6 West Texas residents charged with methamphetamine and firearm offenses

ABILENE, Texas — Six Abilene residents are now in custody on federal drug distribution charges and more arrests are anticipated.

These arrests were announced by U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas. 

This law enforcement operation was jointly conducted by the following agencies: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); FBI, Taylor County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service; and Anson (Texas) Police Department,

Five federal indictments, unsealed last week, charge five individuals with distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

The following five individuals were charged:

• Jamaal Rozell Dunson, 32,
• Joe Nathan Spafford, 28,
• Michael James Huettl, 47,
• Delores Denise Rodriguez, 25, and
• Driessan Scott Russell, 28.

Trysten Keun Napper, 33, also from Abilene, was arrested on a complaint charging him with being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition.

Several defendants made their initial appearance last week in federal court in Abilene before U.S. Magistrate Judge E. Scott Frost. All six remain in custody. Several detention hearings will be held later this week.

According to the indictments filed, from March through June 2017, the defendants intentionally and knowingly distributed and possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Throughout this investigation, substantial amounts of methamphetamine, cash, and firearms were seized from the drug traffickers.

A federal indictment is an accusation by a federal grand jury, and a defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty. However, if convicted, the methamphetamine distribution counts carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years. The firearm count carries a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in federal prison, and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Juanita Fielden, Northern District of Texas, is in charge of the prosecution.