Narcotics Raid at 100 Josephine

As part of an ongoing focus on quality of life issues, an early morning drug raid by the CCPD has shut down a problem drug house near City Hall.  At approximately 0545 hours, the Corpus Christi Police Department’s Narcotics Vice Investigations Division, assisted by the CCPD S.W.A.T team, served a search warrant at 110 Josephine.  This warrant was the result of a lengthy investigation brought about by neighborhood complaints and was a joint effort between NVID investigators and CCPD uniformed patrol officers, who collaborated to shut down this neighborhood crack house and dealer. 

During the search of the residence, officers found and seized a small amount of crack and powdered cocaine, approximately one ounce of Synthetic Cannabinoid and a small quantity of marijuana.  Also seized was a new in the box Remington 870 shotgun which is suspected to be stolen pending contact with the registered owner.  Officers also confiscated $1867.00 in cash, believed to be the proceeds of illegal drug sales.  A quantity of paraphernalia used for the making of crack cocaine, drug scales, multiple cell phones, and the surveillance system that was being used by the suspect were also seized.      

Suspect Ruben Vallejo (6-23-89) was arrested and charged with First Degree Felony Manufacture/Delivery of Controlled Substance in Penalty Group 2/2A and Second Degree Felony Manufacture/Delivery of Controlled Substance in Penalty Group 1.  Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Possession of Marijuana and other charges related to the recovered firearm are pending further investigation at this time.   

This successful operation was yet another example of an innovative collaboration between the Department’s Uniform Division and NVID to attack neighborhood drug dealers who degrade the community’s quality of life.  Under this program, Officers from the Uniform Division are temporarily assigned to the NVID, where they learn advanced narcotics investigations techniques such as conducting surveillance, managing informants, drafting search warrants, raid planning, and search warrant execution.  Patrol Officers bring a problem drug house from their assigned beat with them to NVID, where they are then paired with a NVID Investigator to attack the problem.  This joint response to neighborhood quality of life issues results in an all-around win for all involved, except, of course, for the drug dealers who fall into the team’s sights.  Patrol Officers return to their division with advanced training, skills and knowledge, NVID benefits from the additional resources and street level intelligence, and most importantly, the residents and business owners of the neighborhood are freed from the blight of neighborhood drug dealers.

NARCOTICS OFFICERS RAID SOUTHSIDE DRUG OPERATION

CCPD Narcotics officers believe they disrupted a major drug distribution operation after serving a search warrant Friday afternoon at an apartment in the 3800 block of Caravelle Parkway. The search warrant was the culmination of a long term undercover investigation of the occupants and their involvement in the distribution of illegal narcotics in the City of Corpus Christi.

During the search of the apartment investigators seized approximately 18.5 lbs of synthetic cannabinoid, 5 ounces of methamphetamine, ½ ounce of crack cocaine, 2.71 grams of powdered cocaine, and 2 ounces of marijuana, along with $7257.00 in cash believed to be proceeds from drug dealing.

In addition to the illicit drugs and cash, Officers seized multiple firearms, including five assault rifles, two shotguns, nine handguns, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.  Two sets of body armor were located in the apartment as well.

Arrested during the raid were Longino Garcia Castillo (DOB: 5-22-90), Mary Beth Zamora (DOB: 9-3-90), Isaiah Martinez (DOB: 5-25-97), Summer Escamilla (DOB: 4-23-99), and Serena Escamilla (DOB: 10-13-91). All five face felony charges of manufacturing and delivery of a controlled substance, a first degree felony punishable by from five to ninety-nine years in prison. Zamora was additionally charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Unlawful Possession of Body Armor by a Felon, both felonies.

The large amount of seized drugs, cash and weaponry suggests this was a large scale supplier of synthetic cannabis and other narcotics within Corpus Christi. CCPD Narcotics Investigators continue to target such dealers to combat the proliferation of synthetic cannabis in our community. Narcotics Investigators will continue to pursue leads as a result of this operation and are confident that more arrests and seizures will follow.

SWAT Call Out 1800 Treyway

Date: Saturday October 15, 2016, 9:22 AM
Location: 1800 Treyway.
Offense: Assault Family Violence
Case Number: 1610150059

Corpus Christi Police Officers were dispatched to 1800 Treyway in reference a disturbance with a gun. Officers arrived and contacted a mother and her daughter. They advised that they were in the house with the 37 year old male suspect. They stated that the suspect was under the influence of drugs, would not let them leave and had a gun. The mother and daughter were able to escape from the house. Due to the circumstances the SWAT and Hostage Negotiation teams were called to the scene.

SWAT and HNT arrived and attempted negotiations with the suspect. HNT officers were communicating with the suspect and then the suspect stopped all communications. Officers tried all methods to get the suspect to come out. A portable speaker was used to try and restart communication again. After a couple of hours the SWAT Team introduced tear gas into the house. SWAT officers went into the house and found the suspect hiding in the attic. He was taken into custody at  approximately 2:10 PM without incident. The 37 year old male was transported to Spohn Memorial to be medically cleared and then will be transported to the City Detention Center.

