Federal charges have been brought against an alleged fentanyl dealer and six others for their connection to the tragic overdose deaths of three teenagers in a Kansas City suburb in 2022.
According to prosecutors in the Western District of Missouri, the conspiracy related to drug trafficking implicated both illegal firearms and money laundering.
According to court records, Tiger Dean Draggoo, 23, is accused of selling fentanyl disguised as Percocet between August and December 2022. Tragically, three teenagers from Belton lost their lives due to acute fentanyl intoxication as a result of these alleged sales.
A group of individuals, including two brothers named Colt Justin Draggoo and Jose Amparan, both aged 20, as well as Luis Manuel Morales, aged 23, all from Kansas City, were indicted last week. The indictment also included Andrew R.A. Williams, aged 22, from Grandview, Alexander D. Barnett, aged 22, from Lee’s Summit, and Javier Armando Alvarez, aged 21, from Kansas City, Kansas.
According to a recent statement from the Jackson County Drug Task Force, there was a report of pills being sold to high school students in Belton and Grandview. The suspect was identified by the first name Tiger, as reported by the task force on Tuesday.
On September 27, an indictment was filed and subsequently unsealed the following day. Along with the unsealing of the indictment, Colt Draggoo was also taken into custody. The new indictment supersedes the previous one that was issued in February, which charged only Tiger Draggoo.
According to court documents, detectives conducted interviews with juveniles and their family members over the course of several months. During these conversations, they learned about an individual who was selling pills advertised as Percocet for prices ranging from $20 to $30 each. This person was known as “Tiger” or went by the alias “Ricky Thomas.”
According to authorities, in September 2022, two teenagers from Belton, one of them a juvenile and the other a young adult, sadly lost their lives due to fentanyl poisoning. It is believed that the pills they ingested were purchased from Draggoo.
According to court documents, the third victim of the incident was a young person named B.R.J. who passed away on January 14th, 2022.
According to the victim’s mother, her adolescent child had developed an addiction to opioids and was in the habit of crushing and snorting pills. During the investigation, a blue pill with the marking M30, which is commonly used by fentanyl pill manufacturers, was found in B.J.R.’s bedroom and later tested positive for fentanyl. This information was reported by the police after consulting with local and federal drug investigators.
According to court documents, it was determined by a medical examiner that the teenager had died due to an overdose of fentanyl. Upon investigating the teen’s Instagram account, detectives discovered messages relating to drug transactions, including one message that mentioned an earlier overdose where the teen was administered Narcan, a drug used in opioid overdose emergencies. It was alleged that the pill purchased by the teen was linked to Draggoo.
According to court documents, B.R.J. messaged a friend over Instagram, stating “Bro I just got narcaned alive g… And I only did a (quarter)” earlier that month.
The indictment states that the drug conspiracy involved all seven defendants in some capacity. Additionally, Tiger Draggoo, Alvarez, Amparan, Morales, and Williams are individually facing charges related to a money-laundering conspiracy.
According to court records, Tiger Draggoo is facing charges of distributing fentanyl which resulted in the death of three individuals. He is also charged with possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, as well as possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime and an unregistered firearm. In January of 2023, when Draggoo was arrested, authorities discovered five firearms and fentanyl in both his home and vehicle.
According to charging documents, the Draggoo brothers were observed by police driving a Jeep out of an apartment complex in September 2022. Law enforcement officials trailed the vehicle and witnessed the brothers driving recklessly. The brothers attempted to evade a Jackson County sheriff’s deputy who tried to stop them for multiple traffic violations, leading to a pursuit.
After a brief absence, they returned to the apartment complex. The police tailed them and were able to gain access to the apartment with the help of one of the men’s girlfriends. Upon entering the premises, the police made a shocking discovery. They found a total of 17 guns, which included two machine guns, a large amount of ammunition, approximately $250,000 in cash, a bulletproof vest, a money counter, and drugs, including fentanyl. This was a major bust that could potentially save countless lives.
According to the charges filed against Williams, he is being accused of possessing fentanyl with the intention to distribute it, as well as possessing firearms to further his drug trafficking activities. These are serious allegations that could lead to severe consequences if he is found guilty.
A federal jury will be responsible for evaluating the defendants’ case.
Across the United States, the number of deaths attributed to Fentanyl has been on the rise in recent years. Fortunately, there is a solution. Missouri residents can now purchase Narcan, a nasal spray that effectively reverses the effects of an opioid overdose, directly from their local pharmacy. The best part? No prescription is required to obtain Narcan in Missouri, making it easily accessible to those who need it most.
