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URL: http://www.indianz.com/News/2005/008481.asp


Largest drug ring broken up on Wind River Reservation
Wednesday, June 1, 2005

Federal authorities announced on Tuesday the largest drug bust in the history of the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming.

Authorities arrested 19 people alleged to be involved in a major drug ring. Searches of homes on and off the reservation uncovered a half ounce of methamphetamine, a quarter pound of marijuana, more than 2,400 prescription pills and six weapons.

A single family is alleged to have supplied methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana, as well as prescription drugs, in and around the reservation. A Utah man was charged with bringing the drugs to the reservation although some of the pills may have come from the local Indian Health Service.

Among those arrested and charged is Lynda Colleen Munnell also known as Lynda Munnell-Noah, a tribal judge who heard drug-related cases in her court. The judge is accused of threatening to kill a Bureau of Indian Affairs agent who was investigating the drug ring.

Get the Story:
Lawyers: Tribal judge threatened agent in drug case (AP 6/1)
Officials: Family led drug ring (The Casper Star-Tribune 6/1)

Relevant Links:
Eastern Shoshone Tribe - http://www.easternshoshone.net
Northern Arapaho Tribe - http://www.northernarapaho.com

Related Stories:
Drug arrests made on Wind River Reservation (5/30)

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wyo_rose

Here's some more on this drug bust.

It's been all over the news here. The following article is taken from an online source with a policy of withholding names of people arrested for crimes.

I totally agree with this policy. The local papers have even had the family tree and alleged drug distribution network on the front pages. I firmly believe that everyone is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Some of these 19 people may be found innocent, but they're names were smeared all over the news anyway.

BUT....I'm glad that the cops are doing something about the meth problem on the rez and surrounding areas. In fact investigations are ongoing and I think they'll be more busts to come. Lots of folks have flown the coop though.

6/1/2005

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration has announced the arrest and indictment of 13 women and six men on Friday. The DEA, Wyoming DCI, Bureau of Indian Affairs, among other agencies dismantled a drug trafficking organization on the Wind River Indian Reservation. The investigation, which began over a year ago, focused on the narcotic activities which included distributing methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana and prescription pain killers such as OxyContin, Vicodin, and Darvocet. The sweep yielded approximately a ½ ounce of methamphetamine, 4 ounces of marijuana, almost 2 thousand 5 hundred prescription pills and six weapons. Two of the indictments include charges of threatening to assault and murder a law enforcement officer. Wind River Police Department Chief Doug NoSeep stated he was deeply concerned by the increasing amount of drug use and distribution on the Reservation, but this is a step in the right direction. The sweep was a joint effort between over a dozen agencies. 01tr9a

wyo_rose

Another good article:
US Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration

Year Long Investigation Nets 19 Arrests

Riverton, Wyoming-Matt Mead, United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming, Jeffrey D. Sweetin, Special Agent in Charge of the Rocky Mountain Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Kurt Dobbs, Director of the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, and Doug NoSeep, Chief of the Wind River Police Department announce today that the Goodman Drug Trafficking Organization operating on the Wind River Indian Reservation and in Fremont County has been dismantled. The investigation into the Goodman DTO began a year ago and culminated on Friday, May 27, 2005 with the execution of 28 federal search warrants and 19 arrests.

In 2004 the DEA Casper Office, the DCI Northwest Enforcement Team based in Riverton, and the BIA on the WRIR initiated an investigation into the Goodman DTO. This investigation focused on the narcotic activities of the Goodman DTO-a family run criminal organization based on the WRIR. The Goodman DTO is responsible for distributing methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, and diverted prescription painkillers, such as OxyContin, Vicodin, and Darvocet to residents of the Reservation and Fremont County. Investigators estimate that the Goodman DTO distributed at least one poind of methamphetamine each month to clients on the reservation.

The Goodman DTO has been put out of business. The success of this investigation is the direct result of federal, state, and local law enforcement joining together with the United States Attorney's Office and the Fremont County and Prosecuting Attorney's Office to dismantle the Goodman DTO from top to bottom.

