11 North Texans held on ecstasy distribution charges

Eleven people from the Dallas-Fort Worth had an initial appearance in federal court today on charges that they were involved in the large-scale distribution and sale of ecstasy.

Thirteen were arrested as part of the operation dubbed Taste The Rainbow. The other two were from California.

Federal authorities said they had conspired to distribute hundreds of thousands of ecstasy tablets in the Fort Worth area.

Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, also known as ecstasy, is considered a party drug and acts as a stimulant and a psychedelic, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The drug is usually manufactured in the Netherlands and Belgium and smuggled to the U.S., but agents have discovered some labs operating in the country, according to the DEA.

The North Texans, according to the U.S. Attorney's office are:

• Patrice Le, 36, of Dallas
• Ruben Gutierrez, 30, of Plano
• Chu Yoo, 32, of Euless
• Long Tran, 21, of Arlington
• Hieu Le, 21, of Grand Prairie
• Jett Clifton, 23, of Dallas
• Peter Tran, 21, of Garland
• Michael Watkins, 21, of Dallas
• Sabrina Satterfield, 23, of Dallas
• Brian Dobbs, 28, of Grand Prairie
• Michael Atchley, 22, of Euless

The operation was a cooperative effort between several federal and local agencies.

-- Andrew Chavez; photo courtesy of Drug Enforcement Administration

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