Husband and wife charged in drug ring that allegedly took EBT for drugs
By Ricardo Tovar
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SALINAS, California (KSBW) — A joint media conference on Monday, led by the Salinas Police Department, revealed that months of police work stopped an alleged major drug operation in Salinas.
The operation, dubbed “Logged Out,” was conducted by Salinas police in late 2024.
The large-scale drug trafficking operation was allegedly led by husband and wife Matthew Loggins, 44, and Karen Guadalupe Loggins, 33, who police say focused sales mostly in the Chinatown area and accepted EBT cards as payment for drugs.
“The Loggins profited on some of our community’s most vulnerable residents — the unhoused and those battling addiction,” said Salinas Police Chief Carlos Acosta.
Police said the Loggins network used multiple people as “drug runners” who transported narcotics from Southern California to Salinas. Matthew and or Karen followed closely in another vehicle to ensure the drugs arrived safely.
Evidence revealed direct ties to Mexican Cartel associates; this was based on packaging and signature stamp markings found on the drugs.
“One of the most disturbing discoveries in this investigation was the Loggins’ willingness to accept EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) cards as payment for drugs. Many of those purchasing drugs provided their EBT information and other personal information, which allowed the suspects to drain their funds for their own profit,” said Chief Acosta.
On Oct. 27, the Logginses were taken into custody and booked into Monterey County Jail on multiple drug-trafficking felonies, police said. This was after police searched three properties belonging to the Loggins, per police.
Police say they confiscated multiple firearms, currency, jewelry, designer bags, a 2022 Jeep Wagoneer, a 2020 Dodge Charger, and millions of dollars’ worth of narcotics.
In total, Salinas police said they seized nearly 27 pounds of methamphetamine, six pounds of fentanyl in pill form, a little over 17 pounds of powdered fentanyl, an ounce of heroin, and 11.2 grams of cocaine.
Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni also spoke Monday and said her office reviewed 45 search warrants in the case. Pacioni said that, in the limited time her office has been investigating, they have counted at least 30 instances of EBT fraud.
“As a further step to ensure that justice is served, we’ve initiated civil forfeiture proceedings on over $400,000 in suspected drug-trafficking proceeds,” said Pacioni.
Monterey CHP Captain Erica Elias said that on Oct. 24, her office conducted a traffic stop in South Monterey County that netted several pounds of narcotics.
In total, 12 pounds of fentanyl and 25 pounds of methamphetamine were concealed within the vehicle, leading to the arrest of 38-year-old Sabrina Pieri of Marina. Elias said this arrest was part of Operation “Logged Out.”
Pieri was booked into the Monterey County Jail on numerous felony and misdemeanor charges, Elias said.
Other arrests as part of the operation were Nicole Rankins, 37, Adrian Estigoy, 31, Andrea Salazar, 31, Sean Coffer, 31, Danuelle McDonald, 47, and Kayla Potter, 37.
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