A 16-year-old girl reported missing from Dallas has been safely returned to her parents after she was discovered during a drug bust in Deep East Texas, according to the Houston County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies from the sheriff's office responded to a location on State Highway 21 East on Sunday following leads that indicated the site was being used for the distribution of illegal narcotics. After obtaining a search warrant, law enforcement officers found a significant quantity of illegal narcotics, a firearm, over $2,300 in cash, and paraphernalia related to the distribution and sale of narcotics.
During the operation, 20-year-old Joseph Nathaniel Zuckero of Crockett was arrested and charged with assault family violence, possession of marijuana, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
Notably, the missing 16-year-old girl was also present at the location and was subsequently charged with possession of marijuana. She has since been reunited with her parents, the sheriff's office confirmed.
Houston County Sheriff Randy Hargrove expressed gratitude for the assistance provided by the Crockett Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety in resolving the case.
