Four Pounds of Methamphetamine Seized in Washington County

GREENEVILLE, TN—A multi-agency investigation resulted in the arrest of six persons on January 31, 2012, after law enforcement agents found four pounds of methamphetamine at a rural Washington County, Tennessee home. All six were arrested on complaints relating to their immigration status, made their initial appearances on February 1, 2012, and detained pending their arraignment which is scheduled for February 15, 2012, at the James H. Quillen Federal Courthouse in Greeneville, Tennessee.

The six individuals were Jose Cruz Guevara-Cazarez, 55; Rosalva Guadalupe Robeldo, 48; Arnoldo Ayala Guevara,49; Habraham Enrique Guevara, 26; Emilio Beltran Sanchez, 31; and Enrique Rivas, 33. Guevara-Cazarez, Robledo, and Habraham Enrique Guevara lived in Limestone, Tennessee; Arnold Guevara, Sanchez, and Rivas lived in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. All except Rivas are natives of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico.

“This case falls within the wide range of transnational crimes that are tailor made to be dealt with using HSI’s numerous authorities,” said Raymond R. Parmer, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New Orleans. “This joint investigation demonstrates to individuals who think they can commit such acts without repercussions that HSI and our law enforcement partners are committed to ensuring the integrity of our governmental systems, and constant vigilance over our national security.”

United States Attorney William C. Killian noted, “The cooperative efforts of federal, state and local law enforcement were critical in effectuating these arrests.”

The agencies which participated in the arrests include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the First Judicial District Drug Task Force, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Johnson City Police Department, the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, and the Greeneville Police Department.

Members of the public are reminded that these are only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.