Four men, three of whom have connections to a criminal street gang, were arrested earlier this month after execution of an arrest warrant by authorities led to the alleged discovery of a cache of narcotics with intent to sell.
Andrew McDonald, 19, Calvin Sorrells, 18, and James Zapata, 17, all of Kyle, were arrested on multiple charges by the Hays County SWAT Team at approximately 4:30 to 5 a.m. on Friday, March 17.
One of those charges include engaging in organized criminal activity (ECOA), which is a third-degree felony. They were charged with EOCA based on all three having ties to the Tree Top Piru, which is an affiliate of the Blood criminal street gang, according to a Hays County arrest affidavit.
Carlos Valdez, 20, of Kyle, was also arrested, but was not affiliated with the street gang. Valdez was arrested on a charge of manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance, which is a state jail felony.
According to the arresting affidavits, the Hays County SWAT team executed an arrest warrant on McDonald stemming from a June 2016 aggravated robbery charge, of which Sorrells was also involved, at approximately 3 a.m. at a home in the 300 block of Discovery in Kyle.
When officers entered the premises, they allegedly saw in plain view drug paraphernalia such as smoking pipes, small 1-inch baggies for drug distribution and a digital scale, according to the affidavit.
A Hays County deputy also allegedly witnessed a small red bag with the word “skittles” printed on it, suggesting that it may have contained K2 or ketamine, which is a powerful horse tranquilizer.
Based on these findings, a search warrant was applied for the entire premises and was granted by County Court at Law No. 2 Judge David Glickler at approximately 4:30 a.m.
Valdez was charged due to 87 generic Xanax pills in a small baggie and a digital scale found in the living room.
McDonald, Sorrells and Zapata were also charged with the Manufacture/Delivery of a controlled substance since the living room is a common area shared by all four persons.
McDonald also received a second manufacture/delivery charge for four additional generic Xanax pills in a baggie found in his room.
McDonald is being held on $135,000 bond, while Sorrells is being held on $31,000 bond.
Zapata’s bond was set at $25,000, while Valdez is being held on $10,000 bond.
