“Operation Frogger” concluded in March with the arrest of 22 defendants

The Oregon Department of Justice today announced that seven defendants have entered guilty pleas in Polk County Circuit Court for their involvement in a major drug-trafficking organization that distributed heroin in Marion, Clackamas and Polk Counties.

“Drug trafficking organizations like this one pose a major threat to Oregon communities. Our goal is to put Mexico-based drug cartels out of business,” said Attorney General John Kroger. “I want to thank all of our law enforcement partners for their work on this case.”

• John Eugene Hunter (DOB: 05/22/61) pleaded guilty this morning to one count each of Racketeering and Unlawful Delivery of Heroin. He was sentenced to 120 months in prison.
• Gary Wayne Hunter (DOB: 08/26/63) pleaded guilty this morning to one count of Racketeering and two counts of Unlawful Delivery of Heroin. He was sentenced to 120 months in prison.
• Toby Shawn Keerins (DOB: 02/23/60) pleaded guilty this morning to one count of Unlawful Delivery of Heroin. He was sentenced to 26 months in prison.
• Sergio Delgadillo (DOB: 1/27/70) pleaded guilty to one count each of Racketeering and Unlawful Delivery of Heroin. He was sentenced to 180 months in prison.
• Velma Lee Hunter (DOB: 04/16/66) pleaded guilty on April 25 to one count of Racketeering and one count of delivering heroin. She is scheduled to be sentenced on May 2 in Polk County Circuit Court.
• Thomas Louis Reyes (DOB: 10/17/53) pleaded guilty on April 25 to one count of Racketeering and two counts of Unlawful Delivery of Heroin. He was sentenced to 91 months in prison.
• Roy Monroe Crawford pleaded guilty April 27 to seven counts of Unlawful Delivery of Methamphetamine and Heroin. He was sentenced to 86 months prison.

The seven were apprehended during a major sweep that took place in early March and resulted in the arrest of 22 people at ten locations in Marion, Clackamas and Polk counties. Approximately $40,000 in cash, along with 341.5 grams of heroin, 28.5 grams of methamphetamine and 22 grams of marijuana; weapons, computers and drug paraphernalia were seized in the raid. Roughly 200 officers and deputies from throughout the Willamette Valley assisted with serving the warrants.

The main supplier of the organization was Sergio Delgadillo (see above). Delgadillo told investigators that he was “recruited” by a drug cartel in Mexico to sell drugs in the United States. Delgadillo said that he’d been arrested several times and deported back to Mexico, but the cartel repeatedly sent him back to the U.S. to sell drugs. Delgadillo admitted selling $20,000 to $30,000 worth of heroin every three weeks. A search of his home revealed approximately $30,000 in cash and 12 ounces of heroin.

The arrest sweep, dubbed “Operation Frogger,” arose from a multi-agency investigation involving the Polk County Interagency Narcotics Team; Marion and Clackamas County Sheriff’s Offices; Marion and Polk County District Attorneys Offices; Canby, Corvallis and Salem Police Departments; Oregon State Police; and the Oregon Department of Justice.

Of the remaining defendants arrested in March, nine others have pleaded guilty and were sentenced on a variety of charges for their involvement in the case.

An additional seven defendants remain.

A criminal defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

In 2009, the Department of Justice received a $1,531,744 federal grant to create a multi-agency Drug Crimes Strike Force. The new unit works with the Oregon High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area board, the Oregon Sheriffs’ Association, the Oregon Police Chiefs’ Association and the Oregon District Attorneys’ Association.

Attorney General John Kroger leads the Oregon Department of Justice. The Department’s mission is to fight crime and fraud, protect the environment, improve child welfare, promote a positive business climate, and defend the rights of all Oregonians.

Contact:

Tony Green, (503) 378-6002 tony.green@doj.state.or.us |