Authorities arrest 10, seize 6 pounds of meth in 'Ice Pirates' conspiracy ring

Authorities on Wednesday found the last man involved in 'Ice Pirates,' a statewide methamphetamine conspiracy ring that authorities detailed Tuesday, which nabbed 10 individuals and six pounds of meth valued at over $250,000. Firearms and ammunition were also seized in the operation. Dennis Sharkey II, of Dubuque was arrested and appeared in U.S. District Court on Wednesday. He and the others are being charged with conspiracy to distribute meth.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Randall C. Thysse of the Omaha office, said Tuesday during a news conference at the U.S. Attorney's Office in Cedar Rapids that nine individuals were arrested across Iowa and in Wisconsin, along with 29 search warrants executed last week.

The investigation involved numerous police task force units and sheriff's offices across the state, including Johnson and Blackhawk counties, Des Moines, Marshalltown, Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Dubuque and various counties in Wisconsin.

Thysse said authorities also recovered 14 firearms and ammunition, along with the meth. Officers also disposed of multiple meth labs and seized a meth conversion station used for drying liquid meth. The meth recovered by investigators has a street value of about $272,880.

The individuals arrested on federal charges are:

Aldo Omar Lopez Martinez, 21, Osbaldo Nieto Arreola a.k.a. Osbaldo Martinez Arreola, a.k.a. Adan Sanchez-Chaves, 25, Roque Rodriguez Arellano, 32, Alejandro Hernandez, 38, Susana Martinez, 29, all of Marshalltown; Chad Ellis Weyland, 38, Cedar Falls; Michael Vincent Woodberry Bent, 37, Denver, Iowa; Alfredo Morales, 25, Des Moines; and Edward Behrens, 50, Benton, Wisc.

The investigation was coordinated through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force program of the U.S. Department of Justice and is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force (Waterloo Police Department; Cedar Falls, Evansdale, Hudson, LaPorte City and Waverly police departments; Bremer, Black Hawk, Marshall and Tama counties sheriff's offices; Mid Iowa (Marshalltown) and Dubuque drug task forces. A total of 250 law enforcement officers participated in the sweep of searches conducted.