26 suspects arrested in Wyoming pawn shop drug ring (PHOTOS) (2024)

CASPER, Wyo. —Officials in Sweetwater County, Wyoming say that 26 individuals were arrested, and over a 27 pounds of methamphetamine seized, in a joint operation between multiple law enforcement agencies and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.

A release sent out by Sweetwater’s Chief Deputy and Prosecuting Attorney, Teresa Thybo, says that multiple agencies have been working over a year on the case.

Sweetwater County officials say that the investigation began in September of 2018, and focus on the illegal distribution, transportation, and use of methamphetamine and heroin in Sweetwater County.

Through the course of the investigation, DCI Agents identified Alexis “Lexi” K. Morgan and Albert E. Morgan as sources of supply for methamphetamine and heroin in Sweetwater County.

The Morgans are accused of bringing in multiple pound quantities of Methamphetamine and Heroin for redistribution in Sweetwater County, Wyoming. DCI Agents identified several out of state sources of illicit drugs who were used to maintain the Morgans’ supply of Methamphetamine and Heroin.

DCI Agents learned Lexi Morgan and Albert Morgan both own and/or manage the A&M Pawn Shop located in Rock Springs, Wyoming and were operating the drug trafficking organization through the Pawn Shop.

During the course of the investigation, Agents conducted controlled purchases of Methamphetamine from the Morgans and several co-conspirators, totaling over one kilogram of Methamphetamine.

“Lab Analysis revealed a portion of the tested evidence items from the controlled purchases yielded 99% pure Methamphetamine,” the Sweetwater Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said in a press release, provided to Oil City by media outlets in Rock Springs. “Through investigative means, DCI Agents say they have also identified the out of state sources, saying they’re located in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Phoenix, Arizona.”

On July 15, 2019, Sweetwater officials say that DCI Agents, in cooperation with Green River Police Department and Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team, culminated the investigation by serving five residential search warrants in the Rock Springs, Wyoming area and arresting 26 members of the organization.

Wyoming DCI Agents also assisted Las Vegas Metro Police Department and Phoenix Department of Public Safety in service of residential search warrants, charges and arrests of four sources of supply for the Morgans.

In total, DCI Agents seized approximately 27 pounds of Methamphetamine, 54 firearms, several ounces of Heroin and several thousand dollars of U.S.
currency.

The investigation is still ongoing and all suspects are presumed innocent.

The following members were arrested and charged for the following violations of the Wyoming Controlled Substances Act.

MORGAN, ALEXIS KAY

• Age:27
• Address:ROCK SPRINGS, WY
• Booking Date:2019-07-15
• Arresting Agency:SCSO
• Charges: Conspiracy to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine), Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine) in a Drug Free School Zone, Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Marijuana) to a Person Under 18, Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine)- x6

MORGAN, ALBERT ELBRIDGE

• Age:52
• Address:ROCK SPRINGS, WY
• Booking Date:2019-07-15
• Arresting Agency:SCSO
• Charges: Conspiracy to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine), Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine)- x3

SHELTON, KATELYN MARIE

• Age:26
• Address:ROCK SPRINGS, WY
• Booking Date:2019-07-15
• Arresting Agency:DCI
• Charges: Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Heroin), Conspiracy to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine)

ZUMPFE, KAREN SUE

• Age:48
• Address:ROCK SPRINGS, WY
• Booking Date:2019-07-15
• Arresting Agency:SCSO
• Charges: Conspiracy to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine), Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine)- x2

RUMLER-SPARKS, MARCY JO

• Age:42
• Address:ROCK SPRINGS, WY
• Booking Date:2019-07-15
• Arresting Agency:SCSO
• Charge: Conspiracy to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine)

LOPEZ-SMITH, CAROL ANN

• Age:51
• Address:ROCK SPRINGS, WY
• Booking Date:2019-07-15
• Arresting Agency:SCSO
• Charge:
• Conspiracy to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine)- x3

TOMASINI, JASON LEROY

• Age:41
• Address:ROCK SPRINGS, WY
• Booking Date:2019-07-15
• Arresting Agency:SCSO
• Charges: Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine), two counts, Conspiracy to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine), Possess with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine), Possession of a Controlled Substance (Marijuana), Possession of a Controlled Substance (Heroin)

PENN, BRANDY MARIE

• Age:25
• Address:PHOENIX, AZ
• Booking Date:2019-07-19
• Arresting Agency:PHOENIX DPS
• Charges: None Given

BORQUEZ, ALEJANDRO

• Age:28
• Address:PHOENIX, AZ
• Booking Date:2019-07-19
• Arresting Agency:PHOENIX DPS
• Charges: None Given

SHAY, WILLIAM EVERETTE

• Age:50
• Address:LAS VEGAS, NV
• Booking Date:2019-09-18
• Arresting Agency:LAS VEGAS METRO PD
• Charge: Conspiracy to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine)

SHEPARD SCOTT, SARA KATHLEEN

• Age:43
• Address:LAS VEGAS, NV
• Booking Date:2019-09-18
• Arresting Agency:LAS VEGAS METRO PD
• Charge: Conspiracy to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine)

CAIN, NICOLE ANN

• Age:47
• Address:ROCK SPRINGS, WY
• Booking Date:2019-07-15
• Arresting Agency:SCSO
• Charge: Conspiracy to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine)

COLLINS, LANCE RUSSELL

• Age:41
• Address:KEMMERER, WY
• Booking Date:2019-07-15
• Arresting Agency:SCSO
• Charges: Conspiracy to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine), Possession of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine), Interference with a Peace Officer, Defrauding Drug and Alcohol Screening Tests

EGBERT, KELSI D’RAE

• Age:28
• Address:ROCK SPRINGS, WY
• Booking Date:2019-08-26
• Arresting Agency:SCSO
• Charge: Conspiracy to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine)

HERNANDEZ-KIDD, TANYA

• Age:34
• Address:ROCK SPRINGS, WY
• Booking:2019-08-13
• Arresting Agency:SCSO
• Charges: Conspiracy to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine), Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine), Possession of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine), Child Endangerment (Methamphetamine)

MCALISTER, COLIN SCOTT

• Age:37
• Address:ROCK SPRINGS, WY
• Booking:2019-08-12
• Arresting Agency:SCSO
• Charges: Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine)- x2, Conspiracy to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine)

HARPER-NIX, LACEA ANN

• Age:27
• Address:RAPID CITY, SD
• Booking Date:2019-09-18
• Arresting Agency:SCSO
• Charge: Conspiracy to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine)

HARLOW, CHRISTY ANN

• Age:52
• Address:GILLETTE, WY
• Booking Date:2019-09-18
• Arresting Agency:SCSO
• Charge: Conspiracy to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine)

LONG, RUSTI JEAN

• Age:26
• Address:ROCK SPRINGS, WY
• Booking Date:2019-08-27
• Arresting Agency:SCSO
• Charges:Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine)- x2, Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Oxycodone), Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Xanax), Conspiracy to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine)

DODD, JAMIE LEE

• Age:34
• Address:ROCK SPRINGS, WY
• Booking Date:2019-08-26
• Arresting Agency:SCSO
• Charge: Conspiracy to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine)

STROH, JASON THEODORE

• Age:36
• Address:LYMAN, WY
• Booking Date:2019-08-20
• Arresting Agency:DCI
• Charges: Conspiracy to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine), Possession with Intent to Deliver (Methamphetamine)

BYERLY, BRAD LEE

• Age:33
• Address:GREEN RIVER, WY
• Booking Date:2019-08-20
• Arresting Agency:SCSO
• Charges: Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine), three counts, Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver (Methamphetamine), Possession of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine), Possession of a Controlled Substance (Marijuana)

ATHERTON, NOAH JAMES

• Age:32
• Address:ROCK SPRINGS, WY
• Booking Date:2019-08-20
• Arresting Agency:RSPD
• Charges: Conspiracy to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine), Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Police Officers

YARBER, LAMAR MAURICE

• Age:40
• Address:ROCK SPRINGS, WY
• Booking Date:2019-08-12
• Arresting Agency:SCSO
• Charges: Possession of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine)

WHITNEY, ANTHONY DAVID

• Age:45
• Address:ROCK SPRINGS, WY
• Booking Date:2019-08-05
• Arresting Agency:RSPD
• Charges: Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine) in a Drug Free School Zone- x4, Conspiracy to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine)

ROBERTSON, CHRISTOPHER RAY

• Age:37
• Address:ROCK SPRINGS, WY
• Booking Date:2019-07-17
• Arresting Agency:DCI
• Charge: Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine)

Agencies and personnel involved in the bust of the Morgan drug ring include Special Agents from the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation Southwest Enforcement Team, Task Force Officers with Green River Police Department, Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office, Carbon County Sheriff’s Office, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Evanston Police Department, Uinta County Sheriff’s Office and Wyoming Highway Patrol, in cooperation with the Sweetwater County Attorney’s Office.

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