State, county and federal officers arrested scores of people in a drug-trafficking organization in Van Buren County early Wednesday, culminating a more than two-year investigation into crystal methamphetamine sales in the Ozark foothills.
Among the 34 people indicted by a federal grand jury in Little Rock were the meth organization's reputed leader, Jeffery Weaver, 26, of Clinton, and Don Allen Pearson, the owner of a logging truck involved in a deadly wreck near Clinton on June 2.
Prosecuting Attorney Cody Hiland, who participated in a news conference outside the Van Buren County Courthouse in Clinton with U.S. Attorney Christopher Thyer and others, identified the truck owner as Pearson, 32, of Bee Branch.
Another 21 people were arrested on state meth-related charges.
Authorities believe the crystal meth was made in Mexico, then sold in the rural Clinton area.
Using "controlled purchases and search warrants," federal and state officers bought and seized more than 6 pounds of meth from what Thyer's office described in a news release as "the Jeffery Weaver drug trafficking organization."
Also, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives seized 52 firearms. Those charged in a federal indictment leading to the arrests were responsible for distributing or possessing more than 300 pounds of methamphetamine, Thyer's office said.
"Today, a major drug trafficking organization in Van Buren County was dismantled," Thyer said. "This organization put the citizens and children of Clinton and the surrounding community at risk every day."
Hiland described the investigation -- nicknamed Operation Ice Storm -- as "historic in scope and size" and said "its impact on the illegal drug trade in Van Buren County will continue to be felt in the years to come."
Ten of the 55 defendants were in custody on separate charges before Wednesday.
Many of those indicted live in Van Buren County, but a list of federal suspects indicates that others live in Searcy, White, Faulkner, Cleburne, Independence, Stone and Conway counties.
Because the dealing was concentrated in Van Buren County, Hiland said, "We hope it [the arrests and charges] made quite a dent."
A federal grand jury handed up an indictment Sept. 11, but the indictment remained sealed until Wednesday afternoon, after the surprise morning arrests by more than 150 officers.
Earlier this month, the logging truck's driver, Jerry L. Hickman, 39, of Bee Branch was charged in Van Buren County Circuit Court with two counts of negligent homicide, 10 counts of first-degree battery and six counts of second-degree battery after investigators reported learning that he had been using methamphetamine. Hickman is scheduled for a pretrial hearing Nov. 5.
Hickman crashed the logging truck near a bridge in Clinton and spilled its load, killing two construction workers and injuring nearly 20 others. He was charged with 18 felony offenses.
Federal charges in the drug investigation include conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine, being a felon in possession of firearms, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and the use of telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking crime.
State meth-related charges relate to the drug's delivery, Hiland said. "These were targeted dealers," he said.
All but six federal defendants and three state suspects were in custody as of late Wednesday.
Hiland said the 20th Judicial Circuit's Drug Task Force began its investigation in roughly April 2012 after receiving "information from people" in the Clinton area about meth sales believed to be taking place at a local tire shop that has since changed ownership.
"Eventually it got to the point, we asked the feds for assistance," he said. Those arrested Wednesday were taken to either the Van Buren County jail or the Pulaski County jail.
Among other agencies involved in the investigation were the Arkansas State Police, the Van Buren County sheriff's office, the Arkansas National Guard, the Conway Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service.
State Desk on 09/25/2014