Prosecutors are targeting methamphetamine traffickers in West Texas

Federal and local law enforcement are targeting methamphetamine traffickers in the oil-rich Midland-Odessa region of west Texas.

EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – Separate grand juries this week indicted four men and three women for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in the oil-rich Midland region of Texas.

The arrests that led to the charges involved shots fired in the street, a vehicle chase that ended in a crash, and drugs stored a short distance away from a park and an elementary school.

Midland Police Department narcotics detectives had been investigating methamphetamine sales in the city for several months and identified two potential distributors who were storing drugs and firearms at a home near Travis Elementary and Dunagan Park.

Court documents show Midland police heard gunshots along South Terrell Street on June 2 and intercepted a Cadillac driven by one of the suspected dealers. Officers determined that three passengers, including driver Juan Chavez Carrillo, had warrants for their arrests. Chavez’s girlfriend, Elizabeth Leyva, was allegedly found in possession of nearly a half-ounce of methamphetamine hidden in her bra.

Authorities executed a search warrant at a suspected drug stash. Investigators found several ounces of methamphetamine and cocaine, a 9mm Glock handgun and a 12-gauge shotgun, according to an affidavit.

On Wednesday, a grand jury indicted Chavez and Leyva on charges of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

On June 12, the narcotics unit took on another suspected distributor. According to an affidavit, detectives learned that Cole Moody had purchased a significant amount of methamphetamine in New Mexico and kept it at a Midland hotel along with a firearm and a bulletproof vest.

A police SWAT team tried to stop Moody as he was leaving the hotel, but the suspect allegedly got into a pickup truck and drove away. Court records show the chase ended with Moody destroying his vehicle and then attempting to flee before officers caught and detained him.

Investigators allegedly found 2 pounds of methamphetamine, a small amount of fentanyl, a firearm and a bulletproof vest in the pickup truck. Detectives searched a hotel room occupied by Moody and found two women and a man in possession of methamphetamine and/or cocaine in their clothing or personal items.

On Wednesday, a grand jury indicted Moody, Kassandra Madrid, Jerry Wayne Sisco and Cheyanne Montijo on charges of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute.

On June 3, an FBI agent assigned to the El Paso Field Office and Ector County Sheriff’s Office investigators learned from an informant about a drug transaction involving methamphetamine allegedly being offered for sale by Victor Antonio Coca in Odessa, Texas.

The informant showed investigators clear plastic bags containing approximately 4 ounces of methamphetamine he allegedly purchased from Coca and said he saw the suspect in possession of another 1.5 kilograms of meth.

Investigators later arrested Coca and searched the hotel room, where they allegedly found the woman trying to flush methamphetamine down the toilet. The officers seized over half a kilogram of drugs.

Coca allegedly told authorities he had brought 2 kilograms of methamphetamine from Houston to sell in Odessa. This week, a grand jury indicted him on charges of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.