More Convictions In The “Operation Meilke Way” Drug Investigation, Assisted By Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office

 
The latest conviction in the “Operation Meilke Way” investigation is Jorge Rojas-Olivera, described as a “Drug Ring Leader”. Rojas-Olivera was sentenced to 35 years in prison and 5 years supervised release.
 
Rojas-Olivera was convicted for his part in the Mexico to Arkansas distribution of Meth that yielded a total of over 13 pounds of Meth, 163,000.00 in cash as well as several vehicles and firearms seized.
 
Included in the arrest and convictions were Michael Meilke and Kriston Birmingham, these two were arrested after an incident in Lawrence County by Lawrence County Deputies, the arrest contributed to the investigation. Meilke was arrested after a high-speed chase through the county, Birmingham was placed on Sheriff Dotson’s Most Wanted Page and later arrested and returned to Lawrence County.
 
The following is a list of the current arrest and convictions involved in the investigation:
Jorge Rojas-Olivera, age 27, of Batesville, AR – Pled Guilty to Count 1 on September 7, 2012 -Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute (PWID) 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture. He was sentenced to 420 months (35 years) imprisonment, 5 years supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Michael Richard Meilke, age 38, of Bradford, AR – Pled Guilty to Counts 1 and 5 on July 5, 2012 – Conspiracy to PWID 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a federal drug trafficking crime. He was sentenced to 102 months imprisonment on Count 1, 60 months imprisonment to run consecutive on Count 5, for a total of 162 months imprisonment, 5 years supervised release, and a $200 special assessment.
Kriston D. Birmingham, age 32, of Bradford, AR – Pled Guilty to Count 1 on September 12, 2012 – Conspiracy to PWID 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture. Sentencing is set for February 13, 2013.
Maynor Efren Bravo-Fuentes, age 46, of Batesville, AR – Pled Guilty on May 17, 2012, to Counts 1 and 13 – Conspiracy to PWID 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture and PWID more than 50 grams of a methamphetamine mixture on premises in which a minor is present or resides. He was sentenced to 87 months on Counts 1 and 13 to run concurrent with 1 month to run consecutive on Count 13, for a total of 88 months imprisonment, 5 years supervised release, and a $200 special assessment.
Flora DeMaria Mendez-Ixlaj, a/k/a Flor Mendez-Vasquez, age 22, of Batesville, AR – Pled Guilty on May 17, 2012, to a Superseding Information charging Misprison of a Felony and was sentenced to time served.
Juana Patricia Bamac-Perez, age 32, of Batesville, AR – Pled Guilty on September 11, 2012, to Counts 1 and 16 – Conspiracy to PWID 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture and PWID more than 50 grams of a methamphetamine mixture on premises in which a minor is present or resides. She was sentenced to 87 months on Counts 1 and 16 to run concurrent with 1 month to run consecutive on Count 16, for a total of 88 months imprisonment, 2 years supervised release, and a $200 special assessment.
Selvin Garcia-Garcia, a/k/a Jose Villarreal, age 23, of Batesville, AR – Pled Guilty on August 21, 2012, to Counts 1 and 16 – Conspiracy to PWID 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture and PWID more than 50 grams of methamphetamine actual on premises in which a minor is present or resides. He was sentenced to 123 months on Count 1 and 12 months on Count 16 to run consecutively, for a total of 135 months imprisonment, 5 years supervised release, and a $200 special assessment.
 Steve Marroquin, age 50, of Batesville, AR – Pled Guilty on August 30, 2012, to Count 1 -Conspiracy to PWID 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture. He was sentenced to 84 months imprisonment, 5 years supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Eddy Boche, age 25, of Berryville, AR – Pled Guilty on September 18, 2012, to Count 1 -Conspiracy to PWID 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture. A sentencing date has not been set.
Paul Randall Hussey, age 41, of North Little Rock, AR – Pled Guilty on September 18, 2012 to Count 25 of the Superseding Indictment – PWID more than 50 grams methamphetamine mixture. He was sentenced to 162 months imprisonment, 4 years supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Rex Ramey Davis, age 48, of Bald Knob, AR – Pled Guilty on May 15, 2012 to Count 1 – Conspiracy to PWID 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture. Davis was sentenced to 98 months imprisonment, 5 years supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Ronald Clyde White, age 64, of Bald Knob, AR – Pled guilty on September 18, 2012 to Count 1 of the Superseding Indictment – Conspiracy to PWID 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture. A sentencing date has not been set.
Stephen Earl Hill, age 39, of Maumelle, AR – Pled Guilty on August 30, 2012 to Count 30 – PWID 50 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture. He was sentenced to 84 months imprisonment, 4 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Angelique N. Kennedy, age 38, of Maumelle, AR – Pled Guilty on July 18, 2012 to Count 30 – PWID 50 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture. She was sentenced to 46 months imprisonment, 2 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Rodolfo Longoria, a/k/a Rodolfo Longoria III, age 44, of Jacksonville, AR – Pled Guilty on July 26, 2012 to Count 32 – PWID methamphetamine mixture. He was sentenced to 84 months imprisonment, 3 years supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Sarah Jean Andres, age 36, of Mound, MN – Pled Guilty on August 23, 2012 to a Superseding Information charging Misprison of a Felony. She was sentenced to 3 years probation and a $100 special assessment.
Joshua A. Hawley, age 28, of Benton, AR – Pled Guilty on July 23, 2012 to a Superseding Information charging PWID methamphetamine mixture. He was sentenced to 3 years probation and a $100 special assessment.
Kevin Randall Hyder, age 36, of North Little Rock, AR – Pled Guilty on July 5, 2012 to Count 33 – PWID 50 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture. He was sentenced to 84 months imprisonment, 4 years supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Nathan Harris Henry, age 33, of California, MO – Pled Guilty on September 20, 2012, to Count 1 – Conspiracy to PWID 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture. Sentencing is currently set for February 28, 2013.
Rhanda Rachael Ramey, age 30, of North Little Rock, AR – Pled Guilty on September 19, 2012, to Count 34 – PWID methamphetamine mixture. She was sentenced to 84 months imprisonment, 3 years supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Original Article:
 
