After huge drug bust, DA slams ‘people who peddle poison’

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - On the heels of Richmond County’s biggest fentanyl bust ever – a case that’s seen nearly 60 arrests – Augusta’s district attorney vowed to take down offenders who peddle dangerous drugs.

In the two-year “Operation No Loyalty” investigation, authorities led by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office rounded up dozens of suspects and seized an enormous amount of narcotics.

After those arrests, the next steps will be in District Attorney Jared Williams’ hands, so his views on the matter are important.

During a news conference Wednesday, Williams said there’s a difference between drug addicts and the people who are preying on them.

He noted that many drug dealers are certainly not first-time offenders.

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“So when we talk about the two types of offenders, we have many drug offenders who are what we call personal-use offenders,” Williams said. “They are struggling with substance-use disorder and we’re going to try and develop programs to help them.”

But he said there’s another of drug offender – “people who are peddling poison in our community.”

He said his prosecutors take a different approach with them.

“We understand that a lot of the violence that happens in our community stems from the drug trade, and so the idea is we have to recognize where the criminal justice system can actually provide benefit and actually take drugs off the street,” he said. “You can lock up the person who preys on those who are addicted.”

But, he said: “Also we need to realize when we should lean on our community partners to help with the problems that a jail cell cannot fix. You can’t lock up addiction.”

In a series of search warrants during the undercover “No Loyalty” operation, authorities seized about 15 pounds of fentanyl – making it the biggest fentanyl bust ever in Augusta.

It only takes 2 milligrams of the ultra-powerful synthetic opioid to kill a person, so if the 15 pounds of seized fentanyl is pure, that’s enough to kill up to 3.5 million people by overdose.

SEIZED IN “OPERATION NO LOYALTY”:

• Phase 1: 16 kilograms of cocaine, 7 kilograms of fentanyl, 1 pound of methamphetamine, 29 pounds of marijuana, 34 firearms, $319,909 in cash, six vehicles, two houses.
• Phase 2: 248.7 pounds of marijuana, 44.8 grams of fentanyl, 90.1 grams of methamphetamine, 22.5 grams of cocaine, 28 firearms, $143,824 in cash, three vehicles.

“The average citizen, they don’t realize that, you know, whether you’re shot by a gun or you’re you’re overdosed by fentanyl, you’re still just as dead,” Chief Deputy Patrick Clayton said.

Clayton described a pattern with Trap Money that resembled a pipeline of narcotics flowing into the country through Mexico, through Atlanta to Augusta.

“We try to go all the way to the chain where it was actually made at. And what we try to do is and for the trafficking patterns here in Augusta, the source city is usually going to be Atlanta is where all the fentanyl, most of the fentanyl, is coming from,” he said. “And then when you leave Atlanta, tracing it back to the source, then it’s going to probably be southwest border, probably somewhere in Texas, and then on to Mexico from the lab.”

of the Trap Money gang weren’t just drug dealers but very dangerous people, deputies said.

“The amount of drugs itself is alarming,” Clayton said. “What’s more alarming is when you get a group of individuals that are operating together in an organization. That has a lot more of a dramatic impact on a community like it does here in Augusta.”

The suspects

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office said these are suspects who’ve been arrested:

