United States Drug Enforcement Administration

TUCSON, Ariz. – The Drug Enforcement Administration announced today the arrest of 11 people as the result of the culmination of a year-long joint investigation by the DEA’s Sierra Vista Resident Office along with the Arizona Department of Public Safety’s Border Strike Force, into the alleged drug trafficking activities of Luis Agustin Montaño Hernandez and his drug trafficking organization.    

Through the joint investigation, which began in December 2018, the Montaño-Hernandez DTO was identified as an organization operating primarily in the Tucson area, and purportedly supplying both Pima and Cochise Counties with heroin and crystal methamphetamine. Based upon the information gathered during the investigation, agents and detectives were able to work with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office to obtain search warrants for the following Tucson locations: 

5957 S. Euclid, Avenue
1310 W. Garnette Street, Unit B
4343 N. Iroquois Avenue, Unit D
6161 E. Grant Road, Apt 22106
3620 E. Felix Blvd
5601 S. 12th Avenue, Apt 814

The following subjects were taken into custody, without incident:

Luis Montaño-Hernandez, 36                              
Orlando Montaño-Hernandez, 32                     
Tatiana Tapia, 33                                                     
Jesus Emmanuel Tapia, 19                                    
Antonio Rubio, 67                                                   
Tracey Trevena, 60                                                  
Irene Norzagaray, 65                                              
Raymond Taylor, 68
Carlos Navallaz, 22
William Kehn, 59
Jeffrey Stirnweis, 62
                     
As a result of today’s enforcement operation, agents and detectives seized the following: 

Over a pound of heroin, small quantities of methamphetamine, half pound of suspected fentanyl, approximately $21,000 in cash, eight vehicles and nine weapons, including a sawed off shotgun.  

All evidence gathered as a result of today’s operation will be submitted to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office for review and appropriate charging.  Additional operational support for today’s enforcement activity was provided by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, U.S. Marshals Service and Homeland Security Investigations. 

The DEA is encouraging anyone with information concerning suspected drug trafficking to contact DEA or any law enforcement entity in Arizona.  Information can be provided in person or by telephone to any DEA office, or anonymously on DEA’s website www.dea.gov/submit-tip.   

A charge is merely an accusation and defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

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