EAST MONTGOMERY COUNTY – Separate extensive undercover investigations by the Pct. 4 Constables Office culminated in two drug arrests in less than 48 hours, with the latter giving special meaning to Friday the 13th for one local drug dealer.
Benjamin Rodriguez, 25, of New Caney is charged with first-degree felony manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance (cocaine) and state jail felony possession of marijuana. His bond was set a total of $51,500.
Deputy Josh Bergland and other Pct. 4 deputies arrested Rodriguez around 1 a.m. on Friday at his mobile home, located at 21318 Ruth Drive in New Caney. Confidential informants provided information that led to the Rodriguez investigation. Pct. 4 Constable Kenneth “Rowdy” Hayden said undercover surveillance of the mobile home showed traffic consistent with that of narcotics activity.”
Hayden said around midnight he called Pct. 4 Justice of the Peace James Metts, who met him and deputies at the Constable’s office to sign a search warrant for the Rodriguez residence, where deputies recovered over 61 grams of cocaine and over 11 ounces of marijuana. The cocaine seized at the Rodriguez residence has a street value of nearly $ 4,000 and the marijuana’s street value is approximately $1,200. Around $2,000 cash was seized as well. The contraband was hidden in several areas of the residence, with the largest amount inside a void hidden by a trap door in the restroom.
“Deputies found paraphernalia, including a shrine containing a statue, candles and other items bearing the image of Jesus Malverde, commonly known in the drug world as the patron saint of drug traffickers,” Constable Hayden said. “Drug dealers think Malverde will protect them from law enforcement, but obviously that’s untrue.”
A shotgun was also removed from the residence and deputies found evidence Rodriguez has an AR-15 on layaway at a pawnshop. The purchase was legal because he had no prior felony convictions. The mobile home is also occupied by Rodriguez’s wife and their infant, who were at home at the time of his arrest. Rodriguez’s wife was not arrested. Child Protective Services was notified. The investigation is ongoing and more arrests are expected.
On Thursday the twelfth, 38-year-old Delbert Lee Guerrero of New Caney also received a visit from the Pct. 4 Constable’s Office at his home located at 20696 Brazos Drive in the same area of New Caney. Deputy J. Bergland and other members of the Pct. 4 Special Response Team went to Guerrero’s residence where they knocked on the door for about five minutes, but got no answer despite credible information and obvious signs he was home. After making forced entry, deputies found Guerrero hiding in the restroom. He was taken into custody without incident. Deputies saw a clear plastic bag containing marijuana and several different prescription narcotics.
Guerrero is charged with third-degree felony delivery of a controlled substance, misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor possession of marijuana. His bond was set at $10,000.
“These arrests part of our ongoing effort to take illegal narcotics and those who sell them out of Pct. 4,” Constable Hayden said. “We’re taking back our streets.”
“I live and work here and I want it to be safe not only for my children but for everyone else’s as well,” Constable Hayden said.
The Constable praised Judge Metts for his dedication to the effort, saying not many people would respond to a call in the middle of the night by volunteering to get out of bed and go and meet deputies at their office where he signed a search warrant.
Judge Metts said he does not mind being awakened to sign a search warrant and he is happy to be part of the process.
“I’m just ecstatic,” Judge Metts said. “Constable Hayden is keeping his word about patrolling our neighborhoods and doing whatever it takes to make East County a safer and better place.”
