polk county drug bust today

PCSO undercover detectives conducted a controlled delivery at 3237 Xerxes Avenue NW in Winter Haven and arrested37-year-old Amber Cayson of Winter Haven. 85 arrested in international drug ring operating out of Im proud of the good work our detectives did to take these drugs off the street and send these traffickers to jail, said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. Bust The sheriff said a wiretap investigation began in February 2022. We seized 20 firearms during this investigation, including rifles, shotguns, handguns, and three stolen guns. 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. The sheriff said investigators seized $88,000 in cash, $89,000 worth of jewelry, and $283,000 worth of narcotics in the bust. All of this drug here was not destined for Polk County, just a piece of it, Judd said. HSI investigators have associated this illegal drug trafficking organization with the Juarez Mexican Cartel, a brutally violent cartel known for its targeted executions and violence. If you want a pest-free patio this spring, the most important thing you can do is take away those elements that bugs find desirable. Lewis, 41, was arrested for armed trafficking in fentanyl, armed trafficking in cocaine, armed trafficking in methamphetamine, conspiracy to traffic fentanyl, possession of drug paraphernalia, sale of fentanyl, possession of weapon by a convicted felon, possession of marijuana over 20 grams, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of firearm by a convicted felon, maintaining residence for drug trafficking, maintaining residence for drug sales, possession of drug paraphernalia, tampering with evidence and resisting a law enforcement officer without violence. ", 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. [TRENDING: How much? According to the sheriff's office, he was the mastermind behind arranging the sale and delivery of 26 pounds of meth in Polk County. Polk County undercover detectives conducted a controlled delivery in Winter Haven, Florida, and arrested 37-year-old Amber Cayson, deputies say. Experts say that most large-scale drug smugglers useports of entry and drugs are not carried by people illegally crossing the border on foot. Updated: Aug 20, 2022 / 01:55 PM CDT. This time, leading investigators to the United States Federal Penitentiary in Atlanta where 37-year-old Brian Staton, known as "Lil B" was being held. But now his golf course community days are over. Unlawful use of a two-way communication device (F3) Possession of drug paraphernalia (M1). Officials say they recovered - The Polk County Sheriff's Office says their latest drug bust resulted in the largest seizure of fentanyl in the history of the agency. Judd praised Sibley for leading the operation. Will DeSantis have to resign to run for president? Palacios has also been arrested in Florida three times for driving without a license. Get notified on your phone in the morning with the latest forecast and news to start your day. 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. Learn More. drug Possessing a vehicle for drug trafficking (F2) 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. The man in the SUVand the driver of the Kia unloaded whatever was in the trunk of the Kia into the SUV. He is facing Polk County, Florida charges of: Approximately 2,500 Xanax pills seized (street value: approximately $25,000)TOTAL STREET VALUE: $53,854,640. "You can go ahead and turn yourself in or you can go to jail tired from running, but you're gonna go to jail," Sheriff Grady Judd said of the three suspects who are still at large, identified as 49-year-old Angela Dunklebarger of Lake Wales, 37-year-old Tavoris Jones of Lake Wales, and 37-year-old Reginald Phillips of Dundee. suspects charged in Polk County drug bust, sheriff 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. Orlando International Airport raises parking prices | Win tickets to watch Artemis 1 rocket launch | Video shows large gator eating another alligator in Silver Springs | Become a News 6 Insider (its free! Grady Judd, Sheriff, Investigation Summary: The primary drug trafficking broker operated from a federal prison in Georgia. Correction: An earlier version of this article misidentified the location of the suspects home base. We will continue to follow up leads and make more arrests, so those who think they got away from us think again.. "But here's the neat thing about Darmonte: He would go through the community, he provide fireworks on the holidays, he would have Christmas gift giveaways, he would provide Easter egg hunts. During an interview, Meers told detectives that Stanton coordinated the delivery of the methamphetamine and that he pays her $500 for every kilo (2.2 pounds) of methamphetamine she delivers. $54M Worth Of Drugs Seized In Polk, Largest Bust In County 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. declares her, Alleged fraud could mean curtain call for theater, Womans car totaled in her driveway by Amazon driver, Missing Largo lawyers husband talks about love &. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Though the buckets bore the logo of Home Depot, Judd said the home-improvement chain had no role in the trafficking ring. It also uncovered an illegal cockfighting ring run by Isidoro Palacios, 59, who was arrested, according to the sheriff's office. In February 2022, detectives received a court order for a wiretap and began monitoring suspects, officials said. 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. WebUse this page to report what appears to you as a possible violation of controlled substances laws and regulations. HSI agents and South Fulton County Police Department arrested Palacios and seized 77 pounds of methamphetamine, a stolen vehicle, and a stolen shotgun. POLK COUNTY, Fla. A multi-state, joint drug trafficking investigation, has netted a seizure of more than $50 million in drugs. Over the course of the next year and a half, detectives made undercover narcotics purchases in the Winter Haven area and learned that drugs were being smuggled from California to Orlando via checked luggage on flights. Polk Busted - Polk County Jail Arrest Mugshots 1 federal inmate charged Palacios is charged with trafficking methamphetamine, theft by receiving stolen property, and animal cruelty (stemming from the illegal rooster fighting ring). Large Drug Bust Made During Traffic Stop in Polk County She was incarcerated in state prison in 2006, and her previous criminal history includes 16 felonies and 31 misdemeanors, to include charges of petit theft, forgery, fraud, possession methamphetamine, possession of Xanax possession of marijuana, driving with a suspended license, and multiple probation violations. 