FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: March 25, 2023
Released by: Sergeant Kent Vander Kamp
Madras, OR – Two Madras Men Arrested for Tracking Commercial Quantities of Drugs in Jefferson County
On March 15th, 2023, at approximately 10:30 AM, detectives with the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team and Special Agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration arrested Israel Sarabia, 29, and Sebastian Norato, 22, of Madras, Oregon, during an ongoing investigation.
CODE and DEA investigated a report that Serabia and Norato were importing large quantities of controlled substances into the central Oregon area from Mexico.
On March 15th, 2023, CODE and DEA, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, and Oregon State Police, executed simultaneous federal search warrants at a home on the 300 block of Timothy Drive in Culver and an apartment on the 200 block of Jefferson Street in Madras.
During the searches, agents seized commercial quantities of counterfeit oxycodone pills believed to contain fentanyl. In addition, cocaine, methamphetamine, three pistols and five rifles were also seized.
The counterfeit pills are meant to look like common pharmaceutical-grade painkiller oxycodone. However, these fake pills contain fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid similar to morphine but up to 100 times more potent. The cheap, counterfeit pills containing fentanyl are fueling an increase in fatal drug overdoses across Oregon. visit www.Dea.gov/OnePill for more information.
This case has been forwarded to the United States Attorney’s Office in Portland, charging consideration.
Both Sarabia and Norato were lodged in the Multnomah County Adult Jail with the following federal charges;
Violations of Title 21, 846, 841, & 843 - Conspiracy to Distribute & Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl.
This investigation is ongoing, and more arrests are expected. Therefore, limited information is available for release at this time.
The Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program and the following Central Oregon law enforcement agencies: Bend Police Department, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Redmond Police Department, Prineville Police Department, Crook County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Madras Police Department, Oregon State Police, Sunriver Police Department, Black Butte Police Department, United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Warm Springs Tribal Police Department, Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson County District Attorney’s, and the Oregon National Guard.
The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement task forces to disrupt or dismantle local, multi-state and international drug trafficking organizations.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: March 22nd, 2023
Released by: Sergeant Kent Vander Kamp
La Pine, OR –
A California man faces several charges of Mail Theft and False Information to a Police Officer after the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team detectives located and arrested him in the La Pine area.
On March 20th, 2023, at approximately 3:00 PM, the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team, in collaboration with the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office and Sunriver Police Department, received information that Jason Douglas Smith, age 39, of El Monte, California, had provided a false name and identification during a traffic stop the night before in Sunriver. The officers discovered the false name after the stop ended and conducted an investigation to determine his real identity.
CODE detectives are utilized because of their ability to locate fugitives, conduct covert surveillance and investigations in various environments. Also, it was believed that Mr. Smith may have been in possession of controlled substances and a firearm.
After his true identity was discovered, two nationwide arrest warrants were also found. The first warrant from Los Angeles County was for a parole/probation fugitive, and the second warrant, from Kern County (CA), was for possession of dangerous drugs.
During the afternoon of March 20th, 2023, CODE detectives located Mr. Smith and his vehicle. After several hours of surveillance, Mr. Smith began driving and was stopped by DCSO deputies, who conducted a high-risk stop and arrested him without incident.
A female passenger was also contacted in Mr. Smith's white Chevrolet Malibu. She was later released without charges.
During the search of Mr. Smith's car, CODE detectives located a significant amount of stolen mail. The recovered mail included newly issued credit cards, identification cards, checks, and parcels from retailers. Additionally, a user amount of methamphetamine was also located.
During the investigation, it was determined that Mr. Smith was visiting a family member on the 52000 block of Meadow Rd in La Pine. It appears that Mr. Smith began stealing mail from Weed, California, through and including the neighbors of his relative on Meadow Rd.
In the end, detectives collected three garbage bags of mail inside Mr. Smith's car. This recovered mail was delivered to the Postal Inspectors Office in Portland. They are in the process of repackaging and redelivering the mail to the rightful recipients.
