MGPD part of team to take down two meth traffickers

The Mountain Grove Police Department as part of a big team that took into custody two people who have federal indictments for trafficking methamphetamine.
John Zastrow, 34, of Bakersfield, and Virginia Perreira, 36, of Mountain Home, Ark., were arrested on Friday, April 18 following a nine-count indictment by a federal grand jury for trafficking methamphetamine in southwest Missouri.
They were charged in a nine-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Springfield on April 1. The indictment was unsealed and made public last week following the arrests of Perreira and Zastrow.
According to a United States Attorney’s Office Western District of Missouri press release, the indictment alleges that Perreira and Zastrow participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from March 12, 2024, to Jan. 22, 2025.
Zastrow is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, three counts of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm.
Perreira is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and four counts of distribution of methamphetamine.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
Under federal statutes, if convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine a maximum prison sentence of life imprisonment and a fine of up to $10 million is authorized. If convicted of distribution of methamphetamine, a prison sentence of up to 40 years and a fine of up to $5 million is authorized under federal statutes.
The charge of unlawful possession of a firearm has a maximum prison sentence of 15 years and a fine of up to $250,000 authorized under federal statutes. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine I. Schlegl.
The large team includes the MGPD, Howell County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, South Central Missouri Drug Task Force, Operation Relentless Pursuit Task Force and the Ozark County Sheriff’s Office.