Authorities arrest 21 in Austin area drug bust, feds say

Authorities over the past two weeks arrested 21 people linked to an Austin-area cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking operation, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Two federal grand jury indictments returned in Austin charged all of those arrested with conspiring to distribute a controlled substance, a Friday statement from United States Attorney John F. Bash of the Western District of Texas said.

Each of the cocaine distribution conspiracies involved more than 500 grams of cocaine, the statement said. The meth conspiracy involved more than 50 grams.

During the investigation, authorities seized about 50 kilograms of meth, four kilograms of heroin, more than two kilograms of cocaine, about 50 pounds of marijuana, multiple guns and more than $423,000 in cash.

Those arrested are: Juan Miguel Campuzano-Rebollar, 25, of Austin; Santana Olmedo-Carbajal, 39, of Cedar Creek; Jose Miguel Campuzano-Gonzalez, 52, of Austin; Saudiel Granados-Cruz, 26, of Austin; Narciso Osorio-Aquino, 22, of Austin; Martha Yanez, 44, of Elgin; Blanca Arce-Mora, 21, of Austin; Jose Ramiro Castellan-Ortiz, 50, of Austin; Jose Cruz-Licona, 26, of Austin; Blanca Arteaga, 22, of Austin; Antonio Benitez-Ugarte, 33, of Austin; Iris Garcia, 28, of Austin; Jose Rivera-Benitez, 33, of Austin; Edward Keane, 55, of Perryopolis, Pennsylvania; William Sump, 48, of Port Lavaca; Elvis Jackson, 59, of Taylor; Angela Eans, 59, of Bastrop; Hulan McCoy, 46, of Bastrop; Christopher Henderson, 37, of Bastrop; Brandon Carter, 35, of Bastrop; and Joshua Haywood, 34, of Austin.

“The DEA, along with our state and local law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue any individual or organization that threaten the well-being and stability of our communities,” a statement from the Department of Justice said. “Nothing is more critical than the safety and security of our citizens.”

Fourteen defendants are charged with crimes carrying mandatory-minimum prison sentences. They are Campuzano-Rebollar, Olmedo-Carbajal, Campuzano-Gonzalez, Granados-Cruz, Osorio-Aquino, Yanez, Arce-Mora, Castellan-Ortiz, Cruz-Licona, Keane, Sump, McCoy, Carter and Haywood. Each of them would face between five and 40 years in federal prison if convicted, a statement from officials said.

The remaining defendants face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted, according to authorities.