Source: United States Department of Justice News
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney Mark Totten announced today that Saul Douglas Briggs, a/k/a “76 Chain,” a/k/a “Chain,” a 32 year-old resident of Muskegon, Michigan, has been indicted on multiple drug trafficking charges, including conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, as well as possession of controlled substances with the intent to distribute them. Briggs is also charged with illegal firearms possession and maintaining a drug house.
The charges stem from a series of search warrants conducted by law enforcement in and around the Muskegon area in June 2022. On the afternoon of June 15, 2022, investigators raided a residence at 2060 Letart Avenue in Muskegon, which they suspected to be a stash house used by Briggs and other drug traffickers to store and process their illegal products. Inside, investigators seized approximately 8 kilograms of suspected fentanyl, 774 grams of suspected black tar heroin, 61 grams of suspected cocaine, and 22 grams of suspected methamphetamine. They also seized extensive drug trafficking paraphernalia as well as seven firearms, including four assault style rifles, a tactical shotgun, and two semi-automatic pistols. They recovered one of the pistols under the seat of Briggs’s vehicle. In related searches as part of the same investigation, law enforcement also seized nearly $250,000 in cash believed to be proceeds of drug trafficking, jewelry, and multiple vehicles.
At the time of the search of the residence at 2060 Letart Avenue, Briggs, who had been inside, attempted to flee on foot, running out of the house and jumping over the back fence of the residence. Investigators apprehended Briggs and took him into custody at that time.
The investigation into Briggs is part of Operation Interstate Zeus, an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation that began in 2019 and has been led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and members of Michigan State Police’s West Michigan Enforcement Teams (WEMET). To date, the operation has led to the prosecution and conviction of 10 separate defendants on drug trafficking charges.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations and are not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Carowan.
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