A major drug enforcement operation in Jefferson County ended Wednesday night with seven arrests and the seizure of commercial quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, authorities announced Friday.

Elizabeth Chavez, 40, and Brent Waldorf, 35, both of Madras, were the primary targets of a months-long investigation led by the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. The two are suspected of distributing commercial amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine across Central Oregon.

The Arrests

The operation unfolded on two fronts Wednesday evening. A Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputy, acting on surveillance intelligence, attempted to pull over a blue Chevrolet Malibu near U.S. Highway 97 and Northeast Elm in Madras at approximately 8:30 p.m. The vehicle fled, triggering a pursuit that ended a couple of miles later when officers deployed a PIT maneuver.

Waldorf, riding in the back passenger seat, was arrested and charged with possession of a commercial amount of suspected fentanyl. The vehicle’s driver, Nicholas Speck, 40, of Redmond, faces charges of attempting to elude police, reckless driving and endangering, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. A third occupant, Andrew Jones, 39, of Bend, was taken into custody on a probation violation.

Simultaneously, CODE detectives and Madras Police were watching a residence on the 400 block of Southeast Grizzly Road. Agents watched as several individuals left the home in a second vehicle; when officers stopped it, Elizabeth Chavez fled on foot. She was arrested nearby and charged with unlawful possession and delivery of methamphetamine and escape in the third degree.

Residence Search

A search of the Southeast Grizzly Road home turned up nine additional individuals and drug-related items consistent with commercial drug distribution. Kenneth Crutcher, 48, of Redmond — who was found in the vehicle — had an active warrant and a taser; he was charged with being a felon in possession of a weapon and a parole violation.

Inside the house, Jeremy Wisely, 42, of Madras, was charged with a probation violation warrant. Victor Chavez, 49, also of Madras, was charged with disorderly conduct in the second degree after being verbally aggressive toward officers.

All seven individuals are being held at the Jefferson County Jail. The investigation involved the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, CODE, the Madras Police Department, Oregon State Police, and the DEA.

Context

Fentanyl-related arrests have risen sharply in Central Oregon over the past two years. The involvement of federal DEA resources underscores the scale of the operation — authorities describe the distribution network as one spanning multiple communities in the region.