Community
Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).
Narcotics Investigation – Dismantling of Large Scale Drug Trafficking Organization
Nature of Incident: | Narcotics Investigation – Dismantling of Large Scale Drug Trafficking Organization |
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Report Number: | n/a | ||||
Location: | Various Locations Throughout Ventura and Los Angeles Counties | ||||
Date & Time: | September 2017 through September 2018 | ||||
Unit(s) Responsible: | Ventura County Combined Agency Task Force (VCAT), which includes the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, the Oxnard Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Simi Valley Police Department. |
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(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent |
City of Residence |
Age | |||
Omar Rangel Bryan Vega Nancy Romero Cesar Alvarez Serrano Alma Ceja Richard Kevin Riley Rhonda Harvey William Kragthorpe Xavier Lozano Jose Florentino Soto Joseph Rigoberto Soto Jorge Antonio Jimenez Alondra Banuelos Melissa Arnold Joshua Grimes |
San Fernando Valley Reseda Canoga Park Winnetka Downey Hollywood Van Nuys Sherman Oaks Imperial Beach Los Angeles Los Angeles Sylmar Sylmar Oxnard Simi Valley |
29 20 33 30 47 48 47 54 27 40 21 43 23 45 34 |
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Narrative: | |||||
The law enforcement agencies listed above concluded a year-long investigation into the distribution of controlled substances throughout Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. The investigation resulted in dismantling a Los Angeles based drug trafficking organization and the arrests of thirteen suspects for a variety of narcotics sales and weapons possession. During the month September 2017, detectives from the Ventura County Combined Agency Task Force began investigating a Los Angeles County subject who was suspected of dealing bulk-quantities of narcotics to the residents of Ventura County. During this investigation, detectives learned that the source of narcotics was Omar Rangel (29 years / San Fernando Valley resident). Rangel was the leader of a Los Angeles based drug trafficking organization, which involved numerous persons. This drug trafficking organization was found to be moving substantial quantities of narcotics originating from a drug cartel in Sinaloa, Mexico and then distributing the drugs to bulk-quantity traffickers in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. Throughout this investigation, detectives served numerous narcotics-related search warrants, which resulted in the seizure of large amounts of narcotics, indicia of drug sales, weapons, and several arrests. During the course of the investigation, detectives seized a total of 161 pounds of methamphetamine, 121 pounds of cocaine, 13.2 pounds of heroin, 6.6 pounds of fentanyl, 600 fentanyl pills, more than $353,000 in drug-sales proceeds, and 12 firearms. The combined street value of the seized drugs was more than $10,800,000. All of the above-listed subjects were booked during the course of this investigation, or their arrests are imminent, pending arrest warrants. The Ventura County Combined Task Force is made up of members from local, state and federal law enforcement agencies who work collaboratively to identify, disrupt, dismantle, and prosecute major narcotics trafficking organizations. Please access the following link for additional information pertinent to this news story: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/b03whajdu58du4f/AADsIZ48sQoDTy40IOY0YoOWa?dl=0 |
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Prepared by: | Sergeant Steve Trickle | ||||
News Release Date: | October 2, 2018 | ||||
Media Follow-Up Contact: | Detective Andrew Pinkstaff [email protected] 805-383-8757 |
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Approved by: | Captain Robert Thomas | ||||
Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).
Address/Location
Ventura County Sheriff's Office
800 S Victoria Ave
Ventura, CA 93003
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 805-654-9511