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Texas fentanyl ring dismantled: 31 convicted in major narcotics investigation

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Published  February 11, 2026 1:37pm CST
Texas
FOX Local
article

A guard tower and razor wire at a prison in Texas. (Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)

The Brief

    • Kurtney Bernard Jones, leader of a major fentanyl ring, was sentenced to life in prison, marking the end of a two-year federal operation in West Texas.
    • The investigation, "Operation Top Shelf," resulted in 31 total convictions and the removal of thousands of lethal pills from the Abilene area.
    • Public health officials report a sharp decline in local opioid overdoses since the distribution network was dismantled by federal and local agencies.

ABILENE, Texas - A major fentanyl trafficker was sentenced to life in federal prison this week, marking the final conviction in a massive two-year law enforcement sweep that crippled drug distribution in West Texas.

Operation Top Shelf

What we know:

Kurtney Bernard Jones, known as "KP," was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix. The sentencing concludes "Operation Top Shelf," a collaborative investigation that resulted in the conviction of 31 traffickers and a combined total of more than 360 years of federal prison time for Jones's associates.

Federal prosecutors described Jones, 38, as the leader of a sophisticated drug trafficking organization (DTO) that flooded Abilene and surrounding counties with lethal narcotics.

What they're saying:

"The scale of this drug trafficking organization and this defendant’s leadership of it warrants a life sentence," said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. "Our law enforcement partners took down a massive fentanyl distribution ring... successfully removing these dangerous drugs and those peddling them from the Abilene community."

'Establishing a supply line from Dallas'

The backstory:

Evidence presented during a 2025 trial showed that Jones took control of the organization in December 2023, establishing a supply line from Dallas. Under his direction, the group moved 46,600 fentanyl pills, 1.3 kilograms of methamphetamine, and nearly 500 grams of heroin.

Prosecutors said Jones utilized a pill press to manufacture narcotics and relied on threats against rival dealers and firearm trafficking to maintain control of the local market. When he was arrested in September 2024, agents seized nearly half a kilogram of fentanyl and more than $225,000 in cash.

The investigation was a "takedown" executed in two phases. The first, in February 2024, resulted in 17 arrests and the seizure of 60 firearms. The second phase in September targeted Jones and 11 other high-level fentanyl distributors.

Local officials noted a significant public health impact following the arrests, reporting that opioid overdose rates in Abilene fell sharply after the traffickers were removed from the streets.

"This life sentence reflects the seriousness of fentanyl trafficking," said DEA Special Agent in Charge Joseph B. Tucker. "This case highlights the strength of our partnerships... working together to hold dangerous traffickers accountable."

Dig deeper:

Operation Top Shelf involved seven agencies, including the FBI, DEA, ATF, and the Abilene Police Department. The case was part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, a federal program aimed at dismantling criminal cartels and transnational gangs.

All 31 defendants charged in the operation have now been sentenced, with penalties ranging from 10 months to the life term handed to Jones.

The complete list of the other defendants and their sentences follows:

  • Rafael Perez: 360 months (30 years) for methamphetamine distribution.
  • Diana Nichole Perez (aka Diana Santana): 292 months (24+ years) for methamphetamine distribution.
  • Nathaniel Deal: 262 months (21+ years) for methamphetamine distribution.
  • Eddie Ochoa Lomas: 240 months (20 years) for methamphetamine distribution.
  • Tylik Ojur Johnson: 210 months (17.5 years) for fentanyl distribution.
  • Lisa Ann Beckham: 204 months (17 years) for methamphetamine distribution.
  • Angel Alvarez: 200 months (16+ years) for methamphetamine distribution.
  • Orson Rolando Ortegon: 188 months (15+ years) for methamphetamine distribution.
  • Joshua Gosson: 180 months (15 years) for methamphetamine distribution.
  • Marquee Anthony Aboso (aka "OC"): 175 months (14+ years) for fentanyl conspiracy.
  • Hannah Rai Gongora (aka Hannah Alvarez): 172 months (14+ years) for methamphetamine distribution.
  • Laura Trevino: 156 months (13 years) for methamphetamine distribution.
  • Alexandrea Delgado: 151 months (12.5 years) for methamphetamine distribution.
  • Petra Soliz: 151 months (12.5 years) for methamphetamine distribution.
  • Juan Manuel Oliveros, Jr.: 150 months (12.5 years) for methamphetamine distribution.
  • Jeremiah Greene (aka "Lil Mexico"): 132 months (11 years) for fentanyl conspiracy.
  • Bradley Kirk Gutierrez: 121 months (10 years) for fentanyl distribution.
  • Jimmy Rangel: 120 months (10 years) for methamphetamine distribution.
  • Gloria Santibanez: 114 months (9.5 years) for methamphetamine distribution.
  • Jason Eugene DeLeon: 108 months (9 years) for methamphetamine distribution.
  • Steven Lattimore (aka "PNut"): 103 months (8.5 years) for fentanyl possession.
  • Mckenzee Marie Lane: 102 months (8.5 years) for fentanyl distribution.
  • Joseph Brassell: 96 months (8 years) for fentanyl possession.
  • Robert Lee Mason: 96 months (8 years) for fentanyl conspiracy.
  • Glen Edward Lee, Jr.: 70 months (5.8 years) for fentanyl possession.
  • Maxine Gonzales: 63 months (5+ years) for fentanyl conspiracy.
  • Christopher Thompson: 54 months (4.5 years) for fentanyl possession.
  • Jacob Lee DeLeon: 27 months (2+ years) for cocaine distribution.
  • Paul Eli Snyder: 21 months (1.75 years) for fentanyl distribution.
  • Christopher Anthony Glaze: 10 months for fentanyl possession.

The Source: Information in this article is from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Texas.

TexasCrime and Public SafetyNews