SWAT and HNT respond to 6500 Lyons

On January 24, 2016 at approximately 9:20 am, patrol officers responded to  the area of 6500 Lyons for a suicidal subject. Officers arrived and attempted to make contact. As officers were attempting to make contact, they heard what they believed to be a single gunshot. At that point the CCPD SWAT and Hostage Negotiations Teams were called to respond.

HNT made numerous attempts to contact the male subject inside but never received a response. The SWAT Team carefully entered the house. Once inside they discovered that the 32 year old male was deceased. There were no other people inside the house. Officers are sill on scene at the time of this post.

Three People Walk Out Of Apartment After SWAT Standoff

Corpus Christi Police were dispatched to a disturbance with a weapon at an apartment complex located at 7350 Mc Ardle Road just before midnight on October 19.

When Officers arrived, the person that leases the apartment, a 39 year old female, told them that a male suspect, had her 19 year old son and his 20 year old girlfriend in her apartment and he was holding them at gun point.

The female said that she arrived at her apartment to find the male suspect fighting with her son. The female told him to leave the apartment and he pointed a rifle type gun at her and told her to get out or he would kill her and her son. The female also told Officers that the girl inside the apartment was the ex-girlfriend of both her son and the suspect. The girlfriend was reported to have a cut to her forehead from the altercation in the apartment with the men.

Officers were able to observe through a window, the female inside the apartment  bleeding from her head and two males arguing and pacing back and forth around her. When Officers attempted to make contact by knocking on an apartment window and front door, no one answered.

Officers were also informed that the male suspect may be armed with a rifle or a handgun that was inside the apartment. Corpus Christi Police SWAT and HNT were called out and after almost three hours all three people in the apartment walked out.

Officers arrested Christian Lawson (09/14/1993) for aggravated assault. He was additionally charged with four outstanding arrest warrants that had been issued.

The female was treated at the scene by CCFD EMS for injuries to her head.

Police Arrest Man on Brooks Drive After Stand-off

Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2015, 13:03
Location: 300 Brooks Drive
Offense: Aggravated Assault
Case Number: 1509150094

Corpus Christi Police arrested 26-year-old Quinton Ellison (9/21/1988) for aggravated assault after he threatened people with a weapon and then barricaded himself in a house on the 300 block of Brooks Drive Tuesday afternoon.

Corpus Christi Police responded to a complaint of a disturbance with a weapon a little after 1pm on the 300 block of Brooks Drive Tuesday afternoon. Officers arrived and Ellison locked himself in a home and refused to come out to speak to Officers. A 46-year-old woman, a 28-year-old man and a 25-year-old man told Officers they believed Ellison was under the influence of some type of drugs and threatened them with a large knife, but no one was injured. Officers requested additional resources in order to resolve the situation.

The Corpus Christi Police SWAT Team, Hostage Negotiation Team, and Detectives arrived to assist the patrol officers. The 300 block of Brooks was closed to traffic at about 1:45pm. The Hostage Negotiation Team gathered information in which they believed there were no firearms accessible to Ellison and there was no other person inside the home. Ellison surrendered peacefully at 4:15pm and the road was reopened to normal use.

Ellison was arrested for aggravated assault, a second degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine. Officers delivered Ellison to the city detention center. No injuries were reported that were related to this event.

SWAT Operations End With Arrest

Date: 08/11/2015       6:35 AM
Location: 5757 Wooldridge Road
Offense: Aggravated Assault
P.C. 22.02            First Degree Felony
Case Number: 1508110029
Corpus Christi Police SWAT took a man into custody after he assaulted his  23-year-old girlfriend and a 21-year-old male neighbor who was trying to help the female.

Officers had originally been called to the apartment, located at 5757 Wooldridge Road, after the female called police stating her boyfriend had hit her several times in the face.  The neighbor was leaving for work when he saw the disturbance occurring outside of the couple’s apartment.  He yelled at the male to leave the female alone.

The neighbor then told Officers that the man pulled out a knife and grabbed the female by the throat.  The neighbor again yelled at the man to drop the knife, but instead, he came across the walkway to where the neighbor was standing and made threats to kill him.

Eventually, the boyfriend went back into his apartment and locked the door.  The female and the neighbor were able to get to safety and call the police.

Once Officers arrived the man refused to allow them to enter the apartment.  The girlfriend told Officers that her boyfriend still had the knife he used to assault her in his possession, and he also owned a firearm that was inside the residence.

Officers attempted to communicate with the man from outside of the apartment, but he would not respond.

SWAT and Hostages Negotiators responded to the scene just after 8 AM.  They communicated with the man inside with a loud speaker.  They were able to convince the man  to come outside and he was taken into custody at 10:15 AM.

Officers arrested the man, Blair Adair (05/24/1990), for two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and assault family violence by choking.  All charges are felony offenses.

The female victim had injuries to her face which included a possible broken nose. She was taken to Spohn Memorial Hospital by CCFD EMS.

The neighbor was not injured during the attack.