26 Pounds of Methamphetamine Seized; 6 Held

A county narcotics task force seized 26 pounds of methamphetamine valued at more than $1 million and made six arrests, ending a two month investigation of a local drug ring, a task force officer announced Friday. It was the second time this week that the force has concluded an investigation with a large seizure of drugs.

Three search warrants executed Thursday by the San Diego County Narcotics Task Force, a group made up of local, city and county law enforcement agencies, uncovered 21 1/2 pounds of methamphetamines, $53,000 cash and two semi-automatic rifles, said Lt. Skip Dicerchio, one of two task force division commanders.

Dicerchio identified the suspects as Steven Allen Ratterree, 36; Frank Conrad Haskel, 42; Alicia Donna Wales, 25; Alberto Aguilar, 21; Rogelio Chavez-Lopez, 27, and Patricia Vasquez, 21, all of San Diego, said. All were booked into San Diego County Jail on suspicion of possession of drugs for sale and bail was set at $500,000 for each. Their arraignments are scheduled for Feb. 4.

“This is a very large seizure,” Dicerchio said. “It’s the second-largest (methamphetamine) seizure we’ve had at the task force, and I believe it’s bigger than any (methamphetamine seizure) the DEA has made.”

The 26 pounds confiscated Thursday had a total street value of $1.25 million, authorities said. Dicerchio said the largest methamphetamine seizure every made by the task force, 28 pounds, was made about a year ago.

The investigation began in early November, when the task force began probing a methamphetamine distribution organization allegedly run by Ratterree. During the early part of the investigation, 4 1/2 pounds of the drug were seized, prompting investigators to believe the ring was involved in a large-scale operation.

Investigators seized 10 pounds of methamphetamines at the home of Aguilar, Chavez-Lopez and Vasquez in the 6300 block of Gallegos Terrace, officials said. In addition, $50,000 cash and two semi-automatic rifles--an AK 47 and a MAC 11--were confiscated at the house, Dicerchio said. Aguilar had an additional 4 pounds of the drug in his possession at the time of his arrest, investigators said.

Six pounds of methamphetamines and $3,000 were seized at an apartment in the 4300 block of Cherokee Avenue, where Haskel and Wales were arrested, Dicerchio said.

At Ratterree’s house in the 5300 block of Oak Park Drive, task force agents seized 1 1/2 pounds, he said.

Authorities also confiscated two late-model sports cars and were seeking authority to seize the three homes, Dicerchio said.

On Monday, the county narcotics task force seized 600 pounds of cocaine, with a street value of $30 million.