(Spirit Lake)– A special honor for a Dickinson County Sheriff’s Deputy.
Deputy Rex Ondler was recently presented with a Meritorious Achievement Award from the West Central Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.
Ondler was one of 15 law enforcement officials to be honored for their exemplary service in the successful investigation and prosecution of “Opertion OINO”. OINO is a drug term that means “once in, never out”.
The investigation revealed that a large group of individuals were distributing large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana in the Sioux City area as well as throughout northwest Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and Minnesota.
To date, 166 defendants have been convicted as a result of the investigation.
Officials say the investigation resulted in the organization being completely dismantled. The organization was responsible for the importation and distribution of more than 300 pounds of methamphetamine in northwest Iowa.