A routine traffic stop on 1st Street in Imboden on June 23rd by Lawrence County Deputy Blake Liscomb resulted in the driver of fleeing and began a high-speed chase toward Black Rock, back around through Smithville and Annieville, ending back outside Imboden after the suspect vehicle had run over spike strips placed in the road by the Arkansas State Police causing the vehicle to wreck on Hwy 63 just south of town. During the chase, the driver Michael Meilke of Batesville threw drugs and money out of the window, the evidence was recovered by sheriff’s deputies.
 
Meilke was charged with fleeing, possession of a controlled substance (meth ice), possession of marijuana, felon in possession of a firearm, reckless driving, intent to deliver and drug paraphernalia and simultaneous possession of drugs and a firearm. He was arrested and place on $150,000 Bond.
 
Information gathered from Meilke’s arrest led to a DEA Operation called “Operation Meilke Way” which netted 22 indictments in what investigators are calling a major meth ice distribution ring in the Batesville area, Meilke was not the so-called ring leader but was enough of a player in the organization to prove valuable in obtaining the leader, Jorge Rojas-Olivera who was arrested at the train station by DEA Agents. All but 2 of the 22 indictments were in-state, mostly in the Batesville area.
 
DEA Agents are claiming that this Mexico to Batesville trafficking ring was bringing an estimated 20 to 25 pounds of Meth per month to the area.
 
Investigators are still looking for one suspect, Rhanda Ramey, 30 years old of Little Rock. If you have any information on the whereabouts of Rhanda Ramey you are asked to contact the DEA at 501-217-6500.
 
For more information on the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office visit their site at www.lawrencecountysheriffsoffice.com .