HOT SPRINGS -- An almost five-month operation by a local drug task force targeting what authorities described as a heroin distribution ring operating in Garland County resulted in the arrests of 13 suspects, officials said Friday.
The operation, called Operation White Horse, stemmed from a heroin overdose fatality June 7 where officers attempted to revive the victim with Narcan but were unsuccessful, said Garland County Prosecuting Attorney Michelle Lawrence, who oversees the 18th Judicial Circuit East Drug Task Force.
In late May, task force investigators received information about "a small group of individuals establishing themselves as heroin distributors in and around the Garland County area," Lawrence said.
The ensuing investigation centered on a core group of six individuals with ties to other states, including California and Texas, Lawrence said. As the investigation progressed, three suspects with links to the original group were added.
Heroin and three firearms, including an AR-15 assault rifle, were purchased from the nine suspects and roughly a half-ounce of heroin was seized, according to Lawrence.
Drug task force agents -- working with officers from Arkansas Community Correction, the Garland County sheriff's office narcotics unit, Arkansas State Police and the Hot Springs Police Department SWAT team -- served warrants between Tuesday and Thursday alleging delivery of a controlled substance and criminal organization activity involving those linked to the heroin ring, Lawrence said.
An unrelated drug search warrant early Friday morning at 135 Dart St. and 178 Fury St. resulted in the arrests of five suspects. The Garland County Tactical Response Team, the Hot Springs Police SWAT team and the Arkansas State Police assisted in the execution of the search warrant.
"Hot Springs and Garland County and the surrounding area are just a little bit safer today because of the work of this drug task force," Duane "Dak" Kees, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, said during a Friday news conference.
Kees said the investigation was a state and local operation. He also announced that he will assign an assistant U.S. attorney to Hot Springs to work with state, local and federal law enforcement officials. Kees said he has designated deputy prosecutors Trent Daniels and Kara Petro as special assistant U.S. attorneys who will work with his office to prosecute federal crimes.
"This is just a show of the commitment we have with Garland County and Hot Springs law enforcement," Kees said.
The 13 suspects were arrested after officials found ties to distribution of guns and heroin, Lawrence said. Heroin, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia also were seized. Four of the guns were seized from convicted felons, who are prohibited by law from possessing firearms, and resulted in additional charges against them, she said.
Seven of the nine primary suspects identified are in custody and two are still being sought, Daniels told The Sentinel-Record.
Jessie Robert Evans, 36, of Hot Springs is being sought on a warrant for delivery of a controlled substance, Daniels said, noting that Evans has "an extensive criminal history." Another suspect, referred to by Daniels as "the California contact," is also still being sought.
The seven primary suspects in custody are Shana Nicole Perry, 19, Natasha Aspinwall, 28, Crystal Megan Huckaby, 33, Alexander Joseph Woods, 22, Larry Wayne Natt Jr., 32, and Sean Andrew Yates, 30, all of Hot Springs; and Frank James Radley, 26, of Royal.
Radley is in custody but was in the hospital as of Friday evening. The other six are in the Garland County jail, each facing multiple felony charges.
Others arrested include Trevor Thomas Saunders, 32, hometown unknown; and Erin Michelle Taber, 32, Demarius Lesajun Grisby, 27, Charles Christopher Frazier, 32, James Aaron Vigil, 36, and Brandi Nicole Leonard, all of Hot Springs.
Daniels said the arrests of Vigil and Frazier, who were on parole, were the results of home visits where heroin and other contraband were found. "It all kept looping back in on itself," Daniels said.
The charges against each of the suspects vary, but many were charged with simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, punishable by up to life in prison; unauthorized use of another person's property to facilitate certain crimes, punishable by up to 20 years; and delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia, unlawful use of a communication device, manufacturing a controlled substance, and possession of a firearm by certain persons.
State Desk on 10/20/2018