Flower Mound police, DEA bust local heroin ring

by Staff of The Cross Timbers Gazette

Police suspect that the group is linked to the deaths of three Flower Mound teenagers last year due to heroin overdoses.

A federal grand jury has returned several indictments charging 17 people with drug-related crimes in southern Denton County after a nearly year-long investigation by the Flower Mound Police Department with help from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

According to an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on April 14, 2011, the following 12 people are alleged to have conspired to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin in the Flower Mound area. Those arrested include:

Sarah Hutcheson, 18, of Highland Village, TX;

Nicholas A. Parker-Vanalstyne, 20, of Flower Mound, TX;

Csaba Zoltan Bazsa, 19, of Lewisville, TX;

Kevin Lee Oates, 38, of Irving, TX;

Brendan Michael Jackson, 19, of Flower Mound, TX;

Cody Ray Jones, 20, of Highland Village, TX;

Jacob Andrew Haley, 20, of Corinth, TX;

Matthew Curtis Anderson, 21, of Lewisville, TX;

Anthony Edward Cathlina, 20, of Flower Mound, TX;

Taylor Nicole Lane, 19, of Grapevine, TX;

Travis Ryan Neel, 20, of Flower Mound, TX;

Alexandre David Ward, 20, of Flower Mound, TX

If convicted, each defendant faces up to 40 years in federal prison.

This investigation has also led to additional indictments charging five individuals with gun and drug violations.

Joseph Hoffman, 19, of Flower Mound, pleaded guilty on March 17, 2011, to possession with intent to distribute heroin. He faces up to 40 years in federal prison for his role in distributing heroin which led to the death of an individual. Hoffman was indicted on September 8, 2010.

Hoffman was involved in a 2009 traffic accident on Morriss Road that resulted in the death of 20-year old Colen Brodsky of Flower Mound.

Scott Schmalholz, 21, of Flower Mound, pleaded guilty to transferring a firearm to Hoffman knowing it would be used during a drug trafficking crime. Schmalholz was indicted on November 10, 2010 and faces up to 10 years in federal prison. Sentencing dates have not been set.

Adam Michael Evans, 20, of Flower Mound, was indicted on February 16, 2011, and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Travis Clark Tucker, 23, of Denton, was indicted on March 10, 2011 and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted, they each face up to 10 years in federal prison.

James Riley Greenwood, 23, of Flower Mound, was indicted on January 13, 2011, and charged with making false statements to federal agents. If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison.

Police suspect that the group is linked to the deaths of three Flower Mound teenagers last year due to heroin overdoses.

The case is being investigated by the Flower Mound Police Department, DEA, and ATF and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey M. Batson.