Gwinnett police arrest 19; seize guns, heroin, meth in gang raids

Gwinnett County police have arrested at least 19 people and seized drugs and guns in the culmination of a year-long gang investigation.

“Operation Breaking Bad” concluded on March 28, when the Gwinnett County Gang Task Force and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrested suspects on charges including murder, aggravated assault and drug trafficking. The investigation focused on the Nortenos gang, according to a Gwinnett County Police Department spokesman.

The Gwinnett County Police Department and the ATF got felony warrants for 30 people during the investigation and the “takedown,” according to a release. Nineteen people are listed as arrested in that release.

Officers seized more than 1,400 grams of methamphetamine, more than 60 grams of heroin and numerous firearms, including handguns and rifles.

Police are still searching for multiple suspects wanted in connection with this investigation, but have not named them due to “the sensitive nature” of the case.

The 19 people arrested in this operation, ranging in age from 18 to 47, and the charges they’re facing are:

• Ruben Almaguer, 31, murder
• Manuel Fernandez, 20, trafficking in methamphetamine (three counts), possession of a weapon during a crime (two counts)
• Amador Gaitan, 29, possession of a controlled substance (seven counts), trafficking in methamphetamine (two counts), possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, violation of probation, possession of a weapon during a crime (two counts), possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (four counts)
• Gabriel Galvan, 23, violation of probation
• Olivia Goicochea, 47, trafficking in methamphetamine, hold for immigration
• Stephanie Goicochea-Hoover, 27, trafficking in methamphetamine (two counts)
• Jonathan Gomez, 23, aggravated assault
• Jose Hernandez, 27, trafficking in methamphetamine (two counts), possession of a controlled substance, possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, obtaining dangerous drugs by fraud (two counts), obstruction of law enforcement officer, driving while license suspended, failure to appear, hold for another agency
• Mario Hernandez, 18, possession of less than an ounce of marijuana
• Esmeralda Hernandez Carrillo, 43, trafficking in methamphetamine
• Amanda Miranda, 25, possession of less than an ounce of marijuana
• Mark Douglas Mott, 32, violation of probation (three counts)
• Atahualpa Ruiz-Davalos, 47, battery, terroristic threats, cruelty to children in the third degree (two counts), interference with a call for emergency assistance, criminal damage to property in the second degree, hold for immigration
• Eliceo Rodriugez-Orellana, 46, obstruction of law enforcement officers, false statements
• Wilfredo Otero, 26, trafficking in methamphetamine
• Angel Rodriguez Orellana, 28, trafficking in methamphetamine (two counts)
• Johnsie Sanchez, 24, possession and use of drug-related paraphernalia, possession of less than an ounce of marijuana
• Charles Swanson, 35, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
• Edilberto Vazquez-Godoy, 40, trafficking in methamphetamine, hold for another agency