{"id":13889,"date":"2025-10-24T17:18:11","date_gmt":"2025-10-24T17:18:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/13889\/"},"modified":"2025-10-24T17:18:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T17:18:11","slug":"operation-postal-storm-disrupts-major-drug-pipeline-suspects-still-wanted","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/13889\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cOperation Postal Storm\u201d disrupts major drug pipeline, suspects still wanted"},"content":{"rendered":"

Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams on Friday detailed the results of Operation Postal Storm, a multi-agency investigation that dismantled a drug trafficking network tied to large-scale narcotics distribution in the county.<\/p>\n

Adams said the case led to the seizure of more than 200 pounds of methamphetamine, 30 kilograms of cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, firearms, and cash \u2014 quantities he described as \u201chistoric\u201d and \u201cstaggering\u201d for Berks County.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve had significant drug cases over the years, but the amount here and how long this group was operating is unlike anything we\u2019ve seen in recent memory,\u201d Adams said during a press conference at the Berks County Services Center.<\/p>\n

\"\"Screenshot<\/p>\n

According to investigators, the network supplied dealers in Reading and surrounding municipalities, fueling the local drug market. Adams said every step taken to cut off supply makes a difference in Berks communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery pound of cocaine or methamphetamine we keep off the streets is one less pound in Reading, Exeter, Muhlenberg, or anywhere else in this county,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The probe began in January 2025, when the Berks County Drug Task Force and Pennsylvania State Police identified suspicious shipments of kilogram quantities of cocaine being sent through the U.S. Postal Service from Puerto Rico to Reading. Investigators also linked members of the organization to significant methamphetamine distribution.<\/p>\n

Detectives and troopers worked alongside federal agents, using undercover drug buys, court-authorized wiretaps, and extensive surveillance to build the case. In October, sealed warrants were approved by county and federal judges, allowing for searches at multiple properties across Reading \u2014 including homes on Linden, North 12th, North 13th, and South 11th streets, as well as a Penn Street tattoo studio and an auto sales business.<\/p>\n

On October 20, 2025, law enforcement teams executed coordinated raids that uncovered bulk quantities of narcotics, twelve firearms, and U.S. currency. Additional warrants were served two days later, extending the scope of the operation.<\/p>\n

Adams said the investigation remains ongoing.<\/p>\n

Authorities have charged more than a dozen people connected to the case, but several suspects remain wanted.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis investigation is not over,\u201d Adams said. \u201cThere are still individuals out there who played a role in flooding Berks County with these drugs, and we are actively pursuing them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Defendants Charged<\/p>\n

The following individuals were charged with offenses including corrupt organizations, drug delivery, and related counts (most serious charge listed): Kelvin Rodriguez-Diaz, 37, Reading, Jonathan Pagan-Vega, 42, Puerto Rico, Edwin Martinez-Rodriguez, 33, West Lawn, Osvaldo Reyes-Jimenez, 30, Reading, Nelson Rafael Leon, Sr., 56, Reading, Johnny Lopez-Suarez, 39, Reading, Santos Torres-Rodriguez, 49, Reading, Victor Sanchez, Sr., 48, Reading, Henry Massa-Olmeda, 45, Reading, Yessimalie Torres, 39, Temple, Fernando Corona, 42, Reading, Christopher Gottschall, 50, West Lawn, David Serrano, 36, Reading, Andre Pendergrass, Sr., 55, Reading, Andre Pendergrass, Jr., 34, Reading, Jason Greth, 29, Shillington, Melissa Batterson, 46, Reading.<\/p>\n

Suspects Still Wanted<\/p>\n

Five defendants remain at large: Wesley Santiago, 25, Reading, Emmanuel Rodriguez-Santos, 39, Reading, Abraham Vega-Rodriguez, 40, Reading, Andres Vazquez, 28, Reading, Roberto Sandoval Jimenez, 33, Reading<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The operation was conducted with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania State Police, Berks County Detectives, and multiple local police departments.<\/p>\n

Adams said the results highlight the strength of local and federal partnerships. \u201cThis case shows what happens when agencies come together,\u201d he said. \u201cThe results speak for themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the focus remained on Berks County, Adams said he was interested to learn through the investigation that some of the drugs tied to this case were connected to federal interdictions of cartel shipments entering the U.S. by boat. He noted that this information, developed as part of Operation Postal Storm, shows how local cases can uncover links to broader trafficking operations and highlights the importance of stopping supply before it ever reaches communities like Reading.<\/p>\n

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Berks County Detectives at 610\u2011478\u20117171. Anonymous tips may also be submitted to Crime Alert Berks County by: Calling 877\u2011373\u20119913, downloading the ALERTBERKS mobile app or sending a text message with ALERTBERKS and the tip to 847411.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams on Friday detailed the results of Operation Postal Storm, a multi-agency…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":13890,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[128,130,129],"class_list":["post-13889","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-reading","tag-reading-city","tag-reading-city-headlines","tag-reading-city-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13889","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13889"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13889\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13890"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13889"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13889"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13889"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}