Seventh Judicial Drug Task Force Arrests Keller and Klinglesmith for Meth Distribution

Why are two people from our own backyards facing half-million dollar bonds for selling meth?

That’s the question locals are asking after the Seventh Judicial Drug Task Force (SJDDTF) announced the arrest of Braxton Keller and Shelby Klinglesmith. The pair, residents of Delta and Montrose respectively, were charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance following a months-long sting operation that peeled back layers of a local drug trafficking network.

The stakes are high. Keller’s bond is set at $500,000. Klinglesmith’s is $100,000. Both are cash bonds, meaning if they don’t have the liquidity to post it, they stay in jail until May 21.

But the real story isn’t just the money. It’s the structure. Authorities aren’t just arresting random dealers; they are targeting a hierarchy. Keller and Klinglesmith are accused of being key nodes in a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) allegedly run by Melvin Hunsberger. Hunsberger was already in custody as of February, charged with supplying illegal narcotics primarily in Mesa County.

“The investigation started in August 2025,” said the affidavit filed with the court. “The Seventh Judicial Drug Task Force was looking for a source of supply of meth in the Delta area.”

They found Keller. And they didn’t just watch him; they bought from him.

On October 30, 2025, a Confidential Source (CS) met Keller at his Delta residence. The CS was wearing a covert recording device. The goal was simple: buy an ounce of methamphetamine.

Keller didn’t just hand over the product. He talked. According to the affidavit, he told the CS he “doesn’t make enough money, gotta sell drugs.” He then explained how to make crack. And then, he made it. Right in front of the CS.

The CS walked away with two bags of suspected drugs. Lab tests confirmed it was methamphetamine.

But Keller wasn’t working alone. The investigation revealed he was dating and working with Megan Herrera, 33. Herrera was the supplier, pulling product from Hunsberger and passing it to Keller. Text messages obtained via search warrant show a casual, transactional relationship between the two.

In one exchange, Herrera assured Keller the product was “the Vegas s — and was ‘fire.’” She told him not to “ruin a sell for [them] both.” In another, Keller admitted he had sent Herrera all his money in Cash App, complaining he’d been “f — , u this whole time,” and threatened to call the cops if she didn’t bring him a check.

It’s a snapshot of a local supply chain. Hunsberger at the top, Herrera in the middle, Keller on the street.

This isn’t an isolated incident. Earlier this week, the task force arrested two more individuals connected to Hunsberger’s operation: 57-year-old Monica Miller and 37-year-old Reymundo Ruiz. In total, six people have been arrested for their alleged involvement with the organization, including David Zermeno, Randy Martinez, and Melissa Quintana.

For Delta and Montrose residents, the implication is that the drug trade here is organized, not just individuals selling out of their trunks. The use of a Confidential Source wearing a recording device suggests a level of sophistication in the investigation. They weren’t guessing; they were listening.

Keller and Klinglesmith are scheduled to appear in court again on May 21. If the pattern holds, more arrests are likely as the task force peels back the rest of the onion.

As one official noted in the report, the goal is to disrupt the flow. “The numbers back that up,” said the affidavit, detailing the weight and testing of the seized meth. “The data backs this up,” said the text messages, showing the financial ties between Keller and Herrera.

The evidence suggests the operation is well-established. The law enforcement agencies involved have been methodical.

Time will tell if Hunsberger’s organization crumbles under the weight of these arrests. But for now, the message is clear: the task force is watching, and they’re buying.

“The question is whether,” said the affidavit, “the remaining members of the DTO will continue to operate or if the loss of key suppliers like Keller and Herrera will disrupt the supply chain.”

It’s a local problem. Local solutions. And for now, the courts are the only place left to watch.