Homeland Security Investigations conducted a search warrant at 6250 Distant View Court, in Verde Sante Fe, before 7 a.m. Thursday, March 3.
According to nearby homeowners, roughly 15 vehicles were at the scene where uniformed and plain clothes officers participated in serving the search warrant, some with “HSI” on their jackets. According to nearby homeowners, some officers wore light armor, and most were carrying sidearms.
The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office also assisted in securing the scene around the incident. Dwight D’Evelyn, YCSO media relations coordinator, was unable to provide any additional information about the incident and deferred inquiry to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Yasmeen Pitts O’Keefe, public information officer for Homeland Security Investigations, said, “We’re just executing a search warrant and working with local law enforcement. It’s an ongoing investigation. I can’t offer further comment.”
Officials were unable to provide any further information about the nature of the potential crime or crimes, what agents were searching for or if there were any other search warrants served anywhere else in the Verde Valley.
“HSI has broad legal authority to enforce a diverse array of federal statutes,” according to the Homeland Security Investigations website. “It uses this authority to investigate all types of cross-border criminal activity, including:
“Financial crimes; money laundering and bulk cash smuggling; commercial fraud; intellectual property theft; cybercrimes; human rights violations; human smuggling and trafficking; immigration, document and benefit fraud; narcotics smuggling and trafficking; weapons smuggling and trafficking; transnational gang activity; export enforcement; and international art and antiquity theft”
O’Keefe said Monday, March 7, that she had no additional information on the case nor the nature of the search warrant.
