Drug squad rounds up suspect list
By Lee Williams
Published in News on September 28, 2006 1:55 PM
Wayne County sheriff's deputies and Goldsboro police officers collared 13 suspected drug dealers during a drug roundup that kicked off about 5 a.m. Wednesday.
Warrants issued for the arrests of the suspected drug offenders were the result of a 10-month undercover investigation conducted by the Goldsboro-Wayne County Drug Squad. The investigation resulted in warrants on 33 suspects with a total of about 135 felony charges.
"The investigation targeted street-level dealers along with major suppliers," said Lt. Tom Effler, the drug squad's second-in-command.
Suspected drug dealers wanted in Fremont, Dudley, Mount Olive, Pikeville, Goldsboro and other areas in Wayne County were the target of the drug sweep. Some arrested were members of the Webtown Boys and Northend street gangs from the Fremont area, officials said.
"We try to work where we get complaints," Effler said.
Wednesday's drug raids were conducted by the drug squad, which consists of four deputies and four police officers. A total of 15 police officers and 15 sheriff's deputies paired up to locate the suspects.
One by one, suspected drug offenders began rolling in to the sheriff's department about 6 a.m. By 11:35 a.m. Wednesday, 20 more alleged drug violators still were being sought by law enforcement officials. Officials say they split up in teams of two and work quickly because drug offenders tend to scatter when they learn a drug roundup is in process.
Wayne County Sheriff Carey Winders said rounding up drug offenders can be dangerous. Drug Squad Commander Capt. Brady Thompson who worked during the roundup still bore the scars from bullet wounds he received when he was shot while serving warrants March 15.
"You always worry about your officers going into these houses," Winders said. "Obviously, some of these people do carry guns."
Winders said the process of building a case against a drug offender can be a lengthy one.
"A lot of people are repeat offenders and a repeat offender gets smarter all the time," Winders said. "That's one of the reasons why it takes a long time."
Goldsboro police Chief Tim Bell agrees.
"They spent the last 10 months being able to purchase drugs from these people to make these arrests," Bell said.
Bell said law enforcement officials spent a lot of manhours working on the undercover investigation.
Bell added he constantly receives drug complaints for the same suspects, many of which are already being pursued by the drug squad.
"You have to tell people that we are working on it and we are, but you can't tell them how we are working on it because it's an undercover investigation," said Bell, who previously served on the Goldsboro-Wayne County Drug Squad for 15 years.
Among those detained in the drug roundup:
*James Earl "Frog" Lassiter, 49, Memorial Church Road, possession with intent to sell and distribute cocaine, sell and deliver cocaine, resist, obstruct and delay a public official, $101,000 secured bond.
*Sugey Cepeda, 22, Norwayne School Road, Fremont, possession with intent to sell and distribute marijuana, sell and deliver marijuana, conspiracy to sell controlled substance, $150,000 secured bond.
*Billy Charles Capps Jr., 45, Goodnight Street, Pikeville, possession with intent to sell and distribute cocaine (two counts), sell and deliver cocaine (two counts), trafficking in cocaine by possession, trafficking in cocaine by sell, trafficking in cocaine by deliver, $500,000 secured bond.
*Delete Lacharles Vann, 30, S. Church Street, Mount Olive, possession with intent to sell and distribute cocaine, sell and deliver cocaine, $100,000 secured bond.
*Stephen Ron'Shea Jones, 21, E. Branch Street, possession with intent to sell and distribute marijuana, sell and deliver marijuana, $100,000 secured bond.
*Christopher L. Fail, 18, Memorial Church Road, Kenly, possession with intent to sell and distribute marijuana (two counts), sell and deliver marijuana (two counts), conspiracy to sell controlled substance, $100,000 secured bond.
*Corey Desean Lewis, 24, Norwayne School Road, possession with intent to sell and distribute cocaine, sell and deliver cocaine, $100,000 secured bond.
*Antonio Jerome Wellington, 27, Hopesway Drive, Dudley, possession with intent to sell and distribute marijuana, sell and deliver marijuana, $50,000 secured bond.
*Rashad A. McDuffie, 24, Slaughter Street, possession with intent to sell and distribute cocaine, sell and distribute cocaine, $100,000 secured bond.
*Monterius Rashon Smith, 20, Willow Road, possession with intent to sell and distribute marijuana, sell and deliver marijuana, $50,000 bond.
*Larry Donell McKinnon, 41, S. Oleander Avenue, possession with intent to sell and distribute marijuana, sell and deliver marijuana, $15,000 secured bond.
*Hilda Flores, 39, U.S. 117 S., Dudley, possession with intent to sell and distribute cocaine (two counts), sell and deliver cocaine (two counts), $100,000 bond.
*Obrien Devon Kornegay, 24, Devereaux Street, trafficking in cocaine by possession, trafficking in cocaine by sell, trafficking in cocaine by deliver, trafficking in cocaine by transporting, conspiracy to traffic cocaine (two counts), $650,000 secured bond.