Nine SE Texas residents charged with trafficking meth

HOUSTON The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation dubbed Operation Blood Loss led to their arrests. All nine defendants are charged with conspiring to distribute methamphetamine between April 2008 and May 2009. One or more of the defendants are charged for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Kasi Grubbs, 27, and Trevor Henderson, 34, both of Angleton, and Russell Scott Broussard, 27, of West Columbia, Texas, were arrested. Broussard was detained, while Henderson was ordered released upon posting bond. Grubbs has been ordered released upon completion of conditions imposed by the court.

Sherry Lynn McClernon aka Sherry Rose, 38, of Brazoria, and Gilberto Estrada, 26, of Baytown, were taken into custody on April 7 and April 9, respectively, each during a traffic stop.

Mahriah Chandler, 31, of Angleton, was taken into custody in Galesburg, Illinois, on April 12 and will be transferred to the Southern District of Texas to face charges.

Three others charged - Shawn Poe, 24, of Angleton; Gabriel Rubio, 33, of Freeport, Texas; and Melody Carlyle, 43, originally of the Angleton area - were all in state custody. Poe and Rubio have already been transferred to federal custody to face these charges and Carlyle will be transferred to federal authorities in the near future.

The conspiracy count carries a sentence of 10 years to life in prison upon conviction and a maximum fine of $4 million. Punishment for possession depends upon the amount of drugs involved in the alleged transaction and range from no prison term to life imprisonment, and millions of dollars in fines.

OCDETF Operation Blood Loss is a continuing investigation targeting the trafficking of drugs, particularly methamphetamine, in and around the Galveston/Southeast Texas area.