2 arrested in drugs case after shooting

DEA agent wounded; suspects charged with distribution, possession of meth

Two men were arrested Thursday -- one in Little Rock, one in Texas -- after an early morning shooting in Little Rock left an U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent wounded.

ADVERTISEMENT

More headlines

Gerarto "Ed" Iriarte, 43, of Little Rock was arrested about 2 a.m. Thursday at his residence on Laver Circle, according to a news release from the office of the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas. David Eduardo Verduzco, 22, also of Little Rock, was arrested Thursday morning in Temple, Texas.

Verduzco and Iriarte were both charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine, the release said.

According to a criminal complaint, two DEA task force agents drove to Verduzco's residence at 57 Jan Drive in Little Rock shortly after midnight Thursday. The first agent, driving a Chrysler 300, dropped off the second agent and drove farther down the street.

When the first agent returned to pick up the second agent, a gunshot shattered the car's driver's side window, the release said. The bullet or a piece of glass punctured the first agent's shoulder, and glass cut the agent's face and neck. The agent was taken to Saline Memorial Hospital, treated and released.

The DEA didn't release the identities of either agent.

Iriarte was arrested about 90 minutes after the shooting, according to the release.

About 7 a.m. Thursday, law enforcement officers located and stopped Verduzco on Interstate 35 in Temple, where he was arrested, according to the release.

The release says that on June 3, DEA agents conducting surveillance on a suspected methamphetamine dealer saw Verduzco meet with the dealer at the corner of North Rodney Parham Road and North Shackleford Road. The agents followed the dealer's vehicle and conducted a traffic stop, finding approximately 65 grams of suspected methamphetamine in the vehicle.

The dealer told agents about meeting Verduzco to obtain the methamphetamine, the release says. They told agents they usually purchased methamphetamine from Iriarte and had seen Verduzco supply Iriarte with methamphetamine in the past.

On Wednesday, the dealer placed a recorded call to Iriarte for the purpose of setting up a controlled purchase of methamphetamine, the release says. The dealer later bought 2 ounces of methamphetamine in west Little Rock from Iriarte.

Metro on 07/03/2015

Upcoming Events