Drug Cartels

High Court: Castillo-Alvarez case won't be reviewed (01/22/10)
Clay County Attorney Michael Houchins on Friday confirmed a decision from the Iowa Supreme Court to deny further review of the 1997 gang-related murder of Estherville teenager Gregory Sky Erickson. Judge Don Courtney found former Estherville restaurant owner Juan Humberto Castillo-Alvarez responsible for orchestrating Erickson's death, based on a January 2008 ruling at the Palo Alto County Courthouse in Emmetsburg...

Milford man detained on drug, murder charges (01/12/10)
Samuel Blue Lint was still being held in Spirit Lake's Dickinson County Jail on $10,000 bond Tuesday as attorneys in northwest Iowa decide if, and when, the 18-year-old Milford man will be transported to Sioux Falls, S.D., to face charges of armed robbery and murder...

Transportation projects roll on despite cuts (12/15/09)

SIRENS 11-11-09 (11/11/09)
Chase James Hagedorn, 19, Dickens, was charged with driving while license suspended/mandatory revocation at 1:18 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24. He was transported to the Clay County Jail. Tyler John Harkema, 28, Spencer, was arrested on a Clay County warrant at 10:01 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, in the 200 block of West Fourth Street. He was transported to the Clay County Jail...

Fourteen sentenced in lakes region meth ring (11/06/09)
"Drug dealers out there, we're coming to a town near you." This message provided courtesy of Clay County Sheriff Randy Krukow in the aftermath of sentencing that will result in over 2,000 months of combined jail time for 14 individuals associated with a drug trafficking ring in northwest Iowa...

Sex abuse suspect recaptured after 11 years (11/05/09)
Sometimes the wheels of justice are slow, but they never stop turning. Just ask Alejandro Montano, a current resident of the Buena Vista County Jail. After more than 11 years on the run from charges including sexual abuse, false imprisonment and drugs in Storm Lake, a false identity, and an alleged lifetime web of lies, Mantano has been found in Chicago and returned to face the charges for a February 1998 incident...

Sirens 9-18-09 (09/18/09)
Jose Ramon De Leon Tavarez, 23, Paullina, was charged with driving while suspended and failure to file SR-22 insurance at 8:05 a.m. Monday, Sept. 14, in the 180th Avenue of B-40 after a Clay County deputy initiated a traffic stop for a traffic violation. Hw was transported to the Clay County Jail and held on a $300 bond...

Krause stumps for Grassley's seat at fair (09/15/09)
U.S. Senate aspirant Bob Krause (D-Fairfield) campaigned Saturday at the Clay County Fair. The 59-year-old, who acknowledges he faces stiff odds in his bid to defeat Iowa's senior senator, readily recited the handful of colorful statements his foe has made over the last few months, recited the incumbent's voting record and then forecast "that the winds they are a changing." ...

Traffic stops lead to meth-related charges (09/15/09)
Two area men face drug-related charges after stops in recent days. At 1:24 p.m. Thursday, a Clay County deputy pulled over a 2000 Jeep in the 2000 block of county road B-24. During a search of the vehicle, the deputy located an amount of pseudoephedrine along with another precursor typically used to manufacture methamphetamine...

Clay County DARE teacher, student honored (08/01/09)
Of the several hundred DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) officers in Iowa, Clay County Deputy Sheriff Dennis Linn was recently recognized as a 2009 DARE Officer of the Year by his peers during the annual Iowa DARE Conference in Altoona. Terry Dehmlow of the Denver Police Department was also named a 2009 DARE Officer of the Year...

Briefs 7/21/09 (07/21/09)
The annual Clay County 4-H Achievement Day will be held on Tuesday, July 21 in the 4-H Auditorium on the Clay County Fairgrounds. The event will begin at 8 a.m. and end about 5 p.m. Achievement Day is a mini-fair for Clay County 4-Hers. Due to the fact that our county youth are in school during the Clay County Fair, this event provides an opportunity for 4-H members to bring their project exhibit work to be judged. ...

Sirens 5-30-09 (05/30/09)
--- Manuel Martinez, 27, Spencer, was arrested on a Clay County warrant on a charge of violation of probation at 2:26 p.m. Tuesday, May 26, in the 20 block of West First Street. He was transported to the Spencer Police Department and turned over to the Clay County Jail...

