Wichita police drug bust of $100K worth of meth hidden in barrel sends two to prison

A drug bust where Wichita police seized guns, cash, methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana has sent two defendants to federal prison, and one could later be deported.

Luis M. Hernandez and Wendy L. Scearce have both been sentenced to several years of prison time after separate plea deals in U.S. District Court.

Hernandez was sentenced on Thursday to 168 months, or 14 years, in prison. Scearce was sentenced in July to 108 months, or nine years.

The convictions stem from a Dec. 28, 2018, drug bust at a rental house in the 300 block of North Seneca, in the Delano neighborhood. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Wichita Police Department’s Project Safe Streets Task Force.

Police got a search warrant for the house and garage through Sedgwick County District Court. In a bedroom, investigators found a digital scale on a dresser and baggies of drugs in a dresser drawer. In the garage, they found 20 plastic-wrapped packages hidden inside a white, plastic barrel. Each package contained about one pound of meth. Two additional digital scales were also found in the garage.

The 20 pounds of meth would have had a street value worth about $100,000, according to Kansas Bureau of Investigation reports.

Investigators also found heroin, marijuana, $14,328 in cash and 13 guns, including several apparent semi-automatic rifles.

The guns seized were a Beretta .380 handgun, an Eastern Arms .38 revolver, a Springfield .40 caliber handgun, a Jimenez Arms 9mm handgun, a Rohm .38 revolver, a Stag Arms 5.56mm rifle, a Marlin .22 caliber rifle, a Ruger .223 caliber rifle, a Century Arms .308 caliber rifle, a Century Arms 7.62x39 rifle, a Hi-Point 9mm x 19 rifle, a Smith and Wesson 5.56mm rifle and a Norinco 7.62x 39 rifle.

Scearce, who was 35 at the time, and Hernandez, who was 38, were indicted by a grand jury the next month on a combined 41 criminal charges.

The counts alleged the defendants possessed and distributed drugs, maintained a property for drug trafficking and possessed a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Hernandez was charged with 13 counts of unlawful possession of a gun by an immigrant who is in the U.S. illegally. Scearce was charged with 13 counts of unlawful possession of a gun following a felony conviction, as well as additional counts of prior drug possession and distribution.

In separate plea agreements, Scearce and Hernandez admitted that they were possessing drugs in distribution quantities for resale in the Wichita area with the intention of making money. Their plan for profit included obtaining “larger quantities for distribution, to coordinate the distribution purchased and to provide a steady supply of methamphetamine.”

Scearce admitted the Beretta “was kept in the bedroom so that the defendant could protect herself, the controlled substances she and another were selling, and any money made from selling controlled substances.” Hernandez admitted the cash was drug money.

The guns and cash were ordered forfeited to the government.

Scearce pleaded guilty to two crimes: conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Hernandez pleaded guilty to two crimes: conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession of firearms by a prohibited person.

The conspiracy charges had maximum penalties of life in prison and fines of up to $10 million.

In addition to their prison sentences, the judge order both to pay a $200 assessment, but neither were fined.

Court documents state that Hernandez’s convictions are removable offenses, but deportation and other immigration consequences would be the subject of a separate proceeding. Records indicate that deportation proceedings through Immigration and Customs Enforcement would wait until his prison time is served.

This story was originally published April 19, 2021 at 5:30 AM.