15 drug dealers taken off streets
By Sam Atkins
Published in News on September 1, 2004 1:59 PM
Fifteen people were arrested and charged this morning for various drug offenses as a result of a nine-month undercover operation conducted by the Goldsboro-Wayne County Drug Squad.
"I hope this will make an impact," said Sheriff Carey Winders.
The operation has led to warrants being drawn up on 27 people with about 70 total charges.
Jennifer Lynn Bruner, sporting a DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Ed-ucation) T-shirt, was one of 15 people arrested.
The 15 people were brought in to the Sheriff's Office beginning around 6 this morning. The drug squad had their home addresses and tried to get them while they were asleep, according to Chief Tim Bell.
It is the biggest drug roundup in the county in a couple of years, said sheriff's Lt. Tom Effler.
The squad had purchased the drugs, which included cocaine, marijuana, heroin, Valium and steroids, from the defendants over the last nine months on the streets and in other areas across Wayne County, he said. The squad had the drugs and arrested the defendants this morning.
The people arrested and those being sought are low- to mid-level drug dealers located throughout the county, officers said. They are the highly visible dealers that are usually seen on street corners and high-problem areas, they said.
Even though these people are not high-level drug dealers, the Sheriff's Office and Police Department collectively receive most of the complaints from the citizens pertaining to this type of dealer, according to a sheriff's news release.
"It takes these off the streets for a little while," said Winders.
They were taken in, fingerprinted and their bonds were set this morning. The first court appearance was expected for today.
Winders said they are probably connected with somebody else higher up the ladder.
Officers from the Goldsboro Police Department and the Wayne County Sheriff's Office started to round up the suspects in the early morning hours of Sept. 1. The Drug Squad was assisted by the Sampson County Sheriff's Office, Selma Police Department, Wilson County Sheriff's Office, Sharpsburg Police Department and Wilson Police Department.
The following people have been charged as of this morning:
*James Lawrence Reid Jr., 30, of Acre View Drive; charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, and selling cocaine; 15,000 bond.
*Melissa Odom, 30, Wilson Street; charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine and selling cocaine; $20,000 bond.
*Jonathan Lamont White, 18, Lincoln Drive, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine and selling cocaine; $20,000 bond.
*Tiffany Samona Green, 28, Park Ridge Road, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, selling cocaine and maintaining a vehicle; $20,000 bond.
*Barry Dwayne Wall, 37, Bartlett Avenue, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, maintaining a dwelling and possession of drug paraphernalia; $20,000 bond.
*Jacob Lee Spivey, 35, Clayton Road, Princeton, manufacturing marijuana, child support; $10,000 bond.
*Desmond Jacobi Hagans, 26, Walnut Street, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, selling cocaine; $20,000 bond.
*Ricky Simmon Carter, 20, Legion Lake Drive, Dudley, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, selling cocaine, child support; $10,000 bond.
*Rueben Knowles Armstrong, 39, of "A" Street, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, selling cocaine and conspiracy to sell cocaine; $25,000 bond.
*Jeffrey David Jones, 25, Peachtree Street Apt. D, possession of heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia; $15,000 bond.
*Brenda Mullins, 44, Kornegay Street, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, selling cocaine, conspiracy to sell cocaine; $15,000 bond.
*Octavius Manly, 18, Martin Street, Mount Olive, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, selling cocaine; $20,000 bond.
*Jeffrey Leon Harding, 33, South Virginia Street, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, selling cocaine; $20,000 bond.
*Quinton Dobson, 29, Evelyn Circle, Dudley, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, selling cocaine, and conspiracy to sell cocaine; $20,000 bond.
*Jennifer Lynn Bruner, 22, Central Heights Road, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, selling cocaine, conspiracy to sell cocaine; $25,000 bond.