Possession of marijuana over 20 grams (F3) The sheriff also released the following statement following the press conference: Some people still call this low-level, non-violent drugs. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, along with Department of Homeland Security investigators from Tampa and Atlanta, the Haines City Police Department, and Georgia law enforcement agencies, held a news conference Thursday to discuss the investigation. WebFind out who's a rat by searching our snitch list containing information about known confidential informants, state's witnesses, and other snitches from our database. POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) A 9-month long wiretap investigation helped lead to the arrest of over 70 suspects on drug charges in Polk County. Ornelas-Loza is charged with theft by receiving stolen property. The drugs were then transported by ground from the airport into Polk County. A civilian budget analyst for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was arrested after committing retail theft at a Walmart on Wednesday, according to Polk County deputies. The same day, detectives conducted a traffic stop and arrested Samuel on his two active warrants in Florida. Polk Sheriff Grady Judd told media on Friday that the investigation, which started in September 2020, resulted in the arrests of85 suspects who are now facing a total of 355 felony chargesand 93 misdemeanors. You can watch the full press conference below. POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) The Polk County Sheriffs Office said its undercover detectives have been using dating apps to track down a number of people suspected of buying and selling drugs in the area. Members of HSI in Atlanta and Tampa, U.S. Border Patrol and the Snellville Police Department in Georgia stood behind Judd at Thursdays news conference. 37-year-old Brian Stantonis currently incarcerated in theAtlanta US Penitentiary, Georgia. Cayson is currently in the Polk County Jail with no bond. Investigators learned that the suspects smuggled large amounts of drugs from Mexico into California, then transported the drugs on domestic flights from Los Angeles through Memphis, Tennessee and then to Orlando International Airport. The drugs were then transported by ground from the airport into Polk County. During the investigation, Judd said, detectives learned that one of his brothers died of an overdose of fentanyl and Xanax at the same house. Javarius Samuel, 31: Sheriff's officials said that on Aug. 5, detectives in Fresno served a search warrant on Samuel's residenceand seized 68 pounds of marijuana, 109 grams of fentanyl, 14 grams of cocaine, threefirearms, and $45,000 cash. Inside his backpack, they found 75 grams of fentanyl powder, 392 grams of confirmed fentanyl pills (nearly one pound), 175 grams of suspected fentanyl pills, one kilogram of methamphetamine, 75 grams of powder cocaine and 20 grams of crack cocaine. Deputies are looking for a hit-and-run driver after a crash Sunday night seriously injured a 67-year-old motorcyclist in Winter Haven. Meers is charged with: 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Undercover detectives then met with Jennifer Meers, 43, who they say delivered a suitcase full of 12 clear storage bags containing the illegal drug at a hotel room in Lakeland. Florida transgender athlete ban heads to DeSantis' desk, Report: Cruises could restart this summer under CDC guidance, Video shows Hillsborough County deputy help alligator across busy intersection, Fact-checking President Biden's address to Congress, Republican response, COVID-19 vaccine specially developed for animals is on its way to ZooTampa, Sign up now for the Brightside Blend Newsletter. Approximately 24.8 pounds of THC edibles seized (street value: approximately $8,480) As the investigation progressed, PCSO detectives learned of a suspected drug trafficker in Georgia,37-year-old Brian Stanton, known as "Lil B," who was arranging for the sale and delivery of methamphetamine in Polk County. The suspects have been charged with a combined 355 felonies and 93 misdemeanors. Meers' arrest led investigators to the location of 3 methamphetamine conversion labs in Georgia. "As soon as the first sheriffs office deputies showed up, the SUV took off," Murphy said. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The man in the SUVand the driver of the Kia unloaded whatever was in the trunk of the Kia into the SUV. Drug Trafficking Investigation Yields They wanted to establish a conduit into the county and our undercover detectives were their new operation in Central Florida. Investigators learned that the suspects smuggled large amounts of drugs from Mexico into California, then transported the drugs on domestic flights from Los Angeles through Memphis, Tennessee and then to Orlando International Airport. Judd described a three-month operation that involved the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, other federal agencies and police departments in Florida and Georgia. Schuylkill County Man Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearm Offenses. Its in Winter Haven. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. ", Domestic violence suspect:Man killed by Lake Wales police after fatally shooting K-9, 'He's dead now':Winter Haven man told 911 dispatcher he shot his father, PCSO says, Officer shot:Haines City Police officer recovering after beingshot during a traffic stop Sunday. Detectives said three suspects told them they receive government assistance. Those props illustrated Judds announcement Thursday morning of what he said was the largest methamphetamine bust in the history of the Polk County Sheriffs Department, netting the seizure of more than $53 million in illegal drugs. Detectives served 14 search warrants in Auburndale, Davenport, Polk City, Lake Wales, Winter Haven, and Riverview, as well as in Fresno, California, resulting in the seizure of the following: The total street value of the confiscated drugs is more than $12.8 million, the sheriff's office said. Authorities identified 55-year-old Lisa Radina as a dealer. Meers' previous criminal history includes 22 arrests in Georgia to include charges of drug trafficking, possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, DUI, battery, theft, fraud, giving a false name to a law enforcement officer, and multiple probation violations. Mitchell Ware, 68, of Coral Springs was arrested in Broward County for a Polk County warrant for: Conspiracy to purchase marijuana (1 count) Unlawful use of two communication device (1 count). Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez was on hand since the criminal activity often ventured past the county border. To catch you up to speed, Judd says we'll have to start in January when an envelope shipped from Canada containing 2,544 Xanax pills was intercepted. POLK COUNTY, Fla. A multi-state, joint drug trafficking investigation, has netted a seizure of more than $50 million in drugs. 