Seven people were arrested on drug charges last week in two Bee County communities thanks to the sharp eye and keen nose of Bee County Deputy Brandon Burdick.

Deputy Lt. Jason Hinds of the Bee County Sheriff’s Department and Sgt. Drew Pilkington, Criminal Intelligence Service investigator for the Texas Department of Public Safety, said this week that Burdick’s experience with a drug task force and his training in drug-related crime were key in making the arrests.

The first incident landed five men in jail after Burdick responded to a 911 hang up from a residence on Allen Drive in Skidmore.

Hinds said every time someone calls 911 and hangs up before sheriff’s office dispatchers can get any information, a deputy is sent to the scene to make sure everything is all right.

When Burdick arrived at the house, he detected the odor of burning marijuana, noticed some smoking paraphernalia in the front room and saw what he was able to identify as some gang symbols and tattoos among the men in the house.

As soon as Burdick left the house, he called Hinds, who then got a search warrant for the residence from Justice of the Peace David Garza.

Burdick then returned to the house with Chief Deputy Alden Southmayd, Hinds and Deputy J.S. Aguirre.

Once inside, the officers found scales and drug paraphernalia in a bedroom. Then the deputies located more than two ounces of cocaine along with packing and distribution materials, suggesting that the drugs were to be sold.

“That’s a whole lot,” Hinds said of the cocaine. “It probably has a street value of $5,000.”

“This was an awesome find,” Hinds said. “This is going to have a big impact in that community.”

Taking that amount of a dangerous drug off the streets of a small community like Skidmore will made the streets safer for some time.

“We don’t usually find things like that in our rural communities,” Hinds said.

Those arrested included Jessica Cortez, 20, Michael Huerta, 22, Harvey Cardosa, 20, Juan Cardosa, 22, and Julio Villarreal, 48.

Each suspect was charged with possession of a controlled substance, cocaine, four-200 grams, and possession of marijuana, less than two ounces.

The cocaine charge on each suspect is a second degree felony, punishable by a prison term of from two to 20 years and a fine of as much as $10,000 upon conviction. Judge Garza set bonds on each suspect arrested at $2,000 on the felony charges.

The marijuana charges were all Class B misdemeanors punishable by a fine of as much as $2,000 and up to 180 days in the Bee County Jail if they are convicted.

Garza set bonds at $500 each on those charges.