The Idaho Falls Police Department and Bonneville County Sheriff's Office arrested multiple people between Friday and Sunday, several of whom were charged with trafficking methamphetamine.
Between Friday and Sunday Idaho Falls Police Officers arrested 16 people for drug and other relevant offenses in six separate incidents, according to IFPD Public Information Officer Jessica Clements. In that timeframe, a total of 1,034 fentanyl pills, 1.85 pounds of methamphetamine, 10.25 pounds of marijuana, 30 milliliters of liquid heroin, 18 grams of amphetamines, five firearms and over $21,000 in cash were seized and taken off Idaho Falls streets, Clements said.
Two of the defendants were arrested Friday morning in a traffic stop on Yellowstone. Serena Cagle, 49, and Angela Hernandez, 39, were driving with another passenger. A search warrant had been issued for the car prior to the traffic stop.
The probable cause affidavit states police found a pink sippy cup containing 273 milliliters of liquid methamphetamine.
Police also reportedly found a scale in a lockbox in the car with white residue on it. A bag with approximately an ounce of meth was found in the pocket of a jacket in the car.
Under the front passenger seat police found a bong and a purse with just over an ounce of suspected marijuana inside. The third passenger reportedly had around 63 grams of meth in his possession.
Later in the afternoon, a second round of drug arrests occurred at a house on Emery Lane, in which six people were arrested.
Throughout the house, police found approximately 10 pounds of marijuana, 11.6 ounces of methamphetamine, 1,000 fentanyl pills and four guns.
A car that police knew was owned by the occupants was not initially present at the house. Police stopped it as it arrived in the neighborhood. Three occupants in the car were arrested, including Dustin Chase, 40. The affidavit states a large amount of the drugs found in the home were in Chase's bedroom.
One of the car's passengers, Jessie Mendoza, had 20 grams of meth in his pockets when arrested, some of it in syringes. He also told police he had a fanny pack containing $21,241 in cash, 19 fentanyl pills and another 4.5 ounces of meth.
Mendoza also reportedly had a gun, despite a prior felony conviction for continual sexual abuse of a child in California.
The affidavit states Chase told police Mendoza and a woman named Melissa Carey reportedly also transported a large amount meth to Idaho Falls from California. A ledger was reportedly found in Carey's possession listing drug amounts and prices.
Though the drug busts happened on the same day Clements said she was not aware of anything connecting the two groups to each other.
Chase was charged with trafficking more than 200 grams but less than 400 grams of meth, punishable with a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and up to a life sentence, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, punishable with up to life in prison, trafficking more than 5 pounds of marijuana, punishable with a mandatory minimum of three years in prison and up to 15 years, and unlawful possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, punishable with up to five years in prison.
Hernandez and Cagle were both charged with trafficking more than 200 grams of meth, possession of a controlled substance, punishable with up to seven years in prison, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor.
Mendoza was booked into jail for felony drug trafficking, possession of a controlled substance and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. Carey was booked for trafficking methamphetamine.
Preliminary hearings in all cases are scheduled for 1:30 p.m. March 18 in Bonneville County Court.