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Wanted suspects (clockwise from top left) Yunior Ortiz Reyes, Filiberto Reyes Castaneda, Primitivo Gutierrez Barajas, also known as Miguel Campos Torres, and Freddy Reyes Castanada.

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Narcotics task force arrests five, seeks four other suspects

Thursday, December 11, 2008 9:03 PM PST

By Leslie Slape

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Narcotics agents arrested five people Tuesday as part of a long-term investigation into a family-based Mexican drug-trafficking organization operating in the Longview-Kelso area.

The Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Narcotics Task Force has been investigating and arresting people from this organization for at least a decade, according to a news release. Other suspects are being sought.

Agents have made numerous arrests during the course of this investigation, including busts in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2007 and in May and September of this year.

Some of the suspects arrested Tuesday had been busted previously for drug trafficking.

Tuesday the task force, assisted by several law enforcement agencies, searched two residences and one vehicle, seizing drugs, money and a gun, according to the news release.

Agents said they made numerous undercover buys in November and December from Angela Alvarez and Rafael Gutierrez Barajas, who live at 901 Cedar St., Longview. Some of the transactions took place at the couple’s residence, and other transactions took place near grocery stores in Kelso and Longview, agents said.

Search warrants were on the Cedar Street residence as well as on an apartment Gutierrez maintains at 142 Beulah Drive, Longview, and on a 1996 Honda Accord that agents said was used during the drug transactions.

Diego Guevara Aranda was in the apartment, and Serapio Almonte Pedraza and Raul Magana Aguilera were in the car when sheriff’s deputies stopped it, agents said.

Agents said they seized methamphetamine and cocaine packaged for sale, sales/trafficking paraphernalia and documentation, a rifle and cash proceeds from the drug business.

Arrested:

• Angela Alvarez, also known as Maria Baltazar, 35, Longview; two counts of cocaine delivery, four counts of methamphetamine delivery, and one count each of possession of cocaine with intent to deliver and possession of meth with intent to deliver. Bail: $100,000.

• Rafael Gutierrez Barajas, 41, Longview; two counts of cocaine delivery, three counts of methamphetamine delivery, one count each of possession of cocaine with intent to deliver and possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver. Bail: $100,000.

• Serapio “Cesar” Almonte Pedraza, 22, Longview; possession of cocaine with intent to deliver and alien in possession of a firearm. Bail: $50,000.

• Diego Guevara Aranda, 34, Longview; possession of cocaine with intent to deliver and alien in possession of a firearm. Bail: $50,000.

• Raul Magana Aguilera, 38, transient; possession of cocaine and forgery. Bail: $25,000.

Wanted:

The task force is seeking help in locating the following people:

• Freddy Reyes Castanada, 26, 5-foot-7, 135 pounds; warrant for multiple counts of delivery of cocaine.

• Yunior Ortiz Reyes, 26, 5-foot-6, 145 pounds; warrant for multiple counts of delivery of methamphetamine.

• Filiberto Reyes Castaneda, 41, 5-foot-7, 135 pounds; warrant for multiple counts of delivery of methamphetamine.

• Primitivo Gutierrez Barajas, also known as Miguel Campos Torres, 43, 5-foot-4, 189 pounds; wanted for questioning related to his alleged involvement in an ongoing conspiracy to distribute illicit narcotics.

Anyone with information on the location and/or activities of these men is asked to call either the task force’s drug tip line at (360) 442-5900 or Cowlitz Crime Stoppers at (360) 577-1206.

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Raven wrote on Dec 11, 2008 3:01 AM:

" Check my neighbors house. They seem to be happily selling drugs... gods knows I've seen enough of them laying out on their lawn in the throes of their drug highs. Cops don't seem to particularly care. "

Reel Mccoy wrote on Dec 11, 2008 8:27 AM:

" Eight years of this and still they are hanging around, what wonderful news and PR for the area. "

Snewey wrote on Dec 11, 2008 9:08 AM:

" Years ago, many governments sent irreformable felonious criminals to remote islands for the rest of their lives. These drug dealers are a devastating curse upon society. They can't be 'helped' or reformed. The pendulum swings. This may be the appropriate time to revive this successful practice. "

DUH wrote on Dec 11, 2008 10:21 AM:

" The Beulah Drive location is right near my home. I watched them haul these people away and applauded as they drove by. "

ucrackmeup wrote on Dec 11, 2008 10:27 AM:

" Raven - you can call the Narcotics Task Force, drug tip line and/or local PD. If you see drug deals in progress, call 9-1-1. They will send an officer out, if not bug them until they do. Start taking down plate numbers and remember you can remain anonymous. Don't let the drugies take your neighborhood over! Been there, done that. If there is a mess in their yard, call Nuisance Abatement. "

katkat wrote on Dec 11, 2008 11:14 AM:

" I love reading the great job the Task Force is doing in our area. They are
trying to fight the HUGE battle of drugs
in our area. They are all police who lay their lives on the line for us all the time. Thanks to all those brave men and women in our community. Keep up the
good work. "

julietorell wrote on Dec 11, 2008 11:38 AM:

" ucrackmeup- I know from personal experience that they do not send a cop out. I've gone down to the Londview PD a couple of times with license plates, called the "Tip" line AND e-mailed the Sheriff with information. They do absolutely NOTHING. The last policewoman I talked to at the station said my complex was "not a frequent flyer". Hmmm.... cars coming and going 24 hours a day, new cars I've never seen before always coming, even after my former "pot" dealing neighbor got evicted- yeah, they thought it was "cut" blow out their smoke when my kids are coming in the front door, home from school! That's why my kids for the past 5 years cannot play in their neighborhood, with cars screeching in and out and druggies hanging out! By the way, my neighbors are good 'ol white boys- maybe they only want Mexican drug dealers? "

cahoots wrote on Dec 11, 2008 11:55 AM:

" The landlords of these drug dealers should be fined for renting to criminals. Background checks should be required on all rentals. "

theraydude wrote on Dec 11, 2008 12:05 PM:

" hey you know what people what a joke drugs are so easily accseable in kelso longview the only option i see to winning the war on druga is to legalize all substances if people could go somewhere legally to get there meth or coke or weed u would virtually need no task force out there filling up the prisons draining our taxes to feed clothe and shelter them i say legalize because then there would be a system set up for these people to get help cause lets face it they need it and to everyone whos ever used drugs probly would agree with me and to those who haventthink about it less crime people wouldnt need to go steal to get high less in jail and more in treatment if they feel there will isnt strong enough and probly alot more i say legalize all substances there doing it in other nations why cant we as americans catch up to the 21 century and get over it already i mean how much have we already spent wasted on this failed war people if you read all of this thanks "

opinionated 1 wrote on Dec 11, 2008 12:33 PM:

" I'll have to agree with theraydude here . The war on drugs is a huge waste of time and money . People who do drugs are going to do them whether they are legal or not . "

onemom wrote on Dec 11, 2008 12:54 PM:

" the war on drugs is a waste of money. money needs to go towards programs that help to prevent the reasons people turn to drugs. instead of a jail, there should be a "jail" for families. with the bad economy, there should be an empty motel or two. house the entire family of a drug user, make the whole entire family attend AA,NA or whatever they do. then, before sending that family out into the real world, give them training so they can be productive members of society. staying in the program they should get their records cleaned so its not an excuse for not working. and when they get out, send them somewhere other than here so they will not have the same friends, what ever that got them mixed up in the first place. I know this sounds like a lot of money, but how much are we wasting on the "war" now? and with what results? by the time a parent gets arrested, the kids are already involved in drugs also. then the kids end up arrested, then their kids. its endless. we need a more drastic action then just throwing one member of a family in jail. "

julietorell wrote on Dec 11, 2008 2:14 PM:

