Seven people were arrested in Jefferson County last week following a months-long drug investigation that targeted suspected commercial-level fentanyl and methamphetamine dealing across Central Oregon, according to law enforcement officials.
The investigation, led by the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), zeroed in on Elizabeth Chavez, 40, and Brent Waldorf, 35, both of Madras, who are suspected of distributing commercial amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine throughout the region.
A Two-Pronged Operation
The arrests unfolded on a Wednesday evening through simultaneous operations at two locations in Madras.
In the first operation, a Jefferson County Sheriff's deputy attempted to stop a blue Chevrolet Malibu near U.S. Highway 97 and Northeast Elm around 8:30 p.m. The vehicle fled, prompting a pursuit that ended a couple of miles later when officers used a PIT maneuver to stop the car. Waldorf, seated in the back passenger seat, was charged with possession of a commercial amount of suspected fentanyl.
The driver, Nicholas Speck, 40, of Redmond, was charged with attempting to elude police, reckless driving and endangering, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Passenger Andrew Jones, 39, of Bend, was arrested on a probation violation.
Second Location Yields More Arrests
Simultaneously, CODE detectives and Madras Police were surveilling a residence on the 400 block of Southeast Grizzly Road. When agents watched several individuals leave the house in a vehicle, police stopped the car — and Chavez ran. She was apprehended nearby and charged with unlawful possession and delivery of methamphetamine, as well as escape in the third degree.
A passenger in that vehicle, Kenneth Crutcher, 48, of Redmond, was found to have an outstanding warrant and was in possession of a taser. He was charged with being a felon in possession of a weapon and a parole violation.
A search of the Southeast Grizzly Road residence turned up nine additional people inside. Among them, Jeremy Wisely, 42, of Madras, was charged with a probation violation, and Victor Chavez, 49, of Madras, was charged with disorderly conduct in the second degree for being verbally aggressive to officers. Police also found drug-related items consistent with commercial drug distribution at the scene.
Multi-Agency Coordination
The bust involved the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, CODE, the Madras Police Department, Oregon State Police, and the federal DEA. All seven individuals arrested are being held at the Jefferson County Jail.
The operation reflects ongoing multi-agency efforts to combat drug trafficking in Jefferson County, where law enforcement has identified fentanyl distribution as a growing public safety concern.