3.4 pounds of MDMA, also known as Ecstasy. WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Authorities say a two-year undercover investigation resulted in 85 arrests, the seizure of over $12.8 million worth of drugs, and the dismantling of an international drug trafficking organization whose ringleaders operated out of Winter Haven. Detectives found luggage containing about 35 pounds of meth in Meers truck, the PCSO said. The liquid methoriginated in Mexico and was smuggled across the border to Palacios, Judd said. How do I keep bugs off my patio this spring? The sheriff's office said the suspects' previous criminal histories include a total of 194 felony convictions. Im so very proud of our detectives and the agents and law enforcement officers who partnered with us to get these dangerous drugs and felons off the street," Judd said in a written statement. This was a very different kind of operation. Conspiracy to traffic in methamphetamine (F1) Polk County 'Operation Dirty Water': 6 charged in $54 million drug bust with ties to the Mexican cartel Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd says the trafficking of drugs They learned her supplier was Nareo Lewis after she asked an undercover detective to drive her to his home on Colorado Avenue so she could pick up 7 grams of fentanyl. He is being held without bond. Meers, 43, had only left federal prison in January and was on probation for a previous drug-trafficking conviction, Judd said. Dwayne Kenneth StackhouseSr., 39: Judd said Stackhouse was identified as a large scale cocaine supplier in Central Florida. The suspects previous criminal histories, he said, include 690 previous felonies, 712 previous misdemeanors, and 194 felony convictions. She is currently in the Polk County Jail with no bond. A multi-agency investigation uncovered an international smuggling operation out of Winter Haven that brought drugs into Central Florida, according to the Find out who's a rat by searching our snitch list containing information about known confidential informants, state's witnesses, and other snitches from our database. Polk County Sheriff's Office: Winter Haven man fatally shot by officer Saturday night, 3 Polk County deputies charged with felonies related to evidence tampering, Body cameras revisited after suspect fatally shot by Winter Haven police, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Stanton's criminal history includes 26 arrests in Georgia to include charges of trafficking in methamphetamine, conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, threatening a law enforcement officer, furnishing alcohol to a minor, and numerous parole and probation violations. Vincent Thomas, 35, of Lake Wales was arrested for: Trafficking in Cocaine 400 grams or more (1 count) Possession of marijuana with intent to sell (1 count) Conspiracy to traffic cocaine 28 grams or more (4 counts) Conspiracy to sell cocaine (9 counts) Conspiracy to purchase cocaine (1 count) Conspiracy to sell marijuana ( 141 counts) Conspiracy to purchase marijuana ( 5 counts) Unlawful use of a two-way device (1 count) Possession of marijuana over 20 grams (1 count) Possession of drug paraphernalia (1 count) Possession of oxycodone (1 count) Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (1 count) Possession of prescription medication without a prescription (1 count) Maintaining a structure to sell drugs (1 count)His criminal history includes 173 felonies and 16 misdemeanors. 1 federal inmate charged 2023 www.theledger.com. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd shows one of the suitcases filled with drugs that was checked as luggage on a flight from LAX to Orlando. They seized one kilogram of cocaine that was concealed inside a leather zippered Bible case, officials said. POLK COUNTY, Fla. (CW44 News At 10) - Sheriff Grady Judd says their most recent drug bust resulted in the They found illegal Xanax, carisoprodol pills, and methamphetamine in his backpack. [TRENDING: How much? Because of his leadership and his eagerness to help us with this operation and because we partnered across city, state and federal lines, this is how this happens, Judd said, because this is an international drug-smuggling operation that came all the way down to your child in Polk County, Florida.. They said Radinas criminal history includes a federal charge for drug trafficking in Maryland, and four other drug trafficking arrests in Maryland and New York. HSI agents and South Fulton County Police Department arrested Palacios and seized 77 pounds of methamphetamine, a stolen vehicle, and a stolen shotgun. Breaking news and weather alerts:Get the free 10 Tampa Bay app, Stay In the Know! We seized 20 firearms during this investigation, including rifles, shotguns, handguns, and three stolen guns. A short time later, Meers was arrested on a Polk County Sheriff's Office warrant by the Sandy Springs Georgia Police Department during a traffic stop. Officials said they served a search warrant at his Davenport address, 928 Brooklet Drive,and seized two loaded AK-47 pistols, which were out in plain view and in a home with six children. ). About - Abuse - Contact Us - Disclaimers - Donate - Privacy Policy - Terms of Use -, 2020-2021 - Cop Blaster: Police Misconduct Reporting & Monitoring -, The Future of Law Enforcement Accountability, Jonathan Mcmillen-Memphis Informant-Snitch- Lil Wyte Affiliate, Sue Your Snitch! Instead of it being delivered by mail, undercover deputies instead paid her a visit for controlled delivery of the drug. The Sandy Springs Police Department arrested Meers on March 30 on a warrant from the Polk Sheriffs Office. Example video title will go here for this video. Officials say they recovered Whether its a short vacation or theyre jetting off to begin their career, show the future traveler you care with a meaningful graduation gift. Possessing a vehicle for drug trafficking (F2) His current sentence runs through 2040. 20 firearms seized (3 were reported as stolen) Get notified on your phone in the morning with the latest forecast and news to start your day. Mexico-to-Central Florida drug ring broken up,, The new orlandosentinel.com: FAQs and more, Mexico-to-Central Florida drug ring broken up, sheriff says, Florida makes it impossible to check voter eligibility, then pulls out handcuffs | Commentary, Mental well-being drives our ability to flourish | Commentary, Weather clears for successful SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch, High school scores and top performers from Saturday, April 29. This story was originally published on April 30, 2021 and update reflects details of arrests. ", Polk County Sheriff's Office displays drugs, firearms seized during county's largest wiretap operation, RELATED: Woman cut off boyfriend's penis after he tried to rape 14-year-old daughter, reports say.

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