A Reeds man who was one of seven area residents indicted by a federal grand jury on drug charges in January, pleaded guilty this morning during a hearing in U. S. District Court in Springfield.
Jacinto Bernave, 31, pleaded guilty to a meth conspiracy charge with two counts of possession and one count of distributing meth dismissed as a part of a plea agreement.
The cases of the other six who were indicted, Amanda Consolver, 30, Joplin, Troy D. Frost, 42, Joplin, Jeremy J. Sanders, 42, Carthage, Dustin A. Teeter, 43, Webb City, Oleyesa A. Tiegs, 29, Carthage, and Robert "Bobby" Stevens, 30, Joplin, are pending.
The allegations against Bernave are described in the plea agreement.
Members of the FBI, Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team began an investigation concerning methamphetamine in southwest Missouri and northeast Oklahoma in 2019.
Investigators determined that Robert "Bobby" Stevens was distributing drugs in the Joplin area that he was obtaining from Ian Baswell, who was operating his methamphetamine distribution out of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
A wire investigation into Baswell captured Stevens. Stevens' activities were also confirmed by statements of others.
Bernave admits that he agreed to distribute methamphetamine with Stevens, Olyesa Tiegs, Amanda Consolver and others and did distribute methamphetamine during the time of the conspiracy.
On August 19, 2020, a confidential human source met with Bernave in Carthage, Missouri and purchased approximately two ounces of methamphetamine from Bernave. Six to nine months before May 2021, Stevens was supplying Bernave with one to two pounds of methamphetamine every other day.
In May 2021, Bernave had not spoken to Stevens since October or November of 2020 and owed him $4,000 and one kilogram for $22,000. Bernave was also supplying methamphetamine to Consolver.
On January 5, 2022, Bernave and Tiegs fled from Carthage, Missouri Police and wrecked into a bridge north of Francis and Mound Street in Carthage, Jasper County, Missouri.
Detective Darren Prater with ODET went to the scene and assisted with searching the vehicle.
In Tiegs' purse he located paraphernalia associated with methamphetamine use and he seized methamphetamine that had previously been seized from the vehicle. The approximate weight of the methamphetamine, including the baggies was 92.5 grams, an amount consistent with distribution and not merely personal use.
No date has been scheduled for Bernave's sentencing hearing.
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