More heroin being seized in Wayne County than normal
By Nick Hiltunen
Published in News on August 25, 2008 1:38 PM
Between the Goldsboro Police Department and Wayne County Sheriff's Office, three alleged heroin dealers have been arrested over the past month.
Over the past few years, Wayne County arrests of heroin dealers have been relatively uncommon and spaced far apart. Investigators involved with the arrests say they weren't the result of any specific targeted investigation against the highly dangerous semi-synthetic opiate.
"We happened to hit on an avenue of heroin dealers or heroin, and we were able to capitalize on some of the information that we are receiving," Sheriff's Office Maj. George Raecher said. "That and intense follow-ups into the investigations."
Drug investigations in Wayne County come as a result of cooperative work between the Goldsboro Police Department and Wayne County Sheriff's Office, a partnership named the Goldsboro-Wayne County Drug Squad.
Investigator Dave Cloutier of the Goldsboro police said that arrests for different types of drugs often come in "spurts."
"It's not just the city drug squad -- all of us are running into more heroin dealers nowadays in Wayne County," Cloutier said.
The most recent arrest was of Luther Ray Jones Jr., 25, of Fulton Drive, Dudley, who was charged with possession both heroin and cocaine with the intent to sell or deliver it.
He also had a small amount of marijuana, and was charged with maintaining a vehicle for controlled drugs and jailed under a $75,000 bond.
William E. Newkirk, 55, was arrested alongside Jones for a minor drug paraphernalia possession charge, police said.
Also arrested over the past month for alleged possession of heroin with intention of selling or delivering were:
*Lorenza Peacock II, 24, Old Mount Olive Highway, Dudley, who allegely had 80 individually bagged "bindles" of heroin.
*Durwood Joseph Fields, 36, Third Street, Goldsboro, who allegedly had both a large amount of heroin, $5,000 in cash and numerous weapons police said.