U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart announced Tuesday a major enforcement action targeting for arrest approximately 100 defendants recently indicted by a federal grand jury in Huntington, West Virginia for drug-related charges, including involvement in the Peterson Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO).
“It is believed that today’s actions will result in the dismantling of the Peterson Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO), a major multi-state heroin and fentanyl distribution network,” the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a press release. “In addition to the dismantling of the Peterson DTO, federal, state and local law enforcement are executing arrests for related violent elements including narcotics and firearms targets.”
The actions included the charging in the Southern District of West Virginia of at least 15 individuals allegedly involved in the Peterson DTO with conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl; the indictment in Cabell County Circuit Court on state charges of 15 individuals allegedly involved in the Peterson DTO; and indictments in the Southern District of West Virginia related to narcotics and/or firearms of 13 individuals.
Additional members of the Peterson DTO are expected to be arrested and charged in Detroit. At least 48 individuals were also targeted for arrest on various charges related to narcotics, violent crime and firearms at the federal or state level.
Approximately 200 federal, state and local law enforcement officers took part in the effort. The West Virginia National Guard also provided personnel in a support function to the operation.
“Our great country has never seen drug deaths like we’re seeing today,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “Under President Trump’s strong leadership, the Department of Justice has taken historic new actions to put drug traffickers in jail and keep dangerous drugs out of the wrong hands. I want to thank all of our partners at DEA, FBI, ATF, the Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, as well as our fabulous partners at the state and local levels for their hard work. Today’s charges against at least 90 defendants will help make the people of West Virginia and Michigan safer from the threat of dangerous drugs—and they bring us one step closer to ending the opioid epidemic.”