Roundup
By John Joyce
Published in News on July 9, 2014 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/BOBBY WILLIAMS
Tomnis Yhame Cox is escorted by a member of the Goldsboro Police Department into the Wayne County Magistrate's Office. Cox was one of 13 arrested Tuesday during sting.
At least 13 have been arrested and 12 more are being sought in a county-wide dragnet targeting mid-level drug dealers.
"(It) puts a big dent in our local mid-level traffickers," Goldsboro Police Department's Investigations Commander Al King said.
Those arrested face charges ranging from possession and possession with intent to sell to trafficking in cocaine, heroin, prescription pills and marijuana.
The round-up began after lunch with officers from several local agencies participating.
The Wayne County, Duplin County, Person County and Lenoir County Sheriff's Offices, the Goldsboro, Mount Olive, Greeneville, Wilson and Raleigh Police Departments, the N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement, State Bureau of Investigation and the DEA all contributed.
"One investigation leads to another, leads to another, from the street level dealer on up the chain," King said.
The alternative to such targeted sweeps is to do nothing, he said.
"That (means) leaving them alone, and I don't think that is of benefit to anyone," he said.
Of the 13 arrested so far, three were already in jail -- two in Wayne County and one in Lenoir County.
Another man, not initially part of the roundup was charged as police were bringing in one of the original suspects.
"Joseph Brian Carter, 42, was charged with two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia," GPD Drug Squad officer Capt. Seth Harris said.
Wayne County Sheriff Larry Pierce said the roundup was the culmination of a lot of long, hard work by officers from several agencies, and he was thankful none had been hurt in the process.
Pierce cleared room in the Wayne County Jail for those caught in the roundup by shipping existing inmates to other counties to be housed temporarily.
He said those caught in the roundup will be held in jail as long as it takes to prosecute them or until they make bail.
"We're going to make every attempt to get drug dealers off the street and to interrupt their supply," Pierce said.