Oct 07, 2023

KC-area brothers charged with fentanyl deaths

Posted Oct 07, 2023 2:00 AM
Draggoo-photo Lee's Summit PD
Draggoo-photo Lee's Summit PD

KANSAS CITY. – A Kansas City man has been charged with three fentanyl overdose deaths in Belton, Mo., alongside six other metropolitan area residents indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a drug-trafficking conspiracy that included illegal firearms and money laundering, according to the United State's Attorney.

Tiger Dean Draggoo, 23, his brother, Colt Justin Draggoo, 20, Jose Amparan, also known as “Lil Mex” and “Jose Garcia,” 20, Luis Manuel Morales, also known as “Trulu,” “Lulu,” “Luis,” and “Luis Mor,” 23, all of Kansas City, Mo.; Andrew R.A. Williams, also known as “DrewB Grittin,” 22, of Grandview, Mo.; Alexander D. Barnett, also known as “Alex” and “Cobra,” 22, of Lee’s Summit, Mo.; and Javier Armanmdo Alvarez, also known as “Mexxican,” Gomi,” and “Gummi,” 21, of Kansas City, Kan., were charged in a 13-count superseding indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, Sept. 27. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the arrest and initial court appearances of Barnett and Morales. Colt Draggoo also was arrested today and will have an initial court appearance tomorrow.

The superseding indictment replaces the original indictment returned on Feb. 7, 2023, which only charged Tiger Draggoo, and includes additional charges and defendants.

The federal indictment charges Tiger Draggoo with three counts of distributing fentanyl resulting in death. Tiger Draggoo allegedly distributed fentanyl on Sept. 3, 2022, the use of which caused the death of another person. Tiger Draggoo allegedly distributed fentanyl between Aug. 22 and Sept. 13, 2022, the use of which caused the death of another person. Tiger Draggoo allegedly distributed fentanyl between Dec. 7 and 20, 2022, the use of which caused the death of another person.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint that was filed against Draggoo on Jan. 23, 2023, three Belton teenagers who were associated with Draggoo died from acute fentanyl intoxication. On at least three more occasions, the affidavit says, Belton police officers were called because a juvenile was under the influence of fentanyl (one of those juveniles, who turned 18 after being contacted by police officers, is among the three fentanyl deaths).

The indictment alleges that all seven defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl from Dec. 1, 2021, to May 3, 2023. The indictment also alleges that Tiger Draggoo, Alvarez, Amparan, Morales and Williams participated in a money-laundering conspiracy.

Tiger Draggoo is also charged with one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of possessing an unregistered firearm. According to the indictment, Draggoo was in possession of a Jimenez Arms .380-caliber pistol, an Armscor .45-caliber pistol, a Taurus .357-caliber revolver, a Palmetto State Armory multi-caliber rifle, and a short-barreled Savage 12-gauge on Jan. 20, 2023. Those charges are related to Draggoo’s arrest on the federal complaint. Officers seized the fentanyl and firearms from Draggoo’s residence and vehicle when he was taken into custody.

Additionally, Tiger Dragoo is charged with one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of illegally possessing machine guns. Those charges were basis of the original criminal complaint filed against Draggoo.

According to an affidavit filed in support of that complaint, police officers were conducting surveillance at an apartment complex on Sept. 22, 2022, when Tiger and Colt Draggoo left the apartment and got into a Jeep Renegade. Officers followed the Jeep and saw it commit numerous traffic violations while displaying erratic driving. A Jackson County sheriff’s deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the vehicle fled from the deputy.

A few minutes later, the Jeep returned to the apartment complex and Tiger and Colt Draggoo entered the apartment. Tiger Draggoo carried a large laundry bag from the apartment and placed it in the backseat of the Jeep. When a Jackson County, Mo., sheriff’s deputy drove into the parking lot, Tiger Draggoo ran back into the apartment building. When officers knocked on the door of Tiger Draggoo’s apartment, the affidavit says, his girlfriend initially told them he wasn’t there. After she allowed officers to enter the apartment, she admitted that Tiger Draggoo had run into the apartment and out the back door.

Officers searched the apartment and found 17 firearms, including two machine guns, ammunition of various calibers, $246,769 in cash, a ballistic vest with plates, a money counter, numerous pills that contained fentanyl, eight suspected LSD tabs, and marijuana. The 17 firearms included a Del-Ton 5.56-caliber rifle (converted into a machine gun), a Glock switch (used to convert a Glock pistol into a machine gun), three Marlin .22-caliber rifles, a Norinco 7.62-caliber rifle, a Mosin-Nagant rifle, an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 .223-caliber rifle, a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun, an Armscorp USA .308-caliber rifle, a Century Arms 7.62-caliber rifle, a Herbert Schmidt .22-caliber revolver, a New England Firearms .22-caliber revolver, a Kimber 9mm pistol, a Glock 9mm pistol, a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol, and a Metro Arms .45-caliber pistol.

Williams is also charged with one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Williams allegedly was in possession of a Springfield Armory 9mm semi-automatic handgun and a Girsan .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun on April 19, 2023.

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.