30-year-old Crescencio Ornelas-Lozawho resides inFairburn, Georgiawas arrested by the Henry County Police Department. Shes a bad girl. "They didnt as so much as throw a pair of underwear in the suitcase to act like they were hiding the drugs," Judd said in a Friday morning press conference. OK, great. Using what it called the "largest wiretap in Polk County history," the Polk County Sheriff's Office said it broke up an international drug smuggling ring operated out of Winter Haven, which moved large amounts of drugs from Mexico, through Los Angeles and into the Winter Haven using checked luggage in commercial airlines. Sign up now for the Brightside Blend Newsletter. Polk County Several law enforcement agencies including the Orlando Police Department, Osceola County Sheriffs Office and U.S. Border Patrol worked together to focus on taking down the drug-trafficking organization. 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. California Consumer Limit the Use of My Sensitive Personal Information, California Consumer Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. You can also watch a report by Spectrum Bay News 9's Ashonti Ford in the video above. 5 suspects arrested Get todays headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: Copyright 2022 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved. Those arrested on Polk County charges are: 37-year-old Amber Caysonwho resides at3237 Xerxes Avenue NW, Winter Haven. "Operation Dirty Water" seizes over $50M worth of meth - Bay The investigation, called "Operation Dirty Water," involved more than a dozen law enforcement agencies in Florida and Georgia, including the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Sibley said the investigation is ongoing and could yield further arrests. Mexico-to-Central Florida drug ring broken up, sheriff says Information uncovered during her arrest also led investigators to the location of methamphetamine conversion labs, additional arrests, the discovery of more than a dozen firearms, and the seizure of 1,416 pounds of crystalized and liquid meth. The first and biggest bust occurred on Oct. 12 when Mario Alberto Castro Solache, 29, of Raleigh; Pedro Mondragon, 27, of Lillington; and Ignacio Rodriguez, 28, Bradenton, Florida, were arrested in connection to the largest drug bust in the history of Polk County, Florida. 43-year-old Jennifer Meerswho resides at467 Allana Court, Stone Mountain, Georgia. Follow on Twitter @garywhite13. Judd identified six people as the ring leaders: Demarcus Terrell Jefferson, 32, of Winter Haven, Dwayne Kenneth Stackhouse Sr., 39, of Lake Wales; Abadosh McKenzie, 41, of Riverview; Lenard Henderson, 42, of Polk County, Javarius Samuel, 31, of Fresno, California; Darmonte Munson, 30, of Winter Haven. A two-year investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies resulted in 85 arrests and the seizure of more than $12.8 million worth of drugs, POLK COUNTY, Fla. Polk County deputies are on the hunt for an Orlando man they say is the leader of a violent gang. Sheriff's officials said several suspects who were arrested obtained their narcotics from Henderson. Stackhouse was released from jail on May 31, after posting bond in the amount of $116,250, and a GPS ankle monitor was placed on him. Approximately 1500 pounds of methamphetamine seized (street value: approximately $53.8 million) The suspects previous criminal histories, he said, include 690 previous felonies, 712 previous misdemeanors, and 194 felony convictions. Detectives executed a search warrant in Winter Haven and seized a pound of methamphetamine while continuing to make undercover narcotics purchases from that point forward from dealers throughout the area. 50-year-old Luis Ornelas-Martinezwas arrested by HSI agents and the Henry County Police Department at his residence located on321ASA Moseley Road in Stockbridge, Georgia. Insider: Drug Bust In Washburn County: Seizure Of Heroin, Meers is charged with: He said it was the largest drug sting in Polk County history, with its main operations based in Winter Haven. 2023 www.theledger.com. Drug Bust 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. Only a portion of the seized drugs would have been sold on the street in Polk County, and the rest would have been distributed through the country, he said. Drug bust We bought and made predicate cases for the wiretap throughout the two ensuing years, but we couldnt get to the top and link the organization together. "You think LAX has got a drug smuggling problem at the airport? Its the truth," Judd said. How do I keep bugs off my patio this spring? Sheriff Grady Judd detailed the undercover trafficking operation, which ended with the arrests of three suspects and 11 pounds of fentanyl seized by detectives. 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. Two 18-year-olds were also arrested at the home for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, deputies said. You think LAX has got a drug smuggling problem at the airport?". A fourth, 1140 Dugdown Road, was listed in Buchanan. She was arrested and the investigation pushed forward. Polk "But what did he have with him when he drove into the front of this store while impaired? 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. A 6-month undercover sting, called Swipe Left for Meth, yielded more than 60 arrests, the agency said. 2023 www.theledger.com. The Haines City Police Department took part in the operation, Judd said, and was represented at Thursdays news conference by Lt. Isaac Jackson. May 3, 2021 / 12:45 PM / CW44 Tampa Bay. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. The same day, detectives conducted a traffic stop and arrested Samuel on his two active warrants in Florida. More on @BN9 pic.twitter.com/regN22z8G8. 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. Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. Citizens Insurance customer left confused, frustrated after new flood insurance policy, FHP: 1 dead, 2 in the hospital after crash in Manatee County, 10 Weather: Sunny skies and nice temperatures this week, Tornado watch over for parts of Tampa Bay area. drug bust Polk The Polk County Sheriff's Office said their narcotics detectives and High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force made 29 arrests in the Lake Wales area and issued arrest warrants for three suspects related to the trafficking, sale and possession of illegal drugs.