PORTERVILLE, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - Six Porterville residents were arrested on Friday after allegedly selling drugs from a home in the city, the Porterville Police Department announced.
The department's Narcotic Investigation Unit (NIU) Detectives reported receiving information about a home in the 100 block of south Doree Street believed to be selling meth, fentanyl, and marijuana.
Investigators identified the owners of the home as 61-year-old Marvin Statler and 58-year-old Tanya Leveck, and conducted surveillance and takedown operations to accredit the allegations. Police eventually determined the home was involved in the sale of illegal narcotics.
NIU detectives report authoring a search warrant for the home which was approved by a judge. With the help of the department's Special Investigations Unit (SIU), on Friday another surveillance operation was conducted at Statler's home.
Detectives say they trailed Statler and Leveck to the 300 block of north D Street after they were seen leaving their home. Both were contacted and detained without further incident.
Investigators returned to the Statler's home to serve the search warrant and reported immediately seeing 43-year-old Jonah Teal fleeing through the back door of the home. Teal fled through the backyard and jumped the fence into the neighboring property before he was eventually detained.
After announcements were made into the residence, additional occupants identified as 33-year- old Justin Leveck, 36-year-old Mitchell Thomas and 57-year-old Michael Hurtado exited and surrendered to detectives. Officials say all were detained.
During the search, detectives reported locating evidence indicative of illegal narcotic sales including numerous digital scales, an abundance of clear plastic baggies, a ledger tracking the quantity and sale amounts of illegal narcotics, and numerous small containers with drug residue.
Additionally, investigators say they found:
As a result of the investigation, all six suspects were arrested on suspicion of various charges including operation of a residence used for narcotic use/ sales, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The report was submitted to the Tulare County District Attorney's Office for review.
Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the Porterville Police Department at 559-782-7400.