UPDATED: Everly council member faces drug charges (05/12/09)

Spencer trio faces drug charges (04/14/09)
A traffic stop in Spencer by a Clay County deputy landed three Spencer men in the Clay County Jail on drug charges. At approximately 2:54 p.m. Wednesday, a Clay County deputy initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle in the 10 block of W. Park St. in Spencer. ...

Spencer teen faces drug distribution charge (04/04/09)
Police have released the name of a 15-year-old Spencer male who was charged last week with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. Collin J. Rezabek was transported to the police department, released to his parents and referred to juvenile court on suspicion of trying to sell prescription pills. He was taken into custody March 27 in the 800 block of East Third Street...

Spencer teen faces drug distribution charge (04/01/09)
Police charged a 15-year-old Spencer male with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver after they suspect he was trying to sell pills in the area of the Spencer High School parking lot. The charge could carry an enhanced penalty because the alleged crime took place within 1,000 feet of a school. Officers made the arrest at 10:54 a.m. Friday in the 800 block of East Third Street...

Fourth man charged in Fostoria drug bust (03/12/09)
Clay County deputies have filed charges against a fourth man stemming from an alleged drug operation in Fostoria. Tyler Wolthuis, 23, Fostoria, was arrested Monday on Clay County arrest warrants for possession of marijuana with the intent to deliver, drug tax stamp violation and possession of drug paraphernalia following from a search Feb. 25 at 16 Highway Avenue Southwest in Fostoria. The search turned up several pieces of drug paraphernalia and approximately 1.3 pounds of marijuana...

Deputies seize drugs, arrest three (02/27/09)
Three Fostoria men face drug distribution charges after a search by Clay County Deputies turned up marijuana on Wednesday. The search took place just before noon at 16 Highway Avenue Southwest in Fostoria. Deputies said they found several pieces of drug paraphernalia and approximately 1.3 pounds of marijuana...

Pair of Spencer men arrested on drug charges (02/26/09)
Shortly before 1 p.m., Wednesday, a vehicle stop landed Milton Carlton, 35 and John Cole, 36 in the Clay County Jail. At 12:46 p.m., a Clay County deputy made a traffic stop in the 600 block of Grand Ave in Spencer , on a 1995 Ford Mustang, driven by Carlton of Spencer. During a search of Carlton's vehicle, deputies located a quantity of Adderral pills and determined that they were being possessed in violation of the law. Deputies also found items of drug paraphernalia inside the vehicle...

Suspect's air freshener plan goes up in smoke (02/25/09)
A traffic stop by a Clay County deputy lands a Worthington, Minn., man in the Clay County Jail on traffic and drug charges. At approximately 11:57 p.m. Sunday, a Clay County deputy initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle in the 3000th block of Highway 18 for a traffic violation. Upon approaching the vehicle, the deputy noticed a lot of movement by the occupants and that it looked like they were spraying something in the air...

Crystal meth seized in search (02/25/09)
A Spencer man who was already on probation for meth-related charges may have a new cycle in the court process. On Monday, the Clay County Sheriff's Office assisted the Third Judicial District Adult Probation Office with the execution of a probation search at the residence of 64-year-old Harold Dean Dearth, located at 928 Second Avenue Southeast Apartment No. ...

Local man faces meth distribution charges (02/10/09)
A Spencer man is being held on a $50,000 bond after members of the Clay County Sheriff's Office executed an arrest warrant on suspicion of methamphetamine distribution. Deputies took 31-year-old Jesse Armstrong into custody at 12:34 a.m. Saturday in the 700 block of East First Street. Armstrong was wanted on three Class C felony counts for delivery of a controlled substance - methamphetamine...

Citizens Police Academy hosting seventh session (01/21/09)
The Spencer Police Department will be hosting its 7th Citizen Police Academy beginning March 17, and running through May 19. Classes will be held each Tuesday evening starting at 6"30 p.m. and concluding at 8 p.m. Topics that will be covered include, but not limited to: communication center operations, 911, Constitutional Law, search and seizure, laws of arrest, use of force, traffic enforcement, radar, lidar, OWI enforcement, DRE, crime scene processing, criminal investigations, drug investigations, search warrants, juvenile probation, adult corrections, jail field trips and ride alongs.. ...

