Sitthiphone Phengsengkham, 29, and Itthison Phengsengkham, 35, both of Amarillo, of running a "wide-scale trafficking operation responsible for distributing drugs throughout the Texas Panhandle."
The brothers, along with their mother and father, were arrested Thursday in raids involving more than 100 area law enforcement officers at locations across Amarillo.
"Today's enforcement action effectively shut down a dangerous drug trafficking organization operating in the Amarillo area," said U.S. Attorney Richard Roper of the Northern District of Texas. "This case demonstrates the commitment of federal, state and local law enforcement to work as a team to aggressively address the drug problem in the Panhandle."
Large dealers?
Federal investigators' sources, according to the affidavit, said the Phengsengskham brothers distributed large amounts of drugs, including 5 to 10 pounds of methamphetamine to one source for three consecutive months.
Another drug dealer told investigators Sitthiphone Phengsengkham delivered multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine to him on a regular basis, while another dealer told authorities of a deal involving over 8,000 ecstasy tablets, the affidavit said.
One of the men named in the federal complaint, Michael Marion Cuellar, told DEA investigators that through his dealings with Issac Flores, who allegedly sold Cuellar meth, that Flores identified Sitthiphone Phengsengkham as the source of Flores' supply of meth, the affidavit stated.
Cuellar told investigators that he reportedly paid Flores more than $200,000 for drugs within a two-year period.
A recounting of reported drug deals between the Phengsengkham brothers and Charles Wayne Mestas and Richard Bermea — who were also named in the federal complaint — said that Mestas and Bermea paid the brothers about $6,000 to $8,000 per pound for meth, the affidavit said.
Over a four-month period, the two men bought 10 pounds of meth, Mestas told investigators. He also said that the Phengsengkham distributed about 20 to 30 pounds of meth per month.
The brothers allegedly used the Colonial Manor Hotel, 5407 E. Amarillo Blvd., as the hub of their alleged drug distribution organization, according to court records.
The Phengsengkhams, investigators learned from "cooperating sources," also reportedly used a bar named Ted's Place and a nightclub called Xtacy to "conceal their drug proceeds," the affidavit said.
The club is seldom open for business and when an investigative source tried to rent a room at the Colonial Manor Motel, the person was turned away and was told the motel "did not rent rooms."
The brothers' parents, Thongfoth Phengsengkham and Pathounpone Phengsengkham own, manage and live in the motel, the affidavit said.
A man, in a Dec. 12 intercepted call, phoned Itthison Phensengskah and made arrangements to meet with Itthison at the Colonial Manor Motel to purchase a quantity of drugs. During the call, the man asks Phengsengkham for the price of cocaine, the affidavit said.
Another intercepted call from Jan. 1, concerned an "ongoing narcotics transaction" between the brothers. Later wiretaps recounted arrangements between Itthison Phengsengskham and three "street-level" dealers, telling them to go to his location at the motel, the affidavit said.
Roland Boswell, named in the affidavit as a "street-level dealer," arrived at the motel and later left. He was later stopped for a traffic violation and authorities searched the vehicle, where they later found meth, the affidavit said.
Other wiretaps reveal Sitthiphone Phengsenkham complaining to his sister, Tina Phensengkham Agan, about the siblings' parents being " greedy," according to the affidavit.
One wiretapped conversation, according to the affidavit, between the Phengsengkham siblings reveal the three talking about their parents taking potions of the money that was "stashed" upstairs at the motel and "how they mess up the count."
Another monitored call recounts Sitthiphone, who is unemployed, talking about giving his parents $10,000.
"Unemployed people don't normally give away $10,000," according to the affidavit, which also alleged that both parents are well aware of and "involved in the distribution organization."
According to the affidavit, DEA agents, conducting surveillance in September, tracked Sittiphone Phengsengkham leaving his home and going behind Kohl's Department Store, 2610 S. Soncy Road. Agents later tracked Phengsengkham's car and a tractor-trailer leaving the area.
Authorities later stopped the tractor-trailer as it traveled west on Interstate 40 and a check of addressees for the vehicle and the driver were linked to drug investigations in California.
The driver allowed authorities to scroll through his cell phone, where investigators found a phone number for Phengsengkham.
The affidavit said "investigators believe that individual driving the truck is a transporter for a drug distribution organization out of California and a source of supply for the Phengsengkham organization."
The brothers, along with their mother and father, were arrested Thursday in raids involving more than 100 area law enforcement officers at locations across Amarillo.
