A large police operation aimed at drug trafficking in Central Oregon recently took down several people suspected of supplying the region with heroin and methamphetamine. But law enforcement officials say one of the regionâs more prolific drug traffickers is still on the loose, and they fear she is now outside the region.
Krista Jeanne Vela, 37, of Bend, has been arrested several times before with large quantities of narcotics. On Dec. 3, sheâs said to have slipped away while three people allegedly involved in a drug pickup were arrested.
âIs she the top dealer in our area? No, but she is one of the bigger ones,â said Lt. Ken Mannix of the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement task force. âOf course, when one falls, thereâs always one or two who pop right up to take their place.â
Big C.O. drug ring broken up; 3 arrests, Bend woman on the run, CODE Team says
CODE Team
CODE Team
CODE Team
Deschutes County Jail (Vela/2019 photo)
Krista Vela (upper L) eluded arrest by Central Oregon drug agents who arrested Lonny Baker, Jeral Johns and Stormy Wooldridge.
SUNRIVER, Ore. (KTVZ) – Four people – one a fugitive – face felony drug charges after Central Oregon drug agents broke up a trafficking organization that distributed large amounts of methamphetamine and heroin throughout the region, state and elsewhere, officials said Wednesday.
The one local suspect, Krista Vela, 37, of Bend, has warrants out for her arrest.
2) Jeral Johns 43-year-old Rainier, OR resident
3) Lonny Baker 31-year old Otis, OR resident
4) Stormy Wooldridge 25-year-old Astoria, OR resident
Narrative:
For the past several months, the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team has been actively investigating a large-scale drug trafficking organization that was trafficking commercial quantities of methamphetamine and heroin throughout the Central Oregon region, to include other geographical areas within Oregon as well as out of state.
The investigation revealed that Vela had been making frequent trips out of the area, some of which included Mexico, where she would acquire large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin and then return to Deschutes County where she would sell the product for profit. Vela had a network of individuals that were assigned different roles in the organization. Evidence obtained during the investigation r