United States Drug Enforcement Administration

ST. LOUIS – This week the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals Service, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service arrested 17 people in Missouri, Arizona, California, and Mexico linked to an organized multi-state drug trafficking conspiracy.

According to the previously sealed 16 count indictment returned on October 13, 2021, this was a long-running drug distribution conspiracy operating in the Eastern District of Missouri and with ties to California, Arizona, and Texas.  According to a court document, law enforcement officers seized items including: approximately 50 pounds of fentanyl; 500 pounds of methamphetamine; 50 firearms; and more than $400,000 in drug proceeds. The conspiracy included the mailing and shipping of packages containing large amounts of the illegal drugs to be distributed in the St. Louis area and other cities in the United States. Three defendants are also charged with firearms violations. 

Among the defendants indicted in this case are: 

Stephen Griffin, 27, of St. Louis;

Kenny Thomas, 38, of St. Louis but was arrested in Mexico; 

Raymundo Deleon, 40, who is in custody in Los Angeles;

Kyanna Canales, 19, who was arrested in Phoenix;

Ariel Navarez-Gonzalez, 20, who was arrested in Phoenix;

Troy Mills, 30, of St. Louis;

Arieawn Dillon, 26, of St. Louis;

Daveon Barnes, 27, of St. Louis;

Dalvin Wiley, 29, of St. Louis;

Crystal Miller, 27, of St. Louis;

Latoya Wilson, of St. Louis;

Steven Hilliard, 30, of St. Louis;

Andrew Prout, 28, who is in custody in Missouri;

Ariel Randall, 26, of St. Louis;

Jessica Alvarez, 40, who was arrested in Los Angeles

Larry Martinez-Soto, 24, who was arrested in Phoenix;

Sanela Demirovic, 30 of St. Louis.

“The individuals arrested earlier this week for their involvement in drug related crimes and activities provide an example of the threat the drug industry imposes in our communities,” DEA St. Louis Division Assistant Special Agent in Charge Colin Dickey said. “The drug cell we dismantled with operations in various states in the United States and Mexico has no regard for the people around them and will take whatever actions necessary to protect their profit and themselves. This fact is evident by the significant amount of drugs, weapons and money seized in the multi-state, multi-agency operation. It’s important for everyone to keep in mind that no city is immune from the threat of drugs. The only way we can keep our streets safe is by working together to educate those around us on the dangers of these illegal substances and the threat associated with them.”

Charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

In addition to the other two federal agencies, DEA investigated this case with the following police departments: Bellefontaine Neighbors, Shrewsbury, St. Louis Metropolitan, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Ballwin and Maryland Heights, all in Missouri. 

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach to combat transnational organized crime.  The OCDETF program facilitates complex, joint operations by focusing its partner agencies on priority targets, by managing and coordinating multi-agency efforts, and by leveraging intelligence across multiple investigative platforms.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.