" To onemom- programs are great, however, a person has to want help for the program to work! Also, why on earth would you suggest penalizing the whole family by putting the whole family in jail? The law-abiding adults and children should not be subject to jail.If you commit a crime, such as "using" drugs, why should you have your criminal records cleared and not anyone else? Your reasoning doesn't make sense. Yes, we need more drastic measures, however, punishing the whole family for the law-breaking actions of another member of the family is not justice! Also, the CHOICE to use drugs and alcohol is an individual choice- one I'm happy I never chose to experience! "

ADDICT wrote on Dec 11, 2008 2:18 PM:

" JUST BECAUSE YOUR PARENTS ARE ADDICTED TO DRUGS DOESNT MEAN YOUR GOING TO BE. MY MOM WAS AN ADDICT IN AND OUT OF PRISON. IAM AN ADDICT IV BEEN CLEAN FOR 1YEAR AND 5 MONTHS but MY OLDER SISTER HAS NEVER BEEN AN ADDICT SO YOU HAVE THE CHOICE TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE... "

Stella wrote on Dec 11, 2008 2:24 PM:

" RE: Onemom, AA & NA does not work unless the person wants it. All the meetings in the world won't help a person forced to go unless they don't want to drink or drug anymore. "

shmuck wrote on Dec 11, 2008 9:49 PM:

" I agree with raydude too.Addiction is a health issue not a criminal issue.Set up some health programs for them.If they wont the help geting off it ,help them.If they need a fix because their sick ,give them some synthetic stuff to keep them from stealing for it.In closing "I dispise drugs and the people that use them"Good Day "

Simple Man wrote on Dec 12, 2008 7:56 AM:

" now they just need to deport these guys back to mexico "

joey wrote on Dec 12, 2008 7:59 AM:

" Legalizing drugs will not solve the crime problem involved with it. People who steal to get drugs do it because they don't have the money and they still won't have the money to buy it if drugs are legal.

Joey "

1arealocal wrote on Dec 12, 2008 10:16 AM:

" RE; Joey good point...legalizing drugs is not the answer, stiffer penalties, and continued zero tolerance. Yes it is a problem that will not be easily solved. More social programs is not the answer either there are already many underutilized programs out there.

For those of you frustrated because nothing is seemingly getting done in your specific neighborhood. Be patient and keep calling. Call in with daily reports and plate numbers. These things get noticed. I thought nothing was being done in my area, but they use these small fish to get to the big ones like we are reading about. Way to go Task Force, keep it up. "

theraydude wrote on Dec 12, 2008 11:09 AM:

" look what way to go task force ok people my mom was busted by the task force back in 92 not the way to go again the war on drugs is a failed policy that so much money has been wasted with how are you going to win a war on a substance first and second these people need help to deal with this not jail time its easier to get drugs in prison than on the streets the task force is a wasted department of tax dollars please hear me sure these addicts may not have any money to buy it if it were legal thats were medical plays a role i mean sometimes drs prescribe vicodin and heavy painkiller or oxycottons same as herion to me itkills the pain either one its all about choices and responsibility but also the fact sometimes we look past our fellow man because of addictions lgalize it and watch howe crime goes down streets are clean and addicts dont have to rob to get high theres a system in place for them to get there fix then the taboo is killed cause hey its not illegal anymore this is just how ive always felt and i have a deep distrust for thye police and law enforcement in kelso longview they do what i belive are no good for the community when they profile people in certain neighborhoods such as the highlands south kelso these are people just like everyone else in thecity "

1arealocal wrote on Dec 12, 2008 10:30 PM:

" RE: theraydude...WHAT fantasy land are you living in? Legalize the poisons and then enable social programs to provide them to the addicts?? What did you smoke before posting? You think this will make drug crime go away? You are a liberal's fantasy. Take off the blinders, go back to school and get educated. "

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