Mr. Smith was lodged in the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Jail with the following charges.
10x Mail Theft or Receipt of Stolen Mail
1x False Information to a Police Officer
2x Out of State Arrest Warrant
Criminal complaints contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
CONTACT FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Sgt. Kent Vander Kamp, 541-550-4869 or kentv@deschutes.org
The Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program and the following Central Oregon law enforcement agencies: Bend Police Department, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Redmond Police Department, Prineville Police Department, Crook County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Madras Police Department, Oregon State Police, Sunriver Police Department, Black Butte Police Department, United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Warm Springs Tribal Police Department, Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson County District Attorney’s, and the Oregon National Guard.
The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement task forces to disrupt or dismantle local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: February 28th, 2023
Released by: Sergeant Kent Vander Kamp
Crook County, OR –
A Redmond woman faces controlled substance trafficking charges after the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team executes simultaneous search warrants in Crook and Deschutes Counties.
On February 22nd, 2023, at approximately 8:00 PM, the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team, in collaboration with the Crook County Sheriff's Office and Oregon State Police, concluded a long-term investigation and interstate surveillance operation with the arrest of Christie Armilda Dillman, age 41, of Redmond, Oregon.
Drug Agents identified Christie Dillman as a fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficker in central Oregon. The initial investigation alleges Ms. Dillman has been importing large quantities of fentanyl pills and methamphetamine from the Portland area into central Oregon, where she distributes it in the Redmond and Prineville areas.
After a surveillance operation throughout Oregon, CODE Detectives, with the assistance of Crook County Sheriff Deputies and Oregon State Police Troopers, stopped Ms. Dillman while she was driving a 2016 Ford Edge on N Grizzly Rd at NW Ryegrass Rd, in an unincorporated community of Crook County.
At the traffic stop, a Crook County Deputy attempted to detain Ms. Dillman. After a brief struggle, she was detained without further incident nor injury.
CODE narcotics detection K9 “Bonnie” was deployed and alerted her handler to the presence of a controlled substance within the Ford. K9 “Bonnie” is only one of two K9s in central Oregon trained and certified in detecting fentanyl, in addition to other controlled substances.
Based on the investigation, CODE Detectives applied for and obtained a Search Warrant for Dillman's blue Ford Edge. In addition to the search warrant, Ms. Dillman consented to a search.
A subsequent search of Dillman’s car located a substantial quantity of methamphetamine, counterfeit Oxycodone tablets made of fentanyl, and currency. These counterfeit tablets have been linked to an ongoing overdose epidemic in Central Oregon and contain fentanyl and can be deadly to an unsuspecting user.
At the same time, drug agents executed a search warrant at Dillman’s home on the 3000 block of SW Canal Blvd in Redmond. While searching Dillman’s home, drug agents located another substantial quantity of fentanyl tablets, packaging materials, drug paraphernalia, and two loaded firearms. Dillman’s teenage daughter was also home at the time of the search.
The daughter was released at the scene without charges and referred to DHS Child Welfare.
Ms. Dillman was lodged in the Crook County Sheriff’s Jail with the following charges. She later posted bail and was released. Additional charges were referred to the United States Attorney’s Office and the Deschutes County District Attorney's Office.
Unlawful Possession and Attempted Distribution of a Schedule II Controlled Substance (Fentanyl)
Unlawful Possession and Attempted Distribution of Methamphetamine
Felon in Possession of a Dangerous Weapon
Criminal complaints contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
CONTACT FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Sgt. Kent Vander Kamp, 541-550-4869 or kentv@deschutes.org
The Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program and the following Central Oregon law enforcement agencies: Bend Police Department, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Redmond Police Department, Prineville Police Department, Crook County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Madras Police Department, Oregon State Police, Sunriver Police Department, Black Butte Police Department, United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Warm Springs Tribal Police Department, Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson County District Attorney’s, and the Oregon National Guard.
The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement task forces to disrupt or dismantle local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations.
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