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A suspect is in the hospital after an exchange of gunfire with Cedar Hill and Duncanville police officers on Wednesday night.

The incident began around 8:10 p.m. in the 300 block of North Joe Wilson Road in Cedar Hill, when police attempted to apprehend a man with multiple active warrants.

Authorities identified the suspect as 36-year-old Gerail Fuewell, who had outstanding warrants for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, family violence, and burglary of a habitation with intent to commit another felony.

When authorities found Fuewell, Cedar Hill police began to chase the suspect.

The chase continued into Duncanville’s jurisdiction, with Duncanville police joining the pursuit on Wheatland Road.

The chase lasted approximately six minutes and ended in the 8000 block of Marvin D. Love Freeway in Dallas.

Dashcam footage released by Cedar Hill Police Department shows Fuewell opening fire on officers as he leaned out of the driver’s side of the vehicle.

In the dashcam, an officer can be seen returning fire from his vehicle.

When exiting his vehicle the suspect opened fire on officers while crossing Wheatland Road.

Officers from both Cedar Hill and Duncanville returned fire, striking Fuewell in the shoulder and back.

No officers were injured during the incident.

The involved officers have been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation.

The Dallas Police Department Special Investigation Unit has taken over the investigation since the incident ended within Dallas city limits. T

The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office will oversee the investigation.

Fuewell is currently hospitalized and faces multiple charges, including felony evading in a motor vehicle. Further details on his condition have not been released.

The post Police Chase Ends in Shootout | Suspect Hospitalized appeared first on DeSoto Tribune.

A Rockwall resident has been charged with unlawfully possessing an unregistered firearm after allegedly importing Glock switches from China.

U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton announced the charge in a press release.

Joshua Javier Menjivar, 20, was charged via a criminal complaint on Friday and made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renée Harris Toliver on Wednesday.

“This defendant allegedly imported machinegun conversion devices from China and installed at least one of them in an untraceable ghost gun,” said Simonton.

“Whether manufactured abroad or printed here at home, switches are capable of firing a stunning amount of ammunition in seconds and are highly erratic – making them highly dangerous weapons. We cannot and will not allow these lethal devices to proliferate in north Texas.”

According to the complaint, Customs and Border Protection agents intercepted a suspicious package on May 16, addressed to Menjivar’s home.

The parcel allegedly contained four machine gun conversion devices, known as switches.

Further investigation revealed that from May 2023 to May 2024, approximately 35 suspicious packages were allegedly delivered to Menjivar’s address.

These shipments, at least one of which was allegedly sent by a known international firearms supplier, were listed as various items such as household tools, protective gloves, glass cups, hats, and clothing, and were addressed to fictitious individuals.

On June 10, ATF agents collected trash from a bin outside Menjivar’s home. Inside, they allegedly found a non-value gold metal commemorative bitcoin, an item often used to conceal switches by confusing x-ray machines, and packaging consistent with illicit firearms shipments.

Agents executed a search warrant on Menjivar’s residence on June 20, allegedly discovering a privately made firearm, known as a “ghost gun,” equipped with a switch.

Agents also found five additional switches, 72 rounds of assorted ammunition, two commemorative bitcoins, and various firearm accessories.

During an interview, Menjivar allegedly claimed ownership of the illegal items found in the residence and confirmed his knowledge of how the switches worked.

 “As this arrest proves, we weren’t joking a few weeks ago when we told you that we were coming for you. The possession or importation of machine gun conversion devices will eventually lead to a visit by ATF or any of our law enforcement partners,” said ATF Dallas Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Boshek.

“I commend US Attorney Simonton and her team for their dedication to protecting the people of North Texas by aggressively prosecuting these cases. Further, I thank our partners at CBP who work tirelessly to keep Americans safe, a lot of times going unnoticed.”

The post Rockwall Man Charged with Importing Illegal Firearm Switches appeared first on DeSoto Tribune.

In a coordinated effort to crack down on illegal machinegun conversion devices also known as “switches,” U.S. Attorneys for the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas announced, “Operation Texas Kill Switch.”

Switches are devices that can transform semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic weapons, capable of firing rounds just as fast as military-grade weapons.

The announcement was made during simultaneous press conferences throughout the state with U.S. Attorneys Leigha Simonton, Alamdar Hamdani, Damien Diggs, and Jaime Esparza.

They were joined by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives Special Agents in Charge Jeffrey Boshek and Michael Weddel.

“We’re here to talk about a roughly one-inch piece of plastic. It looks innocuous enough, a little like a lego or a k’nex block. But this one-inch piece of plastic is killing people,” Simonton said at Monday’s press conference.

“Machinegun conversion devices can turn Second Amendment-protected firearms into illegal weapons of war, and petty criminals into brutal killers. We cannot have our streets turned into war zones. We cannot – and we will not – allow switches to proliferate in north Texas.”

The officials condemned the use of switches, highlighting their role in numerous fatal shootings, including a juvenile mass shooting and multiple police killings.

Switches, which are about an inch long and can be made from metal or plastic, are designed to fit into the butt of a gun, allowing it to fire continuously with a single trigger pull.

