Carlos Jimenez-Aguilera
Luis Ramirez-Tiaga
Jose Aguilar-LopezNASHVILLE, Tenn. -
A six-month investigation into the street sale of heroin in the Nashville area has led to the arrest of the local organization's distributor and the discovery of his base of operation inside a home on Saturn Drive near the Nashville International Airport.
Carlos Jimenez-Aguilera, 22, was arrested this week and is charged with 10 felony counts of heroin sales.
Undercover officers spoke with Jimenez-Aguilera numerous times on the phone over the past several months to place orders for heroin. He identified himself as "Omar," and would always send a courier to make the actual heroin sales in various Nashville neighborhoods.
On January 20, narcotics detectives arrested Jimenez-Aguilera's primary deliveryman, Luis Ramirez-Tiaga, 23, after he made a sale to an undercover officer.
Ramirez-Tiaga tried to evade arrest after the sale and ran but detectives ultimately found him hiding in the backyard of a nearby home. A bag of small balloons containing heroin was located under the deck.
Jimenez-Aguilera was arrested Wednesday after he delivered $500 worth of heroin to an undercover officer.
During a subsequent search of his Saturn Drive home, officers found a supply of small balloons, digital scales and eight ounces of heroin along with three pistols and a rifle.
Officers also found a man identified as Jose Aguilar-Lopez, 38, in the home. He was arrested and charged with felony heroin possession, unlawful gun possession and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia.
Following his arrest, detectives seized Jimenez-Aguilera's cell phone.
On Thursday alone, 13 persons called to place heroin orders. Undercover officers met up with all 13 in various neighborhoods.
All were issued misdemeanor citations charging them with attempting to possess heroin.
One woman was also charged with prostitution after she said she had no cash, but would exchange sex for heroin.
In total, 10 ounces of heroin with a street value of approximately $50,000, three vehicles, three pistols, one rifle, $3,900 cash and $3,000 in electronics were seized.
Federal immigration holds have now been placed on Jimenez-Aguilera, Ramirez-Tiaga and Aguilar-Lopez, who are believed to be from Mexico.
