Grandpa Allegedly Selling Meth Out Of His Home

VALLEY SPRINGS (CBS13) - A local grandpa is not spending his golden years kicking back and relaxing. Instead, investigators say the senior citizen was working as a supplier, dealing hard drugs out of his home.

It's not every day you hear a senior citizen and alleged drug dealer in the same sentence. What makes it even more unlikely is that he lives on a street with two retired cops.

Neighbors noticed a lot of traffic coming and going, but never put two and two together.

"He sells rugs out here, rugs down on the corner. One of these street-sales-type-deals," said neighbor Jim Lapham.

Neighbors knew he peddled rugs, but can't believe the senior citizen, who seemed so nice, was accused of pushing drugs, mostly meth.

"I thought he was retired, maybe his kids or grandkids coming by to visit or something," said Lapham.

The cops paid 74-year-old Donald Madrid an unexpected visit early Wednesday morning while his new neighbor, Carol Weigum, was doing yard work.

"I was out watering in the front," said Weigum. "A sheriff's car passed by and I thought, 'oh,' then a van followed and I thought, 'oh they're gonna clean the road.' "

Not quite. Narcotics agents and the SWAT team came to serve a search warrant at the Valley Springs home. Deputies say Madrid took a shot at them during the raid. Nobody was hit and the 74-year-old was cuffed.

"They had to literally take him out of his handcuffs to put him in the car," said Lapham. "They were real gentle with him."

Sheriff's investigators say Madrid was high as they reportedly recovered an ounce of meth, a small amount of marijuana, and packaging from the house, indicating the senior was dealing drugs.

When CBS13 knocked on the door a woman inside told us to get off the property.

"You don't often see a man of his age being taken out of his house in handcuffs so we were definitely shocked," said Lapham.

Madrid faces a long list of charges, including attempted murder of a peace officer, possession of drugs for sale, and being under the influence of drugs while in possession of a loaded gun.

His bail is set at $516,000.