ST. LOUIS – A massive drug bust has resulted in the arrest of five individuals accused of running a sophisticated cocaine distribution ring that targeted St. Louis and beyond. The suspects, including Christopher D. Taylor, 35; Stanford “Stan” Times, 36; Vincent “Lil V” Woods, 38; and Terry Smith, 49, were apprehended in the St. Louis area, while Rene Garcia, 47, was nabbed in Texas.
Arturo Villalobos, now 33, has been in custody since April, when he was charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine. He was indicted on that charge on April 30, and a superseding indictment on July 24 added charges against the others. Times, Woods, Garcia, Grant “50” Berry, 47, and Nabor Deleon, 34, now face one cocaine conspiracy count and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Villalobos, Berry, and Deleon face a second possession count. Taylor, Smith, and Wally Burciaga, 30, are charged only with the cocaine conspiracy count, with Berry, Deleon, and Burciaga yet to be arrested.
The indictment alleges that all suspects were involved in a cocaine conspiracy from October 2024 to July 2025. Villalobos was caught with 19 kilograms of cocaine and $100,000 cash, evidence of his role in transporting drugs across the country. Berry was caught with 13 kilograms of cocaine and is said to have supplied drugs to Woods and Times, who then provided them to Taylor and Smith. The motions cite a shooting on Interstate 55 in St. Louis, where a buyer from Taylor’s ring was shot 26 times, tragically killing an innocent bystander.
Burciaga, a recently escaped federal prison inmate, is accused of being the source of drugs from Mexico, while Garcia and Deleon are said to have transported the drugs as truck drivers. The charges against these individuals are merely accusations, with each defendant presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This operation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide effort by the Department of Justice to combat illegal immigration, eliminate cartels, transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent crime. The DEA, ICE, Jefferson County Municipal Enforcement Group, Overland Police Department, and ATF collaborated on this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Torrie J. Schneider and Phillip Voss are prosecuting the case.
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Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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