Law enforcement officials confirmed new developments in a continuing saga of a recent drug roundup on Tuesday including the death of one suspect and the sentencing of another. Baker’s Dozen was a multi-agency sting operation conducted in May of 2012.
According to authorities, 52-year-old Bobby Joe Verette, a San Saba man who was one of the “Baker’s Dozen” arrestees, died Monday as a result of a gunshot wound to the neck. Another arrestee in the operation may be involved or a witness to the incident which resulted in Verette’s death, according law enforcement officials.
San Saba Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Rangers are investigating the death. SSSO is investigating Verette’s death and considering all possibilities including murder, suicide or an accidental shooting.
According to BCSO information from the Baker’s Dozen sting operation, Verette was alleged to have been a distributor of drugs in San Saba County under Keith Dwain Martin of Cleburne.
Martin, the main trafficker in the sting who is from the Cleburne area, was tried this month in federal court and received a 270 month sentence. Brown County Sheriff’s Investigator Jason Benefield testified in the case. Martin pleaded guilty of drug and firearm related charges in July and still faces pending charges in Brown County.
Baker’s Dozen was a multi-agency sting operation conducted in May which involved drug trafficking in multiple counties including Brown, Lampasas and San Saba. It was named after the thirteen defendants, a baker’s dozen, that were indicated for engaging in organized crime through this BCSO investigation in May. Officials state that Martin’s drug distribution network reached far beyond Brown, Lampasas and San Saba Counties. Authorities conservatively estimated that 1.8 pounds of methamphetamine and 40 pounds of marijuana were distributed in Brown County through Martin and his lower level drug dealers between May of 2011 and January of 2012.
CLICK HERE for the original arrest story in the case.
