PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. — Fifteen people have been federally indicted for their role in an intricate methamphetamine trafficking organization, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday.
Investigators say the lengthy and complex drug investigation focused on multiple locations in the southern portion of Putnam County and required the assistance of several state and federal law enforcement agencies.
Of the 15 arrested, the sheriff’s office shared the names of 6.
Alejandro Alvarado, Jose Luis Martinez, Jonathan Arroyo Ontiveros, Miguel Angel Ortiz, and Robert Wayne Watso were arrested and federally indicted earlier this month, according to PCSO.
Deputies say a sixth suspect, Francisco Arroyo, was arrested in Missouri following a nationwide search for a shooting that deputies say left one man dead and injured two others.
PCSO told Action News Jax that Mark Anthony Arbelo Jr., 24, of Crescent City died at the scene. Alexander Desmond Arbelo, 21, suffered a gunshot wound to the stomach, and his brother, Angel David Arbelo, 22, was shot in the leg.
[ Gunman behind deadly Crescent City triple shooting arrested in Missouri, Putnam deputies say ]
According to court records, Arroyo was released from prison in Dec. 2020 after serving 10 years for armed robbery.
In a statement shared to its official Facebook page, the sheriff’s office said, “Drug trafficking often crosses jurisdictional boundaries. With the unprecedented amounts of methamphetamine, fentanyl and other deadly drugs pouring across the out of control Mexican border, we value our strong working relationships with our federal law enforcement partners.”
Action News Jax is working to learn more about this investigation and the 15 suspects now facing federal charges. This article will be updated as more information becomes available.