“I have been in this business for a long time, and nothing scares me more than the rapid flood of machine gun conversion devices on the streets of Texas and beyond. Rest assured that ATF and its partners are doing everything we can to stop the flow of these things and to prevent the carnage they can create,” said ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II.

“I applaud our U.S. Attorney partners for their willingness to aggressively prosecute these criminals and gangsters.”

Switches can be easily manufactured using commercially available 3D printers, making them accessible to a wide audience.

The possession of switches is illegal under the National Firearms Act, which classifies them as machine guns.

The rise of switches has surged in recent years.

Between 2017 and 2023, Texas-based ATF agents seized 991 switches, with half of those being recovered in the past year alone.

The devices are often sold on social media, targeting both adults and juveniles.

Operation Texas Kill Switch aims to combat this trend by partnering with Crime Stoppers programs across the state.

From now until August 31, local Crime Stoppers programs will offer cash rewards for information leading to the apprehension or prosecution of individuals possessing switches or 3D printers used to manufacture them.

Tipsters can submit information anonymously, 24 hours a day, through their local Crime Stoppers program or directly to the ATF’s website.

The post Texas Launches ‘Operation Kill Switch’ to Combat Illegal Gun Mods appeared first on DeSoto Tribune.

The DeSoto Police Department has released its call volume report for the week of May 19-25, documenting a total of 2,308 calls.

This data provides insight into the department’s active engagement with the community and its response to various incidents.

There were 807 incidents, the majority of which were neighborhood patrol calls.

These patrols are a critical component of the department’s strategy to maintain a visible police presence and deter criminal activity within residential areas.

Following neighborhood patrols, directed patrols were the second most common type of call, with 662 instances.

Directed patrols are specific assignments focused on particular areas or issues based on current crime trends and community concerns.

Business calls also formed a significant portion of the total, with 279 calls recorded.

These calls often involve responding to alarms, checking on the security of businesses, and addressing any incidents that may occur within commercial properties.

Animal-related calls accounted for 65 incidents, as the department also deals with calls addressing concerns related to pets and wildlife within the community.

Suspicious activity was reported 49 times, highlighting the community’s vigilance and the police department’s response to potential threats or unusual behavior.

Traffic-related calls, which include accidents, traffic violations, and other roadway concerns, amounted to 278 incidents.

Meanwhile, the DeSoto Fire Department responded to 250 emergency calls for service during the same week.

Of these, 181 involved medical calls, and 69 were fire/rescue calls.

The fire-related incidents included 6 major vehicle accidents, 1 structure fire, 1 vehicle fire, and 14 fire alarms.

Additionally, 80 of the 181 medical calls required additional assistance or manpower from a fire engine.

The post DeSoto Police and Fire Departments Call Volume Report appeared first on DeSoto Tribune.

A key supplier in the Carrollton juvenile fentanyl overdose case has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison.

U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton announced the sentencing of 19-year-old Julio Gonzales, Jr., also known as “J-Money,” on Wednesday.

Gonzales, who was charged in July 2023 and pleaded guilty in October 2023, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade.

He faced charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance.

During the sentencing hearing, evidence revealed that Gonzales was one of three primary suppliers for Luis Eduardo Navarrete.

Navarrete, 22, distributed fentanyl to students at R.L. Turner High School, Dewitt Perry Middle School, and Dan Long Middle School.

“Julio Gonzalez will spend the next 15 years in federal prison because of his involvement in supplying and distributing poison in the form of one deadly pill.  Because of that same pill, illicit fentanyl, lives have been lost and families have been forever changed,” said DEA Dallas Special Agent in Charge Eduardo A. Chávez. 

“The women and men of DEA Dallas will never stop investigating overdose and poisoning deaths and bring those responsible to justice.  We all must do our part to prevent and educate others that truly One Pill Can Kill.”

Navarrete himself was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison last week after prosecutors presented evidence indicating he ignored warnings about multiple child overdoses, including a message stating, “another youngin dead bro.”

Another key supplier, Jason Xavier Villanueva, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl to a minor.

The third supplier, Jessie Alexander Perez Martinez, is awaiting trial.

Gonzales admitted in his plea that he trafficked approximately 120,000 blue M-30 pills laced with fentanyl to Navarrete, Navarrete’s drug runner Robert Gaitan, and at least one juvenile dealer.

The pills were often sold in large quantities known as “K Packs,” containing 1,000 pills each.

Authorities arrested Gonzales on July 20 and searched his Dallas residence, uncovering 16,000 counterfeit M-30 pills, $74,294 in cash, and nine firearms.

The search also uncovered a Romanian Draco AK-47 style handgun, a Kel-Tec long-range pistol, and a Glock with a machine gun conversion device.

They also found high-capacity magazines, body armor, a vacuum sealer, digital scales, a money counter, and multiple cell phones.

This case has led to federal charges against 11 defendants and has been linked to 14 juvenile overdoses, four of which were fatal, involving children as young as 13.

“This defendant – a heavily-armed, prolific drug trafficker – was involved in providing pills that caused 14 Carrollton kids to overdose, and four of them to die,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton.

“I want to implore our community: Please, educate your children on the dangers of fentanyl. Drug traffickers are not your friends. They know one pill can kill, and they hand them over anyway.” 

The post Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Role in Juvenile Fentanyl Overdoses appeared first on DeSoto Tribune.