Area men sentenced for meth deals (01/10/09)
Four northwest Iowa men will spend a combined 53 years and 8 months in prison for their roles in a methamphetamine pipeline. U.S. District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett gave 40-year-old Michael Roth of Spencer the most severe sentence, according to a statement Friday from U.S. ...

SIRENS 11-26-08 (11/26/08)
--- --- --- --- The deputy was advised that Steelman had two warrants out of O'Brien County for arrest on previous operating while intoxicated and driving while barred violations. The deputy then tried to identify the second occupant in the vehicle...

Mallard man gets 22-year prison sentence (10/01/08)
A 41-year-old Mallard man was sentenced to 22 years in prison for distributing more than 150 grams of methamphetamine in Palo Alto County and Clay County. Kenneth Putensen received the prison term after an April 3 guilty plea to one count of having been previously convicted of two felony drug offenses and then conspiring to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine...

Speeding stop leads to drug arrest (09/29/08)
A speeding stop Wednesday resulted in the arrest of two teenage men from Correctionville and Quimby. The Clay County K-9 Deputy stopped a vehicle for speeding in the 3000 block of Hwy 18., and while attempting to stop the vehicle, the passenger, Kurt Bahrke, 19 Correctionville, threw a bag of what appeared to be marijuana from the vehicle. Bahrke was arrested after the marijuana was retrieved from the roadside...

Mayor proclaims Family Day (09/17/08)
Spencer Mayor Reynold Peterson was on hand to proclaim Monday, Sept. 22, as Family Day. The occasion was created to encourage families to have dinner with their children on the fourth Monday of each September. Positively Spencer Youth members Wes Simpson, Josie Hough, Amy Simpson and Pat McGee were on hand to emphasize the correlation between frequent family dinners and reduced risk for teen substance abuse...

Drug distribution charges send three to jail (09/10/08)
Clay County Deputies made a series of arrests late last week with ties to drug distribution allegations in the area. Deputies located 48-year-old Ronald Gene Bunker of Romona, S.D., at about 4:40 p.m. Thursday in the 1200 block of 340th Street in Everly after they had prior knowledge of a warrant for Bunker's arrest out of South Dakota. He was transported to jail and was held to appear before the magistrate on a charge of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance...

Hartley man faces drug distribution charge (09/06/08)
Three northwest Iowans were arrested on drug-related charges following a traffic stop by Spencer Police Department at 10:45 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28. Police on Wednesday said they charged 24-year-old David Engelkes, of Hartley, with possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver marijuana in the 10 block of North Grand Avenue...

Illinois residents face drug charges (09/04/08)
Two Illinois residents were placed in the Clay County jail on narcotics charges Sunday morning following a traffic stop by the Clay County Sheriff's Office. Approximately 11:55 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30, the Clay County Sheriff's Office made a traffic stop on an Illinois vehicle travelling 72 miles per hour in a 55 zone. Upon making contact with the driver, Chance Allan Naber, 19, of McHenry, Ill., the deputy noticed a container with drug paraphernalia under the rear of the driver's seat...

Cocaine trafficking suspected in Spencer (08/29/08)
Three home searches revealed an apparent cocaine distribution ring in and around Spencer, according to a statement from the Spencer Police Department. Members of the Spencer Police Department conducted the searches on Aug. 22. The search at 3610 290th Avenue in rural Dickens led to the arrest of 51-year-old Don Mobley. ...

Traffic stop leads to drug bust (08/20/08)
Clay County deputies and members of the Spencer Police Department made a late-night traffic stop over the weekend and their findings led to drug distribution charges. A deputy stopped a vehicle just after midnight Saturday in the 10 block of West First Street in Spencer and determined that all three occupants had open containers of alcohol in the vehicle...

Traffic stop leads to meth charge (08/05/08)
A Denison man faces drug-related charges after deputies say they found materials related to methamphetamine as part of a traffic stop. A patrolling deputy pulled 33-year-old Jeremy Dave Frank over for speeding at 2:40 a.m. Saturday in the 4600 block of Highway 71...

PSY among 24 community programs to receive federal drug free funds (07/26/08)
By Randy M. Cauthron Managing Editor Senator Chuck Grassley announced Thursday that the Office of National Drug Control Policy has awarded $2,208,689 in Drug Free Communities Support Program continuation grants to 24 Iowa communities. Among those communities, Spencer's Positively Spencer Youth group was awarded the top funding amount of $100,000...

Advocates push for revamped drug penalties in Iowa (07/16/08)
DES MOINES (AP) -- Some Iowa lawmakers and legal advocates say state drug laws that include methamphetamine and crack cocaine penalties need to be revamped. A legislative study committee agreed Wednesday to take steps that could lead to a major revision to the state's drug laws. Some say the laws are unfair or racially biased...

Traffic stop leads to drug charges (06/24/08)
A traffic stop Saturday by a Clay County deputy landed three Spencer residents in the Clay County jail. Deputies pulled over a vehicle driven by 33-year-old Travis Stoyke of Spencer at approximately 3:36 a.m. for a minor traffic violation. Upon investigation, it was found that the front female passenger, 24-year-old Amanda (Schaunaman) Schley of Spencer, was wanted on two Clay County arrest warrants for fifth-degree theft and had a $900 cash only bond. ...

Meth sales suspected in Memorial Day bust (05/28/08)
A Louisiana man was placed in the Clay County Jail on suspicion of distributing methamphetamine. Deputies originally stopped 28-year-old Robert Poulsen of St. Bernard, La., on a traffic violation at about 2:32 a.m. Monday in the 2900 block of Highway 71. As the deputies approached the car, he observed "what looked to be drug paraphernalia sitting in the ash tray of the vehicle," according to a statement from the Clay County Sheriff's Deputy Jesse Rustad...

2008 Citizen's Police Academy draws to close (05/28/08)
Eleven people completed the 2008 version of the Spencer Citizen's Police Academy. The academy courses took place on Tuesday nights from March 18 until May 20. The topics included criminal law, search and seizure, 911, crime scenes, gathering of evidence, processing crime scenes, drug investigations and traffic enforcement...

Castillo-Alvarez files appeal (05/16/08)
Juan Humberto Castillo-Alvarez wants the Iowa Supreme Court to take a fresh look at convictions stemming from his involvement in the death of an Estherville teenager 11 years ago. Judge Don Courtney found the former Estherville restaurant owner guilty of second-degree murder, second-degree kidnapping and conspiracy to commit a forcible felony Jan. 25 at the Palo Alto County Courthouse in Emmetsburg. The guilty verdict came after a trial that spanned parts of three days in September...

Ambassadors meet with PSY reps (05/07/08)
The Spencer Ambassadors met with Amy Simpson and other representatives of Positively Spencer Youth to learn about how the volunteer operated program is serving the needs of the young people in Spencer. The organization has partnered with the schools and other area organizations in the community to put on a series of informative and relevent seminars for teens and parents regarding the dangers on the internet and various types of substance abuse in today's teen culture, the group has also offered several fun activities for families and children to take part in, brought in a variety of positive speakers and worked with other groups such as After Prom and the Extreme Am to add more benefit to those served by each project. ...

Castillo-Alvarez receives 50-year sentence (04/26/08)
By Russ Mitchell Daily Reporter Staff A quiet and, at times, seemingly disinterested Juan Humberto Castillo-Alvarez received a 50-year prison sentence Friday for his role in the disappearance and death of a Estherville teenager almost 11 years ago. Castillo-Alvarez was the last of 10 people charged in the June 1997 plot to end 15-year-old Gregory Sky Erickson's life over an unpaid drug debt and his possible role as a police informant...

Hearing date set in Castillo-Alvarez case (04/03/08)
District Court Judge Don Courtney has set the hearing date for a former Estherville restaurant owner who was convicted for his role in the disappearance and death of an area teenager. Juan Humberto Castillo-Alvarez's attorney, Mike Williams, filed a motion on March 7 asking Courtney to vacate guilty verdicts on charges of second-degree murder, second-degree kidnapping and conspiracy to commit a forcible felony. Castillo-Alvarez wants a new trial...

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