J.D. Gallop|Florida Today
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At least two dozen suspected drug dealers have been arrested as part of a two-month-long investigation into an illegal narcotics operation in Cocoa and Merritt Island, according to the Brevard County sheriff.
Brevard County sheriff’s deputies rounded up 24 of the suspected dealers and transferred them to the jail on Thursday.
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey —who announced the sweep with a Facebook video post —said the arrests dealt mostly with crack, powdered cocaine, and heroin.
More: Cocoa police continue search for masked home invaders who shot 19-year-old, held family at bay
The group —believed responsible for bringing in a half kilo of cocaine each week—involved about 35 members who worked to sell the drugs to clients across Merritt Island and Cocoa.
A kilo can fetchover $20,000 in value on the streets, experts said.
The names of those arrested were expected to be released at a later time.
The arrests also follow a similar drug bust in Melbourne that netted at least 17 arrests this week.An investigation is ongoing.
Those charged
Tabitha Beedy, 32, Cape Canaveral, Charges: Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO), Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine (6 Counts), Conspiracy to Possess Heroin, Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (6 Counts), Bond: $385,000
Richard Bennet, 26, Cocoa, Charges: Solicitation to Sell Cocaine (2 Counts), Solicitation to Sell Heroin (2 Counts), Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine (2 Counts), Conspiracy to Possess Heroin (2 Counts), Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (4 Counts), Bond: $100,000
Janet Biery, 56, Cocoa Beach, Charges: Solicitation to Sell Heroin (2 Counts), Conspiracy to Possess Heroin (2 Counts), Unlawful use of a Two-Way Communications Device (2 Counts), Bond: $17,000
Robert Blanco, 28, Cocoa, Charges:Solicitation to Sell Cocaine (4 Counts), Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine (4 Counts), Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (4 Counts), Bond: $68,000
Ghauquan Clark, 29, Cocoa, Charges: Solicitation to Sell Cocaine, Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine, Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device, Bond: $17,000
Bryan Clements, 32, Rockledge, Charges: Solicitation to Sell Heroin and Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device, Bond: $22,000
Rayshon Davis, 31, Rockledge, Charges: Solicitation to Sell Cocaine (3 Counts), Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine (3 Counts), Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (4 Counts), VOP, Bond: None
Rontra Flowers, 45, Cocoa, Charges:Solicitation to Sell Cocaine (10 Counts), Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine (10 Counts), Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (10 Counts), Bond: $170,000
Lisa Frontero, 54, Cocoa Beach, Charges: Solicitation to Sell Cocaine (2 Counts), Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine (2 Counts), Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (3 Counts), Bond: $36,000
Linfert Gipson, 53, Cocoa, Charges:Solicitation to Sell Cocaine (3 Counts), Solicitation to Sell Heroin, Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine (3 Counts), Conspiracy to Possess Heroin, Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (5 Counts), Bond: $85,000
Ricky Gordon, 31, Rockledge, Charges:Solicitation to Sell Cocaine, Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine (2 Counts), Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (2 Counts), Bond: $24,000
Randolph Harmon, 60, Cape Canaveral, Charges: Solicitation to Sell Cocaine, Solicitation to Sell Heroin, Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine, Conspiracy to Possess Heroin, Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (2 Counts), Bond: $34,000
Jermaine Jackson, 44, Cocoa, Charges: Solicitation to Sell Cocaine, Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device, Bond: $12,000
Patrick Jordan, 42, Cocoa, Charges: Solicitation to Sell Cocaine (2 Counts), Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine (2 Counts), Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (4 Counts), Bond: $38,000
Kimberly Kelley, 40, Cape Canaveral, Charges: Solicitation to Sell Cocaine (4 Counts), Solicitation to Sell Heroin, Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine (4 Counts), Conspiracy to Possess Heroin, Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (5 Counts), Violation of Felony Probation, Bond: None
Paul Lapierre, 55, Merritt Island, Charges:Solicitation to Sell Cocaine (2 Counts), Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine (2 Counts), Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (5 Counts), Bond: $40,000
Dale Mattingly, 54, Cape Canaveral, Charges: Solicitation to Sell Cocaine (2 Counts), Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine, Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (3 Counts), Bond: $31,000
Donovan Mitchell, 61, Cocoa, Charges: Solicitation to Sell Cocaine (4 Counts), Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine (4 Counts), Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (4 Counts), Bond: $47,000
Nancy O’Quinn, 64, Cocoa Beach, Charges:Solicitation to Sell Cocaine, Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine, Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device, Bond: $17,000
Robert Plummer, 27, Cocoa, Charges: Solicitation to Sell Cocaine, Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine, Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device, Bond: $17,000
Maurice Reddick, 37, Cocoa, Charges: Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization, Conspiracy to Traffic Cocaine 200-400 grams, Conspiracy to Traffic Cocaine 28-200 grams (2 counts), Conspiracy to Sell Cocaine (4 counts), Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (6 counts), Bond: $452,000
Ricky Reddick, 39, Cocoa, Charges:Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO), Conspiracy to Traffic Heroin (4-14 Grams), Conspiracy to Sell Heroin, Solicitation to Sell Cocaine (7 counts), Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine (7 counts), Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (10 counts), Bond: $375,000
Jinnifer Smiley, 53, Cape Canaveral, Charges: Solicitation to Sell Cocaine (2 Counts), Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine (2 Counts), Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (2 Counts), Bond: $34,000
Justin Stiggons, 39, Titusville, Charges:Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO), Conspiracy to Traffic Cocaine 28-200 Grams, Solicitation to Sell Cocaine (4 Counts), Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine (4 Counts), Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (5 Counts), Bond: $270,000
Brenda Swain, 62, Cape Canaveral, Charges: Solicitation to Sell Cocaine, Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine, Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (2 Counts), Bond: $19,000
Mark Tarlowski, 52, Cape Canaveral, Charges: Solicitation to Sell Cocaine, Solicitation to Sell Heroin, Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine, Conspiracy to Possess Heroin, Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device, Bond: $68,000
James Thistle Jr., 31, Merritt Island, Charges: Solicitation to Sell Cocaine (2 Counts), Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine, Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (2 Counts), Bond: $29,000
Dwan Thomas III, 33, Merritt Island, Charges: Conspiracy to Traffic Cocaine (28-200 Grams), Solicitation to Sell Cocaine (5 Counts), Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine (4 Counts), Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (6 Counts),Bond: $182,000
Matthew Vansyckle Jr., 27, Rockledge, Charges: Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO), Conspiracy to Possess Heroin (6 Counts), Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (6 Counts), Bond: $172,000
Daquiri White, 38, Titusville, Charges:Solicitation to Sell Cocaine (3 Counts), Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine (3 Counts), Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (3 Counts), Bond: $34,000
Jermel Wiggins, 35, Cocoa, Charges: Solicitation to Sell Cocaine (2 Counts), Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine (2 Counts), Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (2 Counts), Bond: $34,000
Keaton Williams, 23, Cape Canaveral, Charges: Solicitation to Sell Cocaine (2 Counts), Solicitation to Sell Heroin, Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine (2 Counts), Conspiracy to Possess Heroin, Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (4 Counts), Bond: $68,000
Steven Wolfe, 58, Cape Canaveral, Charges: Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO), Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine (6 Counts), Conspiracy to Possess Heroin, Unlawful Use of a Two Way Communication Device (6 Counts),Bond: $152,000
Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641, jdgallop@floridatoday.com and Twitter @JDGallop