• Ellis McDaniel, 42, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a sawed-off shotgun/rifle/machine gun.
• Jamaal Xavier Robinson, 36, of Augusta. Charges: Trafficking cocaine, trafficking fentanyl, trafficking marijuana, possession of alprazolam with intent to distribute, possession of firearm by convicted felon (two counts), possession of firearm during the commission of a crime (two counts), forgery in the third degree, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, obstruction of law enforcement officer.
• Kenneth Antwon Sturgis, 39, of Augusta. Charges: Trafficking cocaine.
• Shantaze Miquel Yarbary, 43, of Augusta. Charges: Trafficking cocaine.
• Mary Cisneros-Gonzalez, 43 years of age from Lithia Springs. Charges: Trafficking cocaine, possession of firearm or knife during the commission or attempt to commit certain felonies, vehicles with false or secret compartment.
• Lucino Estrada Casa, 56 years of age from Norcross, Georgia, Charges: Trafficking cocaine, trafficking methamphetamine, trafficking illegal drugs (fentanyl), felony possession of marijuana.
• Darius Q Miller, 34, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of firearm by convicted felon, possession of firearm during the commission of a crime, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of MDMA with intent to distribute, possession of oxycodone with intent to distribute, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, obstruction of law enforcement officer, driving while unlicensed, failure to maintain lane.
• Larry Mims, 34 years of age of Augusta, Charges: Possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of oxycodone with intent to distribute, possession of firearm during commission of crime, possession of firearm by convicted felon, multiple traffic charges.
• Travis Lenell Peterson, 41, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, trafficking methamphetamine, possession of firearm by convicted felon, possession of firearm or knife during commission of a crime.
• Patrailous Taylor, 43, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
• Zack Tyrule Gordon III, 28, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of firearm by convicted felon, possession of firearm during commission of a crime, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
• Pheotis Upshaw, 46, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of firearm during commission of a crime, possession of firearm by convicted felon, obstruction of law enforcement officer.
• John West Utley Jr, 44, of Augusta. Charges: Trafficking cocaine, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, theft by receiving stolen property, possession of firearm during commission of a crime.
• Marqueen Mays, 38, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of oxycodone.
• Jarell Gibson, 27, of Augusta. Charges: Obstruction of law enforcement officer, felony fleeing, possession of oxycodone, possession of marijuana, suspended registration, driving without a license.
• Marion Gunter III, 36, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of firearm by convicted felon, possession of firearm during commission of crime, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, improper lane change.
• Thomas Branson Jr, 19, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of firearm by convicted felon, possession of firearm during commission of crime, theft by receiving stolen property.
• Kaleb Logan, 21, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, theft by receiving stolen property, possession of firearm during commission of crime, no seatbelt.
• Roderick Bowers Jr, 20, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, theft by receiving stolen property, possession of firearm during commission of crime.
• Reco Ladala Dunn, 37, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of firearm by convicted felon, possession of firearm during commission of crime.
• Titus Reese, 45 years of age of Augusta, Charges: Possession of cocaine.
• Rodsheed Zyshonne Tanksley, 24, of Augusta. Charges: Felony fleeing, cruelty to children in the second degree, obstruction of law enforcement officer, possession of marijuana.
• Jashaun Turner, 19, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of firearm during commission of a crime, possession of marijuana, theft by receiving stolen property, obstruction of law enforcement officer.
• Willie Fred Bates Jr, 46, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of firearm during the commission of a crime, possession of cocaine.
• Clyde Elizabeth Starks, 56, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of firearm by convicted felon.
• Alexander Grant, 60, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of firearm by convicted felon.
• Aquinas R. Bush Jr, 20, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of a machine gun, possession of firearm by first offender.
• Steffon Jeremiah Gibbs, 22, of Augusta. Charges: Obstruction of law enforcement officer.
• Kiara Latia Roberts, 23, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of firearm during commission of crime, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
• Julius Larue Brown, 40, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
• Davion Heath “Trap Money” Vedough, 24, of Augusta. Charges: Trafficking marijuana, possession of firearm during commission of crime.
• Dezmund Devonte “Dez” Demmons, 31, of Augusta. Charges: Trafficking marijuana, trafficking methamphetamine, trafficking fentanyl, possession of firearm by convicted felon, possession of firearm during commission of crime, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, theft by receiving stolen property.
• Devin “Rambo” Allen-Glover, 21, of Augusta. Charges: Felony fleeing, possession of firearm by first offender (seven counts), possession of an illegal weapon, theft by receiving stolen property (two counts), possession of firearm during commission of crime, obstruction of law enforcement officer.
• Brandon Deshun Borders, 37, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
• Christopher Lee Ware, 31, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of firearm by convicted felon, obstruction of law enforcement officer.
• Earl Demetrius Overton, 30, of Augusta. Charges: Aggravated assault, theft by taking, obstruction of law enforcement officer, possession of firearm by convicted felon.
• Zavi Elon Bailey, 23, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, theft by receiving stolen property, possession of firearm during commission of crime.
• Dmond Raynard Jackson, 29, of Augusta. Charges: Felony order to show cause.
• Traeon Jaleek Perry, 22, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine, possession of hallucinogens, possession of firearm during commission of crime.
• Jailyn Cherlaine Tanksley, 20, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of hallucinogens, possession of cocaine.
• Clifford Lamont Jones, 22, of Augusta. Charges: aggravated assault upon a police officer (x5), possession of firearm during commission of crime, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine, possession of hallucinogens.
• Mylin Tilema Morton, 22, of Augusta. Charges: Obstruction of law enforcement officer, possession of illegal weapon.
• Lamar Whitaker, 23, of Augusta. Charges: Obstruction of law enforcement officer, possession of illegal weapon.
• Dezmund Latrelle Mainor, 23, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of firearm during commission of crime, possession of firearm by convicted felon.
• Howard Alfred Rodd, 29, of Augusta. Charges: Trafficking marijuana, possession of firearm during commission of crime, theft by receiving stolen property.
• Tilson Gregory McCray, 30, of Augusta. Charges: Trafficking marijuana, theft by receiving stolen property, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of firearm during commission of crime.
• Bryson McCray, 23, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of firearm during commission of crime.
• Daven Terell Jackson, 36, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of firearm by convicted felon.
• Shequita Vonta Lewis, 33, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of cocaine.
• Andre Jerome Wooden, 34, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of cocaine, giving false name and date of birth to officer.
• Laquan Demarcus Blackwell, 32, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana.
• Exavier Demarc Savoy, 34, of Augusta. Charges: Felony order to show cause.
• Joshua Demmons, 28, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of cocaine, possession of fentanyl, possession of firearm during commission of crime.
• Ionas Dejene Doggett, 21, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
• Myles Thomas, 20, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
• Mya Alexia Davis, 22, of Augusta. Charges: Trafficking marijuana, possession of firearm during commission of crime.
• Dominick Ryans, 33, of Augusta. Charges: Possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of oxycodone, felony order to show cause. possession of firearm during commission of crime.

The locations

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