7-month long ‘Operation Bates Motel’ ends with meth bust

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (TNN) - Thursday, Sept. 19 marks the end of a 7-month cross-state narcotics investigation that was conducted by several different state and federal law enforcement agencies, according to a report posted by Sheriff Patrick Laughery to the Hardeman County SO’s Facebook page.

The investigation, dubbed “Operation Bates Motel” started in Chillicothe on Feb. 2019 and expanded first to Vernon and then to Oklahoma City. It lead to the Federal Arrests and Federal Indictments of six unidentified defendants.

According to the report, 1.1 pounds of methamphetamine was seized in Texas and about 7.7 pounds of methamphetamine was seized in Oklahoma.

A defendant from Chillicothe reportedly purchased over 23 pounds methamphetamine in the last seven months.

The Hardeman County SO’s investigation tied into an Aryan Brotherhood and methamphetamine trafficking investigation that was being conducted by the Homeland Security Investigations Ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force in Texas and Oklahoma.

The Hardeman County Sheriff’s Department, DPS Narcotics, Vernon Police Department, Judicial District Attorney’s Office, D.E.A, Homeland Security and the Oklahoma City Police Department were all involved in the investigation.

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