Lawmakers and legal officials in Kansas are praising the work of law enforcement after a major drug bust operation culminating last week with seizures of meth, guns and money, as well as the arrests of six people, including three Emporians. They also say past policy failures opened the door to this kind of incident.
Senator Roger Marshall thanked law enforcement for its work that led to the arrests of 33-year-old Elizabeth Benitez, 28-year-old Jesus Rodriguez and 42-year-old Troy Wagaman, all of Emporia, as well as 67-year-old Moises Sanchez of McAllen, Texas and 45-year-old Omar Carranza and 42-year-old Tiburcio Rangel, both Mexican nationals illegally residing in Emporia. Senator Marshall also stated, “Under President Trump, strong border policies have already helped reduce the flow of illegal drugs and criminal aliens into our country. In the Senate, I’m committed to ensuring law enforcement has the tools and resources needed to protect Kansas families.”
Senator Jerry Moran says, “After years of failing to keep the southern border secure, even smaller communities, hundreds of miles from the border, are dealing with the serious consequences of the illicit drug trade and migrant crisis. This case is an example of how important interagency cooperation and information sharing are between our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to keep our communities safe.”
Kansas Congressman Derek Schmidt says, “I know firsthand how blessed we are to have capable law enforcement professionals in Kansas, and I commend those involved in this enforcement action. I also remain committed to codifying President Trump’s commonsense border security policies to continue securing the southern border that is the source of so many drugs entering our country and the violence that often accompanies them.”
And Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach says, “This case illustrates perfectly the overlap between illegal immigration and drug trafficking from Mexico. It is one of the reasons that I directed a group of our KBI agents to receive special training from ICE. We need to keep these drugs and these criminals out of our communities in Kansas.”
Court process have started against all six defendants after 131 grams of crystal meth, up to 96 gallons of liquid meth, two conversion labs, 75 guns and $20,000 in cash were found last week at an Emporia home and a rural Emporia address.
3:30 pm: EPD: Crystal meth seizure last week could have led to almost 238,000 individual dosage amounts
With court hearing information now pending through the federal system, Emporia Police officers say a methamphetamine bust last week involving addresses in and near Emporia could have reached a lot of people had it gotten to the street.
Police Sgt. Dominick Vortherms says the 131 pounds of crystal meth found at 867 West Fifth — translating to nearly 60 kilograms of product — breaks down to almost 238,000 individual uses, based on a typical dosage amount of 0.25 grams. For comparison, Emporia’s projected population for the year is just under 25,000 — meaning around 9.5 individual uses for every Emporian. Lyon County’s projected population is is just under 32,500, according to Kansas Demographics, so the amount of crystal meth seized would lead to around 7.3 doses for every county resident.
A conversion amount from the 88-96 gallons of liquid meth to a corresponding amount of crystal meth is pending.
Vortherms also believes the amount of captured meth is the biggest ever processed by Emporia Police.
The research comes as four of the six defendants — 33-year-old Elizabeth Benitez, 28-year-old Jesus Rodriguez and 42-year-old Troy Wagaman, all of Emporia, and 67-year-old Moises Sanchez of McAllen, Texas — were set for detention hearings in Kansas City, Kansas, on Monday afternoon. One of two Mexican nationals allegedly living in Emporia illegally, 45-year-old Omar Carranza, has waived his detention hearing, while 42-year-old Tiburcio Rangel is being temporarily detained at last word.
The investigation that led to the arrests, discovery of the methamphetamine and related seizures of guns and cash actually started in January as the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and a confidential informant coordinated several controlled purchases of drugs in the Kansas City metro area, including a 33-pound or 15-kilogram purchase at a Kansas City, Kansas, grocery store in late March. Following arrests, information developed about alleged drug activity on West Fifth and at a rural address in the 1200 block of Road D, as well as suspicious charter bus traffic from Mexico to Emporia and back in March and April. Authorities including Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, the KBI and Emporia Police conducted a drug sweep at both locations early last week, finding around 75 guns and $20,000 in addition to the drugs and conversion labs.
