CLIFTON, Texas — Ten people have been arrested in Clifton for allegedly selling and trafficking methamphetamine, according to a release from the Clifton Police Department.
Clifton PD said officers received information around June 2023 that "several people" were selling methamphetamine in Clifton. An investigation reportedly revealed that the individuals were selling the methamphetamine at their place of work, the local Dairy Queen restaurant.
Because the operation began at the Dairy Queen, Clifton PD said they called the investigation "Operation Blizzard".
At the time of the release, Clifton PD said the individuals were no longer employed at the Dairy Queen.
According to Clifton PD, officers were able to set up undercover drug buys from the location on "numerous occasions", which they say led to them finding that the individuals were also selling drugs at other locations around the city.
"What started out as a couple guys that worked [at Dairy Queen] selling methamphetamines turned into a pretty big operation kind of scattered all over Clifton," said Clifton PD Chief Chris Blanton.
During the investigation, Clifton PD said they uncovered additional people who they say were trafficking methamphetamines in Clifton. Officers were reportedly able to make undercover drug purchases from those individuals as well.
On Jan. 16, 2024, Clifton PD obtained and executed a search warrant at the Bosque Village Apartments on South Avenue M in Clifton.
During the execution of the warrant, Clifton PD said they arrested two people and seized methamphetamine and other drug paraphernalia.
Two additional search warrants were allegedly executed on Jan. 26 with the help of the McLennan County Sheriff's Office SWAT team at two addresses in the 400 block of South Avenue E.
During the execution of these warrants, Clifton PD said seven more people were arrested, five on outstanding warrants from earlier in the investigation and two that were allegedly found in possession of methamphetamine during the serving of the warrant.
Blanton said the investigation took a while because it kept growing, however, his department also wanted to make sure they did it right -- to be able to deliver a strong case to the district attorney.
"We wanted to be able to show that this isn't a one-time thing," Blanton said. "This was a multiple buy operation for multiple different people, which shows a pattern, a pattern of behavior, which we can show in court that these guys were dealing drugs. They are drug dealers. That's what they do."
Clifton PD released the names and charges of those charged over the course of the investigation.
Bradley Calderon- Manufacture or Deliver controlled substance X3
Raven Choquette- Manufacture or Deliver controlled substance
Autumn Crawford- Engaging in organized criminal activity
Neal Cook III- Possession of controlled substance in drug free zone
Ronnie Watley- Possession of controlled substance in drug free zone
Shelby Sedberry- Manufacture or deliver controlled substance in drug free zone X2, Manufacture and deliver controlled substance in a drug free zone X3
Angela Meissner- Manufacture or deliver controlled substance in a drug free zone
Duane Sorensen- Manufacture or deliver controlled substance in a drug free zone
Charles Smith- Manufacture or deliver controlled substance in a drug free zone
Adrian Bernard Edwards- Manufacture or deliver controlled substance drug free zone X4
All three locations where the search warrants were executed are drug free zones, according to Clifton PD, because of their proximity to the Methodist Preschool and Dahl Park. Being that the crimes were committed in drug free zones, Texas law enhances the charges from state jail offenses to a third-degree felony, according to Blanton.
The police chief hopes his team's work on this operation sends a clear message to the community.
"For the good upstanding citizens of Clifton, we want you to know that we're working," Blanton added. "We're trying to make Clifton a better place and a safer place and it's an everyday battle and it's a battle that we will probably never win, but we're going to do the best we can."
Blanton also had a message for drug dealers in his town, and those bringing drugs into his city.
"If you want to sell drugs, probably shouldn't come to Clifton," Blanton said. "If we find out you're selling drugs in Clifton, we're gonna come after you with the full power of the law."
Chief Blanton issued the following statement in a release to 6 News:
"I would like to thank all my officers at Clifton PD including lead officer Trevlyn Winder for their hard work on this investigation. I would also like to thank the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team for their assistance in serving these search warrants. Also present were our 2 Texas Game Wardens."
"We want the public and the citizens of Clifton to know that we are always searching and watching for illegal activities in the City of Clifton and that it WILL NOT be tolerated. We encourage anyone with any information about suspicious activities in Clifton to contact us so we can investigate it. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me at pdchief@cliftontexas.us."
"To those who may still be selling drugs in our community just know that we are always watching, we probably already have you on our radar, and you never know when it’s your door we are busting through next. We always encourage small businesses in Clifton, however we would encourage these types of entrepreneurs to take your criminal enterprise elsewhere."
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