Irving police arrested 17-year-old Damian Ruiz on October 25, charging him with seven counts related to the manufacture and delivery of controlled substances.
Ruiz was booked into the Irving Jail at 3:41pm and is facing two first-degree felony charges, three second-degree felonies, and two state-felony drug distribution charges. No bond amount has been set yet.
Police have not released details on the types or quantities of narcotics involved. However, the assortment of charges varying from first to third degree indicates Ruiz likely was involved in an extensive drug operation distributing multiple illegal substances across differing amounts.
First-degree manufacture/delivery charges typically correspond to trafficking large quantities of dangerous drugs like methamphetamine or heroin. Lower levels may represent smaller deals of marijuana or prescription medications without prescriptions.
The stacking of multiple counts for the same core offense is common in drug cases and allows prosecutors to more fully capture the scope of extended criminal activity. It also enables harsher sentencing through consecutively served convictions.