A countywide drug operation months in the making has ended with 35 arrests in Clay County.
I’m told deputies started “Operation Summer Slam” in February, when they got tips about suspects selling pharmaceutical narcotics in the Middleburg area. Over the next few months the investigation expanded, and 43 suspects were identified for arrest county-wide. CCSO says all suspects are “mid-level drug dealers” who dealt with narcotics, heroin, powder and crack cocaine, Molly and marijuana.
Over the last two days, 29 of those 43 suspects have been arrested. We’re working now to gather more information on the 12 suspects who are still on the loose.
Clay County Captain David Barnes, who leads the Strategic Response Division, says these arrests came as a direct result of tips from citizens and an exhaustive investigation.
“We want to take the whole organization down,” he says.
Clay deputies arrested 6 other people over the course of this operation for other drug related charges, failing to register as a sex offender as required by law and unlicensed massage.
They also seized four weapons, including a gun from a convicted felon who also had 123 rounds of ammo. Another one of the guns had been used in a burglary in Keystone Heights. 307 grams of marijuana, 6.8 grams of Molly and $1,296 were also seized.
Barnes says eight of the arrests dealt with dealing drugs near a school, which is especially concerning.
If you have any information about the 12 suspects who are still on the loose, CCSO asks you to call 904-264-6512.
Tyler Bowman, two counts of dealing narcotics; Marcus Coleman, dealing cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school; Stephen Degregorio, dealing cocaine; Racquel Drain, two counts dealing narcotics; Richard Freeman, possession of marijuana with intent to sell; Michael Gee, trafficking hydrocodone and dealing narcotics; Amanda Holmes, possession of controlled substance; Charles Lang, dealing crack within 1,000 feet of a church and two counts of dealing heroin and crack; Kyle Loffer, dealing marijuana within 1,000 feet of a park; Jason Martin, dealing cocaine; Matthew Mundy, dealing marijuana; Cameron Yarbrough, dealing crack.
