Three Californians Jailed in Bend Drug Raid

Three California residents were arrested on drug charges in a southeast Bend traffic stop and subsequent pair of motel raids late last week, accused of making routine trips to Bend to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine, authorities said.

Thursday?s arrests ?will disrupt the flow of methamphetamine into the Central Oregon region,? said Lt. Ken Mannix of the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team.

CODE Team detectives, assisted by Bend police and Deschutes County sheriff?s deputies, contacted Linda Baker, 55, of Valley Springs, Calif., and Ruben Monroy and Melvin Johnson, both 27 and of Stockton, Calif., around 4:30 p.m. last Thursday near the corner of Badger Road and Third Street, said Lt. Ken Mannix.

A lengthy investigation found Baker, who was driving the car, had routinely made trips from California to Bend, solely to transport and distribute large quantities of meth, Mannix said.

Using ?various investigative techniques? they decline to disclose, detectives were able to identify, find and monitor the activities and movements of the three suspects, leading to their arrest.

Based on information gathered during the investigation, detectives raided two Third Street motel rooms around 1 a.m. on Friday, Mannix said. Detectives had determined the rooms were rented by Baker, Monroy and Johnson.

During the search warrant executions, detectives found and seized about three ounces of methamphetamine (worth about $4,000 on the street), along with a small amount of marijuana, a scale, drug records and other evidence, Mannix said.

The investigation and arrests ?will disrupt the flow of methamphetamine into the Central Oregon region,? Mannix said in a news release.

All three remained at the Deschutes County Jail on Tuesday, facing meth possession, delivery and manufacture Charges. Bail was set at $15,000 for Baker and $50,000 for Monroy and Johnson, jail records show