Two Charged in Alleged Casper Methamphetamine & Heroin Conspiracy
Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation special agents say two Casper residents frequently traveled to Denver, bought methamphetamine and heroin to resell it in the Casper area.
Shanell Lanae Gangwish and Vanessa Jordan Lovato made their initial appearances in Natrona County Circuit Court Tuesday. They are each charged with conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver (methamphetamine), felony possession of a controlled substance (heroin), possession of a controlled substance felony weight (heroin) and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance (marijuana).
According to a DCI special agent's affidavit of probable cause, authorities began investigating Lovato and Gangwish in December. Agents had heard from several sources that Gangwish and Lovato were traveling to Denver to purchase methamphetamine and resell it in Natrona County.
On Dec. 16, agents were granted a search warrant to view Facebook messages on Gangwish and Lovato's joint account. In them, agents found multiple messages discussing purchasing and reselling methamphetamine and heroin, the affidavit says.
According to the affidavit, on Monday afternoon, the Wyoming Highway Patrol and DCI agents stopped a 2005 GMC Yukon on Interstate 25 in Natrona County. Lovato was driving and Gangwish was in the passenger seat. Agents found a syringe with .3 grams of heroin in it, three containers with suspected methamphetamine weighing a total of 23.1 grams and 3.2 grams of heroin in another container.
The affidavit says Gangwish told agents there were roughly 22 grams of methamphetamine and four grams of heroin in the car. Gangwish also allegedly told agents that she and Lovato traveled to Denver and purchased the drugs and that Lovato would sell them to people in the Casper area.
Court documents say Gangwish and Lovato initially traveled to Denver to buy an eighth ounce of methamphetamine and 1.5 grams of heroin once a week. However, in the past two or three weeks, they upped that amount to 22 grams of methamphetamine and an eighth-ounce of heroin.
Lovato admitted to driving to Denver and purchasing the drugs. She also told agents that she had only sold methamphetamine to roughly five people and never sold heroin, court documents say.