United States Attorney Matt Mead stated, "The safety and welfare of the citizens of the WRIR has been a priority for my office. With these arrests, the good people on the reservation will no longer have to endure this drug trafficking organization in their backyard."

In May 2005 the Federal Grand Jury in the District of Wyoming returned two multi-count federal indictments against 18 individuals. On May 27, 2005, law enforcement commenced an operation that resulted in the arrest of 18 individuals indicted federally, one state arrest, and the execution of 28 federal search warrents. The search warrents yielded approximately a half-ounce of methamphetamine, a quarter poind of marijuana, 2,427 prescription pills and six weapons. The known prescription pills seized were OxyContin, Percocet, Darvocet, and Hydrocordone. The six weapons seized included a SKS assault rifle, three handguns and two rifles.

"Methamphetamine impacts every community in the region, not just the WRIR. The methamphetamine distributed by the Goodman DTO is not produced domestically. It is manufactured in super labs in Mexico and smuggled from Mexico. Organized criminal networks distribute methamphetamine to organizations like the Goodman DTO. Methamphetamine corrupts and erodes the foundation of our communities," stated Jeffery D. Sweetin, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Rocky Mountain Division.

Among those indicted and arrested was an Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribal Judge. She has been charged with conspiracy to distribute prescription pill, distribution of prescription pills, three counts of use of a communications facility, and threatening to assault and murder a law enforcement officer.

Wind River Police Department Chief Doug NoSeep stated, "As the Wind River Police Chief, I have been deeply concerned by the increasing amount of drug use and distribution on the Reservation. I believe this investigation is a step in the right direction in combating illegal drug distribution on the Reservation and surrounding areas."

The following organizations assisted in the successful conclusion of this investigation: Riverton Police Department, Lander Police Department, Fremont County Sheriff's Office, Wind River Police Department, Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, Wyoming Highway Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, United States Marshals Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Attorney's Office District of Wyoming, and the Fremont County and Prosecuting Attorney's Office. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Wyoming Department of Homeland Security, the Big Horn County Sheriff's Office, and the Cody Police Department provided invaluable assistance during the enforcement operation.

The defendants indicted federally are charged with various drug trafficking crimes. All charges can be found in either Title 21 or Title 18 of the United States Drug Code. Depending on the charge and the amount of drugs the defendants are alleged to have trafficked, they face prison terms of anywhere from one year to life and fines ranging from $250,000 to $4 million.

An indictment is only an accusation. In every criminal case, the accused is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty, and the government always has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. ----


Yeah, I say I don't want the names in the news. (*while I'm going to the library to find the paper with all the people listed to email to my mother-in-law out of state*) And everybody is just nosey anyway....including me.

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alamosaurus

A JUDGE who sat on drug cases was one of the accused?
Assuming she is guilty--how low can you get?

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alamosaurus

debbieyd

Where's Robo cop when you need him? On our Rez there was a 19 year old man who OD'd on meth or cocaine, what ever it was, a drug is a drug is a drug! We need to do something to help our youth and pull them out of the gutters....but what?

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Plenty Fox

And so they should...I am deeply shamed that some of my own people, and a tribal authority, are involved in the exploitation of our own kind. As a drug and alcohol counselor I am doubly shamed that with drug use so F-ing high on the rez, civil rights are suddenly more important to some. No way! These types of investigations are not like a rape case where ten years from now DNA will clear someone wrongly convicted. Alot of work goes into these investigations and the best way to deter other idiots from continuing to manufacture and sell on the rez, even if it is only a temporary staunch of the flow, the publicizing of suspects name is fair game. In this type of case, where there is smoke, there is always fire. Shame on Munnell-Noah.

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Damme ape’semmai, "Andabichidaiboonee’ gimmadu’i.Wihyu memme hainjinee’ nahandu’i. Enne wizha sudei’ tsaangu mabizhiahkande," mai.

The Creator said, "A foreign race of white people will come, who will become your friends. You should treat them well."

The Creator sure had a strange sense of humor!