Last month, officers with the Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force executed a search warrant in conjunction with a federal investigation of a major drug ring alleged to have operated in rural Colfax and Mingo.
As a result of the search, Emiliano Villegas-Caballero, Nestor Casillas and Ulises Sevilla-Lozano were arrested on drug, immigration and firearm charges. All three men are set for individual federal trials to begin Feb. 3. Villegas-Caballero and Sevilla-Lozano will be on trial on individual charges of illegal alien in possession of firearms. Casillas will be tried on a charge of intent to deliver a controlled substance.
Casillas was taken into custody at approximately 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, as he was walking near his residence in Des Moines. ATF Special Agent Dee Looper and Des Moines Police Department Detective Stephanie Swartz initiated an interview with Casillas, who waived his Miranda rights and agreed to talk.
Casillas told DMPD Detective Tony Ballantini he was selling methamphetamine and marijuana he obtained from a farm in Colfax he identified from aerial photographs. Casillas identified Emiliano Villegas-Caballero as the owner of both the farm in Colfax and the farm in Mingo.
Casillas told the detective the Colfax farm was the pickup spot for drug customers, as smaller amounts were stored there in order to protect the overall stash quantity between Colfax and Mingo. Casillas identified Villegas-Caballero by photograph as the man who fronted him methamphetamine and marijuana on numerous occasions. Casillas said he repaid Villegas-Caballero by depositing money into bank accounts.
Casillas told detectives Villegas-Caballero was obtaining drugs from “California Guy,” later identified as Sevilla-Lozano. Casillas called Sevilla-Lozano the “mastermind” of the operation. Casillas said Sevilla-Lozano brought drugs in semitrailers and then loaded them into horse trailers once they reached Colfax. The drugs would be shipped from there to Mingo for storage.
During the interview with Casillas, investigators executed a federal search warrant at the farm in Colfax. During the early stages of the search, Lucia Cruz-Blanco arrived on scene in her vehicle. Villegas-Caballero and Sevilla-Lozano arrived in a separate vehicle shortly after Cruz-Blanco.
At the residence, investigators located three firearms, a .30-30 caliber rifle found in the house and two .22 caliber rifles found in the garage. Investigators also found 2 grams of suspected methamphetamine, approximately $50,000 in cash, suspected drug ledgers/notes, a digital scale and banking records/receipts.
All three denied any knowledge of drugs or drug activity taking place at the Colfax farm. They were taken into custody for possible immigration and firearm violations.
Investigators with the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office also sought and received a state search warrant for the residence of Cruz-Blanco and Villegas-Caballero in Mingo. During the search of the residence, investigators found three firearms, approximately 2 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately $40,000 in cash and bank records.