22 Rounded Up in Two Major Van Zandt County Cases

CANTON — Van Zandt County Sheriff Michael Lindsey Ray is commenting about the recent arrests of 22 defendants on state and federal charges as the result of two multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional investigations spearheaded by his office. Both cases date to last year. One involved drugs, the other an allegedly illegal horse racing facility in the southern part of the county, near FM 3080.

The sheriff’s office and DPS began covert operations Last June targeting suspected drug dealers. Last November DPS and the sheriff’s office began undercover investigations targeting the horse racing facility. “It is important to understand that these types of operations are a breeding ground for all sorts of vice crime,” said Ray regarding the latter case. “I began getting phone calls about this location as soon as I took office…What was particularly disturbing to me on this case is that deputies, some who worked for the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office prior to my administration, were on the premises providing security for the individuals openly conducting these illegal activities.”

Ray points out that numerous law enforcement agencies were involved in both cases. He says his office doesn’t have the resources to work such cases alone, so interagency collaboration is essential. Ray added, “We are not finished yet, we still have outstanding warrants for suspects involved in these two cases and we continue daily to work on other cases as well. We are going to keep working until we create an environment where people who want to violate our laws are no longer comfortable living here or being here.”