Dozen charged in drug distribution crackdown

An investigation by federal, state and local authorities has led to the arrest of 12 people as part of a crackdown on the distribution of heroin and other drugs.

"Operation Thunderstruck" centered on drug activity in Vance and Granville counties in an effort to cut down on heroin coming into North Carolina via Interstates 95 and 85 and the crimes associated with drug trafficking, U.S. Attorney Robert Higdon said.

"We want it to be known as an area where you cannot and should not engage in drug crime or violent crime," Higdon said at a Friday morning news conference in Henderson.

The following people were charged in the case:

• Lorenzo Alston, 28, of Henderson, possession with intent to distribute heroin
• Jermill Keith Blacknall, 30, of Henderson, felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession of a firearm in a drug trafficking crime and maintaining a place for manufacturing and distributing heroin
• Odell Terrance Burrell, 40, of Vance County, possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and marijuana and maintaining a place for manufacturing and distributing crack cocaine and marijuana
• Kyle Victor Fisher, 29, of Granville County, felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition
• Roy Lee Fowler, 53, of Vance County, felon in possession of a firearm
• Dominique Renna Russell, 30, of Henderson, possession with intent to distribute heroin, aiding and abetting, maintaining a place for manufacturing and distributing heroin and possession of a firearm in a drug trafficking crime
• Daryl Russell, 31, of Henderson, felon in possession of a firearm
• Mario Jamal Steed, 29, of Henderson, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and felon in possession of a firearm
• James Edward Downey, 41, of Oxford, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine
• Markest Foye, 32, of Oxford, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine
• Jamal Kendale Watson, 27, of Fayetteville, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine
• Toney Fields, 42, of Oxford, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine

Higdon noted one of those charged told investigators he had tried to cut down on the amount of drugs he was dealing to try to avoid detection.

"I want anyone else involved in drug distribution in this area to know you're all on our radar," he said. "If you're involved in criminal activity here, if you are selling drugs, if you're engaged in violent crime, our radar is detailed enough that we're going to find you, and we're going to stop what you're doing."

"Operation Thunderstruck" was carried out by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the U.S. Marshal Service, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, the Henderson Police Department, the Oxford Police Department, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Vance County Sheriff’s Office, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, the Granville County Sheriff’s Office, the Ninth Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Probation Office.