Police arrest three Santa Rosa men suspected of running drug operation

Santa Rosa police arrested three men Wednesday suspected of operating a major methamphetamine distribution network allegedly controlled by members of a Santa Rosa family, a police sergeant said.

Santa Rosa detectives and members of the Sonoma County Auto Theft Task Force were watching two homes Wednesday when a man identified as Epifanio Alcantar-Lopez, 26, drove away from an apartment in the 1700 block of Apple Creek Lane and was subsequently stopped and arrested.

During a search of the apartment, Leocadio Cardenas-Chavez, 31, and Wendy Murga, 29, were found with a small amount of suspected meth and arrested, police said.

Detectives searched a second residence in the 500 block of Ashbury Drive and detained several people, including Ersain Alcantar-Reyes, 20, identified as a cousin of Alcantar-Lopez, police said.

Police said about 12 pounds of meth were found in Reyes’ bedroom along with other evidence of packaging, scales and items related to drug trafficking in the home.

Alcantar-Lopez and Alcantar-Reyes were booked at Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of methamphetamine-related offenses, and Cardenas-Chavez was held on an existing felony warrant. Murga was issued a citation for possessing methamphetamine.

-Guy Kovner