Eight Arrested in Lubbock PSN Takedown

Eight targets were arrested during a Project Safe Neighborhoods takedown in Lubbock on Wednesday, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.

Those arrested include:

• Corey Rashad Gilmore, indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of convicted felon in possession of a firearm
• Justin Tyrece Crawford, indicted on one count of convicted felon in possession of a firearm
• Joe Lewis Ybarra, Jr., indicted on one count of felon in possession of a firearm
• Wesley Glenn York, Jr., indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of convicted felon in possession of a firearm
• Landon Henderson Jackson, indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Matthew Nelson, indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Kelli Lenay Hargrave, indicted on one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Philip Murphy, indicted on one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

One additional target, Matthew De La Cruz, charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, remains a fugitive. Members of the public with information regarding his whereabouts are urged to contact the DEA's Dallas Field Division at 214-366-6900.

"This Project Safe Neighborhoods takedown relied on the cooperation of more than three dozen agents and officers from local, state, and federal law enforcement, along with federal prosecutors from my office," U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton said at a press conference announcing the bust on Thursday. "PSN relies on the collective wisdom of law enforcement agencies - big and small - to identify, investigate, and prosecute our communities' most significant drivers of violence. Instead of agencies working in silos, overlapping and competing, PSN brings federal and state law enforcement together to take action that will have outsized impact…. Following the tenets of the PSN program, we targeted repeat offenders known to be inciting crime here in Lubbock. These defendants all have rap sheets, including assault, robbery, controlled substances, and deadly conduct."

"The apprehension of the suspects related to this case is a testament to the strong working relationships we experience between agencies here in West Texas," said Lubbock Police Chief Seth Herman.

From the eight arrested defendants, law enforcement seized 12 firearms along with 946 grams of methamphetamine, 2 ounces of cocaine, and more than 10 pounds of marijuana.

If convicted, the defendants face a combined total of up to 330 months in federal prison.

More than three dozen officers and agents participated in the takedown, including men and women from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives Dallas Field Division - Lubbock Resident Agency; the Drug Enforcement Administration's Dallas Field Division - Lubbock Resident Agency; the Lubbock Police Department; the Lubbock County Sheriff's Office; the Texas Anti-Gang Center; the Texas Department of Public Safety; the Texas Tech Police Department; the Plainview Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations' Dallas Field Office; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Dallas Field Office - Lubbock Resident Agency. The Lubbock County District Attorney's Office also provided substantial assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Redd, Sean Long, Matthew McLeod, and Stephen Rancourt are prosecuting the cases with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Haag.

These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.