PORTLAND, OR—Today, 12 defendants appeared in federal court after being charged in a federal indictment alleging a conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, a conspiracy to commit money laundering and a conspiracy to violate the Animal Welfare Act (rooster fighting). The indictment, charging a total of 24 defendants, was unsealed yesterday after the early morning execution of federal and state search warrants in Oregon and Washington.

The underlying case involves a vast drug trafficking conspiracy in which drug cartels, criminal organizations and gangs were sourcing a large drug trafficking organization that was operating within Washington County, Oregon with hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine, which in turn was being sold to other drug distributors within the area.

See the indictment and the government memorandum attached.

This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) joint investigation involving the Westside Interagency Narcotics team, Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Hillsboro Police Department—Street Crimes Unit, Beaverton Police Department, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Tigard Police Department, Portland Police Bureau—Drugs and Vice Division, Clackamas County Interagency Task Force, FBI, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office—Special Investigations Unit, Yamhill County Interagency Narcotics team, Woodburn Police Department, Salem Police Department, and the Department of Agriculture. The Portland Police Bureau’s Special Emergency Reaction Team and the Washington County Tactical Negotiations Team helped with the execution of search warrants. The Humane Society has assisted with the handling of roosters found during the execution of the search warrants. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Kerin, Patrick Ehlers and AnneMarie Sgarlata.