Show-Me State Times

Five people were arrested Tuesday in connection with a drug distribution operation accused of smuggling kilograms of cocaine into St. Louis and other areas. Authorities identified those arrested in the St. Louis area as Christopher D. Taylor, 35; Stanford “Stan” Times, 36; Vincent “Lil V” Woods, 38; and Terry Smith, 49. Rene Garcia, 47, was taken into custody in Texas.

Arturo Villalobos, 33, of Texas has been held since April after being charged by complaint with conspiracy to distribute cocaine. He was indicted on that charge on April 30. A superseding indictment issued July 24 added charges against the others.

According to the indictment, Times, Woods, Garcia, Grant “50” Berry, 47, and Nabor Deleon, 34, of Texas now face one count each of cocaine conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Villalobos, Berry and Deleon are charged with an additional possession count. Taylor, Smith and Wally Burciaga, 30, face only the conspiracy charge.

The indictment alleges that all defendants participated in a cocaine conspiracy from October 2024 through July 2025.

Court motions seeking pretrial detention state that Villalobos was apprehended with a duffel bag containing 19 kilograms of cocaine and $100,000 cash and had a history of transporting drugs across the country and collecting payments. The motion further claims he traveled to St. Louis days later to collect payment for an earlier shipment.

Berry allegedly supplied illegal drugs to Woods and Times who then supplied Taylor and Smith. According to court documents cited in the motions, a man who bought cocaine from Taylor was targeted in a shooting on Interstate 55 in St. Louis on November 23, 2024; his car was struck about 26 times by gunfire. One bullet crossed into northbound lanes and killed an uninvolved bystander.

The government alleges Burciaga was an escaped federal prison inmate who sourced drugs from Mexico while Garcia and Deleon transported them as truck drivers.

Officials emphasize that charges listed in an indictment are accusations only: "Charges set forth in an indictment are merely an accusation and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty."

The investigation involved several agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Jefferson County Municipal Enforcement Group, Overland Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Torrie J. Schneider is prosecuting the case.

"This case is part of Operation Take Back America," officials said in a statement. "Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood."