Former Mena resident receives award from FBI Director for 2017 investigation

Operation Shank and Bake In 2017 the FBI North West Arkansas Safe Streets Task force began monitoring a drug trafficking organization in the Western District of Arkansas. During the investigation it was found that large amounts of meth, cocaine, heroin and marijuana were being trafficked into Benton and Washington counties in NW Arkansas. The task force was able to determine that the narcotics were being brought from Los Angeles, California, Dallas Texas and Jackson Mississippi. The Safe Streets Task Force conducted control narcotics purchases and surveillance on the Nicholson Drug Trafficking Organization. In January of 2018 the FBI conducted simultaneous search and arrests warrants in Los Angeles, Dallas, Jackson, Fayetteville and Springdale Arkansas. At the conclusion of the investigation, it was determined that the Nicholson Drug Trafficking Organization was importing hundreds of pounds of meth into NW Arkansas each year. 13 arrests were made and all have been convicted in Federal Court. On December 11, 2018, Director Christopher Wray, presented an award to Benton County Detective and FBI Safe Streets Task Force Officer James Chamberlin for Operation Shank and Bake.

Chamberline grew up in the Big Fork community and attended school in Mena. He played football for the Bearcats and graduated in 1997. Chamberlin graduated from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville with a Bachelors in Criminal Justice and Sociology. He began his law enforcement career in 2000.

In 2010, he spent 19 months in Indonesia training Police and Military personnel with Police K9's. Upon returning to the United States, he began work with the Benton County Sheriffs Office in 2011.

In 2017, he was promoted and began working for the FBI on the Safe Streets Task Force.

Submitted photo: FBI Director Christopher Wray presented award to Benton County Detective and FBI Safe Streets TAsk Force Officer James Chamberlin.