Three known upper-level traffickers of narcotics and firearms under investigation
By Shannon Weidemann (McKone) on Wednesday, February 9th, 2022 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
BAKER CITY – (Release by Baker City Police Department) In the spring of 2021, the Baker County Narcotics Enforcement Team arrested TOM RAYMOND CARROLL in Baker City for narcotics trafficking of methamphetamine and fentanyl. The fentanyl was in the form of blue pills made illicitly in Mexico to look like oxycodone 30mg pills. The pills are manufactured in Mexico by drug trafficking organizations and shipped throughout the United States. The pills are known on the street as “Blues”, M30’s” or “Fetty’s.” Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 100 times stronger than morphine. These counterfeit pills are extremely dangerous, as they often contain toxic illicit ingredients such as fentanyl, increasing the likelihood of an overdose. We have seen an increase in these pills throughout Eastern Oregon as well as responded to several drug overdose cases in the last two years due to the increased presence of opioids in our community.
During that arrest of Mr. Carroll police located over 2 pounds of methamphetamine, about 50 fake Oxycodone pills a stolen 9 mm handgun and over twenty thousand dollars in cash. He was charged in the federal system and released from custody on pre-trial.
Shortly after his release the narcotics team learned that Mr. Carroll was back in the business of drug trafficking and police initiated a separate investigation. He was again arrested in Baker City on January 25th, 2022, for violation of his release agreement and was taken into federal custody.
On March 8th, 2021, the Baker County Narcotics Team arrested LOREN DEAN ALEXANDER PREVO in Baker City for narcotics trafficking of methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl. Again, the fentanyl was in the form of counterfeit oxycodone pills. He was also in possession of several ounces of methamphetamine. On this case Mr. Prevo plead guilty to possession of a restricted weapon and drug charges. He received a suspended sentence and was ordered to completed drug treatment. Mr. Prevo left treatment within about a week and the narcotics team initiated another case as he returned to narcotics trafficking in the eastern Oregon area.
On January 29th, 2022, Mr. Prevo was taken into custody in Baker City on the original charges of unlawful delivery of methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a restricted weapon as well as a probation violation. The restricted weapon was a “stun gun”
On January **Correction from BCPD** February 13th, 2022, Baker City Police and Baker City Fire/Medics responded to 1129 Elm Street in Baker City, Oregon regarding an unconscious male. Upon arrival on scene, it was quickly determined that the male was unconscious due to a drug overdose. The homeowner is RICHARD WAYNE CARROLL, age 51 and was also the subject of the overdose. The Baker County Narcotics Enforcement Team had been investigating Rich for narcotics and weapons trafficking for the last year and because of the investigation as well as the overdose, detectives obtained a search warrant for the residence where about 1 pound of methamphetamine, several grams of heroin and four firearms were located along with other items indicative of narcotics trafficking.
The firearms included 2 AR-15 rifles and two handguns. Mr. Carroll is a convicted felon and unable to possess firearms.
Mr. Rich Carroll was later released from the hospital and has not yet been charged.
Tom Carroll, Rich Carroll, and Loren Prevo were all known to each other and considered by the Narcotics Team to be upper-level traffickers of narcotics and firearms into and out of Baker City and Eastern Oregon.
The investigations into all three individuals will be ongoing.
The Baker County Narcotics Enforcement Team is comprised of members from the Baker City Police Department and is supported by the Baker County Sheriff’s Office the Baker County District Attorney’s Office and the Oregon State Police. The mission of the narcotics team is to disrupt and/or dismantle mid to upper-level drug trafficking individuals and organizations, address violent crime as well as provide valuable intelligence and investigative resources to all law enforcement regarding unlawful criminal activity. Detectives assigned to these teams not only investigate narcotics trafficking but play a major role in major crime team cases.
