Meth Mafia’s Southern Missouri Ring Busted

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A gritty federal crackdown on the meth trade has resulted in 15 defendants, including six from southern Missouri, being indicted for a sprawling methamphetamine conspiracy that spanned the border between Arizona and Missouri.

Their alleged scheme involved transporting multi-pound loads of meth from the desert state to the Ozarks, according to court documents. Leading the pack are Gregory L. Hopper, 34, and Amanda L. Robinson, 27, both of Springfield, charged with conspiring to distribute meth in Greene, Christian, Polk, and Taney counties.

Starting in June 2017, law enforcement claims Cortez, Arnold, and other accomplices were moving significant quantities of the drug through couriers. An affidavit reveals that on one occasion, a Branson hotel room was the site of nearly two pounds of meth being seized, tied to Cortez. Meanwhile, Arnold was nabbed with eight pounds during a traffic stop near Phoenix in 2019.

The investigation took a turn when Hopper and Robinson were caught with 15 firearms, including assault rifles and handguns, furthering their drug operations. Speakes faces dual charges of possessing a firearm and being a felon in possession of another. The charges against the defendants are mere accusations; guilt must be proven by evidence presented to a federal jury.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Abram McGull II is prosecuting this case, with support from various law enforcement agencies including DEA, ATF, ICE Homeland Security Investigations, and local police departments. This joint effort underscores the determination to quash the meth trade in Missouri.