U.S. Attorney’s Office
Public Affairs Specialist Amy Adams
(402) 530-1472
May 9, 2016

Nine Arrested in Methamphetamine Conspiracy

Randall C Thysse, special agent in charge (SAC) of the Omaha Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), announced that nine individuals were arrested and 29 search warrants were executed in furtherance of an extensive investigation into a methamphetamine conspiracy.

The investigation is coordinated through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice and is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force (Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Bremer County Sheriff’s Office, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, LaPorte City Police Department, Evansdale Police Department, Hudson Police Department); Mid Iowa Drug Task Force (Marshalltown Police Department, Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Tama County); and Dubuque Drug Task Force (Dubuque Police Department and Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office)

The arrests and search warrants today were executed at various locations across Iowa and Wisconsin during a multi-jurisdictional, multi-agency operation. The individuals arrested on federal charges are:

  • Aldo Omar Lopez Martinez, 21, Marshalltown, Iowa
  • Osbaldo Nieto Arreola a.k.a. Osbaldo Martinez Arreola, a.k.a. Adan
  • Sanchez Chaves, 25, Marshalltown, Iowa
  • Roque Rodriguez Arellano, 32, Marshalltown, Iowa
  • Alejandro Hernandez, 38, Marshalltown, Iowa
  • Chad Ellis Weyland, 38, Cedar Falls, Iowa
  • Michael Vincent Woodberry Bent, 37, Denver, Iowa
  • Edward Behrens, 50, Benton, Wisconsin
  • Susana Martinez, 29, Marshalltown, Iowa
  • Alfredo Morales, 25, Des Moines, Iowa

The 29 search warrants were executed across the State of Iowa in Des Moines, Marshalltown, Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Denver, Dubuque, and Greeley and in Benton, Wisconsin. During execution of the warrants, law enforcement seized over $250,000, more than six pounds of methamphetamine, 14 firearms, and ammunition. Law enforcement officers also disposed of multiple methamphetamine labs and seized a methamphetamine conversion station used for drying liquid methamphetamine. The methamphetamine seized by investigators has a street value of approximately $272,880.

A federal arrest warrant remains outstanding for Dennis Sharkey II. Investigators believe Sharkey is currently located in the Dubuque area. Title 18 United States Code Section 1071 makes it a federal crime to harbor or conceal any person for whose arrest a warrant has been issued, so as to prevent the fugitive’s discovery and arrest.

A total of 250 law enforcement officers participated in the arrest and search warrants today to include:

Iowa

  • Asbury Police Department
  • Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office
  • Bremer County Sheriff’s Office
  • Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
  • Cedar County Sheriff’s Office
  • Cedar Falls Police Department
  • Central Iowa Drug Task Force
  • Clayton County Sherriff’s Office
  • Coralville Police Department
  • Decorah Police Department
  • Delaware County Sheriff’s Office
  • Des Moines Police Department
  • Drug Enforcement Administration
  • Dubuque Police Department
  • Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office
  • Dyersville Police Department
  • Evansdale Police Department
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • Grant County (WI) Sheriff’s Office
  • Homeland Security Investigations
  • Iowa City Police Department
  • Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation
  • Iowa Division of Narcotic Enforcement
  • Iowa State Patrol
  • Johnson County Sheriff’s Office
  • Marshall County Sheriff’s Office
  • Marshalltown Police Department
  • Mid Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force
  • Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office
  • Muscatine Police Department
  • North Liberty Police Department
  • Tama County Sheriff’s Office
  • University of Iowa Police Department
  • Waterloo Police Department
  • Waverly Police Department

Wisconsin

  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (Milwaukee Division)
  • Dodgeville Police Department
  • Green County Sheriff’s Office
  • Grant County Sheriff’s Office
  • Iowa County (Wisconsin) Sheriff’s Office
  • Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office
  • Monroe Police Department
  • Platteville Police Department
  • Richland County Sheriff’s Department
  • Richland Center Police Department