Drug raid results in two arrests
A search warrant executed early Saturday on a Garland County residence by the local drug task force and other agencies resulted in the arrest of two suspects after drugs, guns and a large amount of cash were allegedly located.
Elidoro Portillo-Quintero, 47, and Andreas Torres, 35, who both list 125 Black Bear Lane as their address, were taken into custody at their residence shortly after 6 a.m. and each charged with felony counts of possession of methamphetamine with purpose to deliver, punishable by up to 30 years in prison, and possession of drug paraphernalia and unauthorized use of another person’s property to facilitate a crime, each punishable by up to
20 years.
Torres was also charged with felony counts of furnishing, possessing or using prohibited articles, punishable by up to 20 years, and possession of drug paraphernalia, punishable by up to six years.
Both remained in custody Monday in lieu of zero bond and are set to appear in Garland County District Court April
17. A hold by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was placed on both suspects.
According to the affidavit, officers with the 18th Judicial District East Drug Task Force, Homeland Security, Hot Springs Police and the Garland County Sheriff’s Tactical Response Team executed the warrant and allegedly located two bags of suspected meth, three loaded firearms, a set of digital scales, Mexican passports and IDs, a cellphone, $3,146 in U.S. currency, a glass smoking pipe commonly used for smoking meth, numerous rounds of ammunition, miscellaneous documents and a black bag containing night vision and a police scanner.
Both Portillo-Quintero and Torres were located on the premises. A small plastic bag of meth and a glass smoking device were allegedly found on Torres when he was booked into the Garland County Detention Center. The property at 125 Blackbear, located off Millcreek Road, was determined to belong to a third party per county tax records.
An unrelated traffic stop earlier in the morning Saturday also resulted in the arrest of two suspects on felony drug charges.
Lorenzo Duane Fletcher, 33, who lists a Henry Street address, and Tyler Lane Cockrum, 22, who lists an Oakdale Terrace address, were both charged possession of a controlled substance, marijuana, with purpose to deliver, punishable by up to six years in prison.
Fletcher was being held on
$4,500 bond and Cockrum on
$3,500 bond and both are set to appear May 22 in district court.
According to the affidavit, around 2:30 a.m., GCSD Deputy Matt Cogburn pulled over a vehicle in the 200 block of Crystal Hill Road after noticing there were no lights illuminating the license plate.
The driver, identified as Fletcher, stated he did not have a driver’s license and was taken into custody after it was determined he also had warrants for his arrest for failure to appear and a probation violation.
GCSD Deputy Andrew Goodman, who arrived on scene after the traffic stop, identified the passenger as Cockrum. As Goodman was checking Cockrum’s driver’s license, Cogburn noticed a glass pipe on the driver’s side floorboard.
Upon noticing this, Cogburn asked Cockrum to step out of the car. Cogburn then asked Fletcher if there was anything in the car that he should know about, to which he said, “It should be good.”
Cogburn began searching the driver’s side front seat and areas within arm’s reach and allegedly located a glass storage container holding a plastic bag of suspected marijuana, approximately 21.4 grams.
Goodman then asked Cogburn if he was OK with Cockrum walking home. Cogburn said he was, and Cockrum said he wanted his jacket in the back seat.
Cogburn located Cockrum’s jacket and reportedly noticed the right front pocket contained a heavy, large object which Cockrum said was money which belonged to him. Cogburn removed a total of $4,740 from the jacket’s front pocket.
He then patted down Cockrum and reportedly located another $226 in his back pants pocket and $80 in his wallet, which was in the passenger seat of the vehicle. All of the money was siezed by GCSD.
DTF was contacted and responded to the scene. The DTF is comprised of investigators from the Arkansas State Police, GCSD, HSPD, 18th Judicial District East prosecuting attorney’s office and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations.