This hour, federal authorities are announcing a major arrest of about two dozen 19 people, with indictments for 22, in Alpine, Texas. KRTS learns charges will involve the conspiracy to distribute drugs.
Listen to local KRTS news reporting during All Things Considered, from 4 PM to 6 PM for breaking reports on this story, and watch this page for further updates.
4 PM: The U.S. Attorney's office announced that those arrested included ringleaders John Michael Guadarrama of Sanderson and Oscar Fierro of Alpine.
In the two separate indictments from a federal grand jury in Pecos, a total of 22 defendants have been named, on a variety of charges.
Others charged include Clarissa Marie Luevano of Sanderson, Rene Ortega of Fort Stockton, Irene Mirano Alvarado of Alpine, James Horatio Torres of Alpine, Justin Gilbert Villanueva of Alpine, John Staessans of Alpine, Katheryn Staessans of Alpine, Ernesto Cedillo Vega of Alpine, Leo Ruben Portillo of Alpine, Antonio Covarrubias, Jr. of Alpine, Federico Hernandez of Alpine, Eric Keith Payne of Alpine, Manual David Carrillo of Alpine, Joel Rojo Fierro of Alpine, Ramona Alaniz Ramirez of Alpine, Robert Molinar Ramos of Alpine, Christopher Michael Quezada of Alpine, Miguel Luis Llanez of Alpine, Irene Wright Olivas of Alpine, and David Christopher Hardin of Alpine.
KRTS Special Correspondent Steve Anderson contributed to this report. Click the link above to listen to the podcast.