Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team
Media Release
Date: December 16, 2020
Date & Time of Incident: Thursday, December 3, 2020 @ 0140 hrs.
Type of Incident: Commercial Drug Seizure / Arrests
Location of Incident: 17600 Center Drive, Sunriver, OR
Suspect Information:
1) Krista Vela 37-year old Bend, OR resident (still outstanding)
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 revealed a complex organization with a defined command and control structure that was heavily involved in both the transportation and distribution of large quantities of narcotics.
Vela has previous arrests by the CODE team for trafficking in commercial quantities of narcotics and was most recently charged by the U.S. Attorney’s office in Montana for being in possession of approximately 6 pounds of methamphetamine in October, 2020.
During the week of November 30th thru December 3rd, Detectives with CODE, along with assistance from the Bend Police Department, Redmond Police Department and the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, monitored Vela’s daily activities after she returned from out of state. Utilizing a variety of investigative techniques and resources, investigators were able to identify a number of associates, vehicles, locations and other evidence to support Vela’s continued and on-going criminal activity.
On Thursday, December 3rd at approximately 0140 hrs. Detectives with the CODE team contacted Johns and Wooldridge in a parking lot located at 17600 Center Drive in Sunriver, OR. Johns and Wooldridge were in possession of 3 pieces of luggage at this time and were loading it into a parked vehicle. At the same time, Baker was contacted in a separate parking lot roughly one mile from this location. Baker was sitting in a vehicle during this contact and acting as a ‘look out’ for Johns and Wooldridge. All three were detained at this time.
Based on information gathered throughout this investigation, to include during the above-mentioned contact, Detectives with CODE applied for and were granted a search warrant to search different locations identified in this case as well as personal items, some of which included the above-mentioned luggage.
During a search of the mentioned luggage, Detectives located and seized approximately 36 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 6 pounds of heroin, US currency, scales, packaging material, and other evidence of the sales, manufacturing, and distribution of commercial quantities of methamphetamine and heroin. Additional items seized from a separate vehicle search warrant executed on this same date, included a commercial quantity of methamphetamine, a concealed handgun, scales, packaging material, and other evidence of the sales, manufacturing, and distribution of methamphetamine. Additionally, Vela’s 2017 Audi Q7 was seized for civil forfeiture based on it being used (instrumentality) during the commission of her crimes.
Johns, Baker and Wooldridge were lodged at the Deschutes County Adult Jail on the below listed charges. Vela is currently outstanding and has active warrants for her arrest. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact Deschutes County 911 Dispatch at (541) 693-6911.
Charges:
Johns:
- PCS, DCS (methamphetamine)
- PCS, DCS (heroin)
- Felon in Possession of Firearm
Baker:
- PCS, DCS (methamphetamine)
- PCS, DCS (heroin)
- Felon in Possession of Firearm
- Fugitive Warrant
Wooldridge:
- PCS, DCS (methamphetamine)
- PCS. DCS (heroin)
Vela:
- Charges Pending
The Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program and the following Central Oregon law enforcement agencies: Bend Police Department, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Redmond Police Department, Prineville Police Department, Crook County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Madras Police Department, Oregon State Police, Sunriver Police Department, Black Butte Police Department, United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Warm Springs Tribal Police Department, Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson County District Attorney’s, and the Oregon National Guard.
The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement task forces to disrupt or dismantle local, multi-state and international drug trafficking organizations.