Dozen People Arrested in Northeast Iowa Drug Raids

A dozen people, including six women and six men, have been arrested on felony drug charges following a series of northeast Iowa drug raids.

The Fayette County Sheriff’s office says drug search warrants were executed at six different houses Friday night, November 4th; four in Oelwein, one near Sumner and one in Maynard.  Authorities found and seized 1.25 pounds of marijuana, roughly 70 grams of meth, multiple prescription pills, packaged pills and drug paraphernalia.  Also seized were  long guns, a pistol and roughly $4,000 in cash.  

Over 100 charges were filed including possession of meth with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of other scheduled substances with intent to deliver, unlawful possession of prescriptions with intent to deliver, drug tax stamp violations, interference with official acts and other violations.

Those arrested included 52-year-old Michael Forbes, 53-year-old Kristy Heidt, 37-year-old Brandy Schoultz, 35-year-old Tristan Westpfahl, 43-year-old Aaron James, 56-year-old Amanda James, 27-year-old Cameron Wilson, 40-year-old Christopher Becker, and 29-year-old Nicole Burgos, all of Oelwein. Also taken into custody was 39-year-old Justin Pattison of Sumner, 34-year-old Joseph McMurrin of Alpha, and 42-year-old Victoria Nieman, of Maynard.

Fayette County Sheriff Marty Fisher says the case remains under investigation and more charges and arrest warrants are pending.

Assisting the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office were 15 different law enforcement agencies from the northeast Iowa area and Northeast Iowa Task Force.  The following agencies came together to execute the drug warrants simultaneously.  Agencies include Iowa State Patrol, Iowa State Patrol Tac Team, Bearcat Unit, and K-9 Unit, Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office and K-9 Unit, Bremer County Sheriff’s Office, Sumner Police Department, Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Office, Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office and K-9 Unit, Clayton County Sheriff’s Office and K-9 Unit, Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office, and K-9 Unit, Oelwein Police Department, Independence Police Department and K-9 Unit, West Union Police Department and K-9 Unit, Postville Police Department, Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and K-9 Unit,  Fayette Police Department and K-9 Unit, and Strawberry Point Police Department.