"Today's enforcement action effectively shut down a dangerous drug trafficking organization operating in the Amarillo area," said U.S. Attorney Richard Roper of the Northern District of Texas. "This case demonstrates the commitment of federal, state and local law enforcement to work as a team to aggressively address the drug problem in the Panhandle."
Large dealers?
Federal investigators' sources, according to the affidavit, said the Phengsengskham brothers distributed large amounts of drugs, including 5 to 10 pounds of methamphetamine to one source for three consecutive months.
Another drug dealer told investigators Sitthiphone Phengsengkham delivered multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine to him on a regular basis, while another dealer told authorities of a deal involving over 8,000 ecstasy tablets, the affidavit said.
One of the men named in the federal complaint, Michael Marion Cuellar, told DEA investigators that through his dealings with Issac Flores, who allegedly sold Cuellar meth, that Flores identified Sitthiphone Phengsengkham as the source of Flores' supply of meth, the affidavit stated.
Cuellar told investigators that he reportedly paid Flores more than $200,000 for drugs within a two-year period.
A recounting of reported drug deals between the Phengsengkham brothers and Charles Wayne Mestas and Richard Bermea — who were also named in the federal complaint — said that Mestas and Bermea paid the brothers about $6,000 to $8,000 per pound for meth, the affidavit said.
Over a four-month period, the two men bought 10 pounds of meth, Mestas told investigators. He also said that the Phengsengkham distributed about 20 to 30 pounds of meth per month.
The brothers allegedly used the Colonial Manor Hotel, 5407 E. Amarillo Blvd., as the hub of their alleged drug distribution organization, according to court records.
The Phengsengkhams, investigators learned from "cooperating sources," also reportedly used a bar named Ted's Place and a nightclub called Xtacy to "conceal their drug proceeds," the affidavit said.
The club is seldom open for business and when an investigative source tried to rent a room at the Colonial Manor Motel, the person was turned away and was told the motel "did not rent rooms."
The brothers' parents, Thongfoth Phengsengkham and Pathounpone Phengsengkham own, manage and live in the motel, the affidavit said.
A man, in a Dec. 12 intercepted call, phoned Itthison Phensengskah and made arrangements to meet with Itthison at the Colonial Manor Motel to purchase a quantity of drugs. During the call, the man asks Phengsengkham for the price of cocaine, the affidavit said.
Another intercepted call from Jan. 1, concerned an "ongoing narcotics transaction" between the brothers. Later wiretaps recounted arrangements between Itthison Phengsengskham and three "street-level" dealers, telling them to go to his location at the motel, the affidavit said.
Roland Boswell, named in the affidavit as a "street-level dealer," arrived at the motel and later left. He was later stopped for a traffic violation and authorities searched the vehicle, where they later found meth, the affidavit said.
Other wiretaps reveal Sitthiphone Phengsenkham complaining to his sister, Tina Phensengkham Agan, about the siblings' parents being " greedy," according to the affidavit.
One wiretapped conversation, according to the affidavit, between the Phengsengkham siblings reveal the three talking about their parents taking potions of the money that was "stashed" upstairs at the motel and "how they mess up the count."
Another monitored call recounts Sitthiphone, who is unemployed, talking about giving his parents $10,000.
"Unemployed people don't normally give away $10,000," according to the affidavit, which also alleged that both parents are well aware of and "involved in the distribution organization."
According to the affidavit, DEA agents, conducting surveillance in September, tracked Sittiphone Phengsengkham leaving his home and going behind Kohl's Department Store, 2610 S. Soncy Road. Agents later tracked Phengsengkham's car and a tractor-trailer leaving the area.
Authorities later stopped the tractor-trailer as it traveled west on Interstate 40 and a check of addressees for the vehicle and the driver were linked to drug investigations in California.
The driver allowed authorities to scroll through his cell phone, where investigators found a phone number for Phengsengkham.
The affidavit said "investigators believe that individual driving the truck is a transporter for a drug distribution organization out of California and a source of supply for the Phengsengkham organization."
Ha ha ha ha....how fitting that a total piece of crap like Charlie Wayne Mestas would grow up to be a drug dealer. A METH DEALER at that! I'm glad he's going to prison. That's where he belongs. He was a cruel and calculating bully as a child, so I am not shocked at all that he would end up a meth dealer. Toodles, Charlie, don't pick up the soap. xoxoxo RB
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