roaming cattle, golden wheat fields, yellow canola fields androcked buttes. A small-town police department has been known for their huge drug busts, and now they have an extra helper. Whoever she was with, possibly the person who brought her thefatal dose,emptiedher black makeup bag and took her purple Michael Korspurse and left. drug-networking ring came to a head about two months ago. valuable. Walz Attends Operating Engineers Union Convention in Florida, N.D. Authorities say it is expected that this case will be federally adopted in the United States District Court for theDistrict of North Dakota. CLOCKWISE, FROM LEFT: The remote North Dakota plains, home to rodeos, left) and a running of the steers event, right, on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation seems like a world away from the bustle and violence of Detroit.