Christmas got less merry for more than a dozen individuals after an early morning drug bust by members of the Scotland County sheriff’s office.
The operation, called “Look Who Made the Naughty List,” resulted in the arrest of 17 people on drug charges Monday morning.
“We actually did a three-month undercover sting making narcotic buys from different individuals inside the city and outside in the county,” said Earl Haywood, narcotics investigator for the Scotland County Sheriff’s Office. “We still have several other people to pick up on outstanding warrants, but we had quite a successful operation this morning to get that many people at one time.”
With the assistance of some 15 members of its Hoke County Sheriff’s Office counterpart, the sheriff’s narcotics unit headed out before 6 a.m. on Monday in the hopes of nabbing nearly 30 suspected drug traffickers.
“The reason we go so early is to catch them off guard,” said Haywood. “That way they can’t make those phone calls to the next person.”
Those arrested on Monday were all wanted for involvement in trafficking crack cocaine or marijuana. Most were charged with multiple felonies for the sale and delivery of controlled substances and the use of their homes as a base for drug trafficking.
Haywood based investigation of various suspects on previous intelligence as well as tips and complaints from their neighbors.
“The majority of time, when you have information on a suspected drug dealer, that information is correct,” he said. “It might be a user, it might be someone who just knows, it might be a close friend. Any information that you get is helpful.”
In addition to keeping drug dealers guessing, large operations serve to deter drug activity.
“Hopefully we’re sending a message to the drug dealers that we’re working hard to get you,” said Sheriff Shep Jones. “That’s the concept, to let you know that if you’re selling drugs in Scotland County, you may be in the next roundup.”
Although Monday’s operation may have been be the sheriff’s last stab against drugs for 2012, his office will not be scaling back its investigation of drug sales in Scotland County.
“There have been worlds and lives and homes ruined because of drugs and we as law enforcement need to continue to stand in the game and be combative against this war, and we have the personnel that can do it,” Haywood said. “If you’re involved in selling drugs in this county, sleep with one eye open because it isn’t going to stop. We’re still going to be looking at you. We’re able to breach their inner circle in order to get these warrants served and get these narcotic buys done from these individuals, so be careful who you sell to, because you can be breached at any given moment.”
The drug trade also fuels break-ins, as many are performed by those seeking firearms to trade for drugs.
“A lot of times folks are breaking into someone’s home for weapons; that’s a hot commodity in the streets and they can trade that weapon for drugs,” said Jones. “That’s a lot of what’s going on. Usually you’ll have some weapons come up and those weapons are stolen in break-ins.”
Of the additional 11 suspects not located on Monday, Haywood is confident that they will be located and arrested.
“We have good information where they are, we’ve just got to go out and continue to look for them,” he said. “Eventually these people actually will turn themselves in or someone will know they’re wanted, but the majority of times they turn themselves in or they actually get arrested… Those who are involved in continuous activity understand that, at some point in time, your game is going to have to come to an end and we’re not going to stop until we help you do that.”
The following individuals were arrested during Monday’s operation:
Tony Bethea, 33, of 1204 Lytch St. was charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana and sale and delivery of marijuana and placed under a $10,000 bond.
Cari Beth Clark, 30, of 10301 Sanders Road was charged with two counts of maintaining a dwelling for the sale of marijuana and placed under a $20,000 bond.
James Fields, 26, of 819 Old Lumberton Road was charged with possession of controlled substances in a jail and possession of marijuana and placed under a $3,000 bond.
Domonique Gunter, 18, of 22620 Peach Orchard Road was charged with simple possession of marijuana and failure to appear in court and placed under a $100 bond.
Quincey Hailey, 35, of 15601 Smith Road in Laurel Hill was charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, maintaining a dwelling for the sale of marijuana, and sale and delivery of marijuana and placed under a $15,000 bond.
Courtney Harrington, 22, of 23421 Riverton Road was charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, maintaining a dwelling for the sale of marijuana, and conspiracy to sell and deliver marijuana and placed under no bond.
Richard Hawkins, 30, 10900 Taylor Road was charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, maintaining a dwelling for the sale of marijuana, and sale and delivery of marijuana and placed under a $15,000 bond.
Alicia Hunt, 38, of 10301 Sanders Road was charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, maintaining a dwelling for the sale of marijuana, sale and delivery of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia and placed under a $20,000 bond.
Jerome Javis, 31,23920 Crumpton Road was charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver crack cocaine, sell and deliver crack cocaine, maintaining a dwelling for the sale of crack cocaine and placed under a $15,000 bond.
Eddie Mason, 38, of 18222 Old Wire Road in Laurel Hill was charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver crack cocaine, sell and deliver crack cocaine, maintaining a dwelling for the sale of crack cocaine and placed under no bond.
Edward McQueen, 34, of 301 Willow St. was charged with two counts of possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, two counts of maintaining a dwelling for the sale of marijuana, and two counts of conspiracy to sell marijuana and placed under a $30,000 bond.
Larry Monroe, 30, of 2101 Harrison Road was charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, maintaining a dwelling for the sale of marijuana, and conspiracy to sell and deliver marijuana and placed under no bond.
Brittney Morgan, 21, of 16941 Spring Mill Road in Laurel Hill was charged with maintaining a dwelling for the sale of marijuana and placed under a $10,000 bond.
Alicia Ojeni, 27, of 301 Willow Drive was charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, maintaining a dwelling for the sale of marijuana, and conspiracy to sell and deliver marijuana and placed under a $30,000 bond.
Jessie Pratt, 36, 1412 Hickory St. was charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, maintaining a dwelling for the sale of marijuana, and sale and delivery of marijuana and placed under a $15,000 bond.
Preston Stubbs, 33, of 14561 Austin Drive was charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, maintaining a dwelling for the sale of marijuana, and sale and delivery of marijuana and placed under a $15,000 bond.
Rodney White, 36, of 1405 Stewartsville Road was charged with one felony count of possession with intent to sell and deliver crack cocaine, sell and deliver crack cocaine, and maintaining a dwelling for the sale of crack cocaine and placed under a $13,500 bond.
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