Undercover Drug Operation Leads to 15 Arrests
A four-month-long undercover operation by Sanford police officers resulted in 185 drug charges filed against 33 people.
Posted — Updated
As of Saturday, the Sanford Police Department Tactical Narcotics Team had arrested 15 of those suspects. Seven were indicted on federal charges either for the amount of drugs they sold or for prior criminal records.
An undercover agent was able to infiltrate drug circles in mid-June and make purchases from the suspects, Cpt. Dan Kehagis said. The operation continued until mid-November and targeted increasingly higher-up dealers.
Agents concentrated on dealing in crack cocaine and marijuana but also caught some transactions of illegal prescription medications.
Sanford police will continue to pursue the suspects still at large, Kehagis said. All the people arrested so far are from Sanford.
Three of the seven people facing federal charges have been arrested and were placed in the Forsyth County Detention Center: Adell Andrew “Bubba” Wilson, of 543 Cox Maddox Road; Jermaine Otis “Pookie” Jones, of 606 Cox Maddox Road; and James Curtis Spears, of 1104 Charlotte Ave.
Each man faces two charges of distribution of crack cocaine and two counts of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.
Twelve other people arrested were placed in the Lee County Jail under varying bonds.
- David Wayne Edwards of Summerfield Apartments, was given a $6,000 bond for possession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana, sale and delivery of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
- Joe Edward Ferguson, of Spring Side Apartments, was given a $42,000 bond for two counts of possession with intent to sell or deliver a schedule II controlled substance, two counts of sale and delivery of a schedule II controlled substance, two counts of maintaining a dwelling for drugs and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.
- Leroy Junior Haynes, of 500 Bounty Lane, was given a $10,000 bond for possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine, sale and delivery of cocaine, maintaining a dwelling for drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.
- Marcus Kinte Martin, of 1123 Walden St., was given a $20,000 bond for three counts of possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine, three counts of sale and delivery of cocaine, three counts of maintaining a dwelling for drugs and three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.
- Ronnie Laverne Pulley, of 611 E. Washington St., was given a $15,000 bond for possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine, sale and delivery of cocaine, maintaining a dwelling for drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.
- Wilfredo Rubio, of 221 Charlotte Ave., was given a $12,000 bond for possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine, sale and delivery of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
- Warren Eugene Simmons, of 1603 Woodland Ave., was given a $30,000 bond for two counts of possession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana, two counts of sale and delivery of marijuana, two counts of maintaining a dwelling for drugs and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.
- Eric Wesley Speed, of 908 Washington Ave., was given a $17,000 bond for three counts of possession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana, two counts of sale and delivery of marijuana, two counts of maintaining a dwelling for drugs and three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and resist, delay and obstruct.
- Otis Jermaine Spruill Jr., of 538 Weatherspoon St., was given a $25,000 bond for three counts of possession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana, counts of three and delivery of marijuana, three counts of maintaining a dwelling for drugs and three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.
- Travis Watson, of 1799 Farrell Road, was given a $18,000 bond for two counts of possession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana, two counts of sale and delivery of marijuana, two counts of maintaining a vehicle for drugs, possession of marijuana and three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.
- Glenda Gomez Rodriquez, of 2067 West Ridge Apartments, was charged with two counts of possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine, two counts of sale and delivery of cocaine, two counts of maintaining a dwelling for drugs, two counts of maintaining a dwelling for drugs and conspiracy to sell or deliver cocaine.
- Anthony Devon “Ant” Morrison, of 513 Hickory Ave., was charged with possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine, sale and delivery of cocaine, maintaining a dwelling for drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.
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