Strange behavior and a black bag lead police to make record-heroin seizure.

By SARA VANDEN BERGE

A record amount of heroin has been seized in what began as a joint investigation by the Stephenville Police Department and Erath County Sheriff’s Office looking into drug activity at a residence in the 2600 block of West Washington Street on May 18.

According to a press release from the SPD, investigators observed a Hispanic male exit a residence and remove a spare tire cover from the trunk of a vehicle before placing a black bag inside, then driving off with another man.

Investigators continued surveillance on the vehicle as it traveled eastbound on Interstate 20 before it was stopped by a Parker County sheriff’s deputy for a traffic violation.

The driver, identified as Mario Amaya Martinez, did not have a valid driver’s license and a K-9 officer was deployed to assist.

The K-9 alerted to the presence of a controlled substance, which led to the discovery of three brick-like packages inside the trunk, which tested positive for three kilograms of heroin.

With a street value of more than $100,000, Captain James Gresham said the heroin seizure was the largest in the department’s history.

Martinez and passenger Leonel Garcia Gallegos were charged with manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance and are being held on a $500,000 bond at the Parker County Jail.