Seventeen arrested on drug charges
Seventeen arrested on drug charges
POSTED 10/01/2008 - Seventeen people in Columbia County were arrested and charged Friday after a search warrant was served on a local area notorious for illegal activity.
Members of the Multijurisdictional Drug Task Force served the search warrant on the residence located at 670 NW Washington Street. The residence and a small building directly behind the residence are locally known as the "tin shed."
This area is well known by local residences and law enforcement as an area where illegal drugs can be purchased and consumed. The area is also known for its prostitution activity.
The first step of the operation was to serve the search warrant on the residence. Three people who lived there were arrested.
- Andre M. Combs, 44, was arrested and charged with possession with intent to sell cocaine and trafficking prescription drugs ($91,000 bond);
- Randolph Everett Waddy, 53, was
arrested and charged with sale of cocaine and possession of cocaine with intent to sell ($120,000 bond) and
- Joseph Harris, 52, was arrested and charged with sale of cocaine and possession of cocaine with intent to sell ($120,000 bond).
After the initial search warrant was served, members of the Task Force conducted a reverse operation in which they sold crack cocaine to people who came to the location. The people who purchased the drugs were immediately arrested and the drugs and money was recovered. That step of the operation resulted in another 11 arrests. The following individuals were charged with purchasing cocaine, possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia:
- Joe Louis Smith, 71, black male, homeless, $36,000 bond;
- Darryl Watson, 47, black male, 172 NE Bradley Terrace, Lake City, $36,000 bond;
- Eugene Bolivan Denina, 42, Hispanic male, 866 South Marion, LC, $25,000 bond;
- Neil Stewart, 49, white male, 866 South Marion, LC, $36,000 bond;
- Darrell Raynard Howell, 45, black male, 454 E. Duval, LC, $36,000 bond;
- Amber Nicole Norton, 28, white female, 567 SE Avalon Ave., LC, $36,000
- Natasma Elaine Lewis, 38, white female, 290 NE Thomas Camp, LC,$36,000 bond;
- Kenneth E. Ducker, II, 47, white male, 634 NE Nassau, LC, $36,000 bond;
- Bernard Olds, 52, black male, 6440 SW CR 242, LC, $36,000 bond;
- Robert Glenn, 40, white male, LC, no bond and
- Earl R. Smith, 58, black male, Olustee. Smith was also charged with resisting arrest without violence, tampering with evidence and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana. $43,000 bond.
During this operation and because of the extra patrol in the area, the following people were arrested on unrelated charges:
- Edward Reese, 19, black male, 177 NE Montana, LC, warrant for armed robbery, no bond;
- Heather Hall, 26, white female, 245 NW Genell Loop, LC, DUI arrest, $1,000 bond and
- William Brantly, 18, white male, address unknown, possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana and possession of alcohol by a minor, $3,000 bond.
"The Task Force has been investigating this area for many months and these arrests helped us drive home the message that we continue to fight the war on drugs. This is only the first phase of an ongoing investigation and additional arrests are expected," said Sheriff Bill Gootee. "This Task Force has an outstanding success record and by these agencies working together, we are a stronger law enforcement team. Teamwork is the key to this success."
The Task Force is made up of representatives from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the Lake City Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
All seventeen people arrested were booked into the Columbia County Jail.
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