LUFKIN, Texas (East Texas News) – The Angelina County Sheriff’s Office conducted multiple arrests after months-long investigations into the manufacturing and distribution of narcotics across several counties.
The arrestees were Darryl Dewayne Mask, 24, of Lufkin, and Adriyel Demille Mask, 41, of Kennard.
According to Sheriff Tom Selman, the investigation revealed that Darryl Mask was selling fentanyl pills. Purchases of fentanyl were made from Darryl Mask in Lufkin, and during a controlled buy, Selman said Mask told the buyer to meet him in the parking lot of Lufkin High School while classes were in session.
After warrants were issued on January 13, Darryl Mask was taken into custody at apartments located on Daniel McCall Drive.
When deputies approached him while he sat in his vehicle, they found he was armed with a Taurus .40-caliber pistol. During the arrest, K2 and cocaine were found in his vehicle, Selman said. Because Mask is a convicted felon, he was charged with illegal possession of a firearm, in addition to the drug offenses.
Additionally, as a result of this investigation, evidence pointed to a fentanyl pill manufacturing operation in Houston County, Selman said. Adriyel Demille Mask was identified as the suspect in that operation. A search warrant was issued for Mask’s property, located between Ratcliff and Kennard along County Road 4700.
The warrant was noted to the Houston County Sheriff, Zak Benge, and his deputies established surveillance of Mask’s property while Angelina County obtained the search warrant. While surveilling the site, they say Adriyel Mask emerged from the home in a Dodge Charger. Houston County deputies stopped him.
According to Sheriff Selman, a large quantity of methamphetamine was found in Adriyel Mask’s vehicle, along with a .44-caliber Magnum revolver. He was taken into custody.
Agents from Angelina and Houston counties executed the search warrant at Mask’s residence. Selman said investigators uncovered a functioning commercial-grade pill press, boxes of precursors and raw materials, sets of dies for manufacturing fentanyl pills, scales, contaminated plastic mixing tools, a pill mixer, finished fentanyl pills, marijuana, MDMA, methamphetamine, crack, liquid PCP, and a 9 mm pistol that had been reported stolen in Houston.
Selman noted that it appears a sizable portion of the fentanyl illegally sold in the Angelina and Houston County areas originated from Mask’s operation.
A Houston Hazardous Materials unit was dispatched to the scene to secure and safeguard all evidence collected during the operation.
Darryl Mask faces bond totals of $57,500.00 on fentanyl-related charges, and Adriyel Mask has bond totals exceeding $500,000.00. Both remain housed in the Angelina County jail.
