Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly and State Attorney R.J. Larizza this afternoon held a brief, live-streamed press conference to announce the arrests or issuance of arrest warrants for 27 individuals, most of them accused of selling drugs–cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, prescription pills–and most of them such frequent inmates at the jail the sheriff likes to call the “Green Roof Inn” that they could have their own rewards program.
Such broad arrest sweeps followed by news conferences are themselves a frequent-flying feature of every sheriff’s administration of the last 20 years, not just as elections near (they’ve tended to happen at least once a year regardless), all following the same template: posters of the numerous suspects are arrayed next to the law enforcement chiefs announcing the sweep. Statistics about the particular sweep are listed (types of drugs seized, amounts, street value). And tough pronouncements made.
“And for the fugitives we have not apprehended yet,” Staly said in his concluding remarks today, “we will get you so instead of having to keep looking over your shoulder and wondering when you are going to jail, just turn yourself in. We have a room and a bed available for you at the Green Roof Inn. It might not be a five star hotel but it’s a lot better than being a wanted fugitive and wondering when your day is up.” Staly has used the words in one variation or another in previous sweeps. Today he was among the arresting officers, in one case having “the pleasure of putting one in handcuffs myself after I spotted him in his front yard before the arrest team arrived,” he said.
Even reporters are reduced to asking some of the same questions, begged by the repetitiveness of the ritual: how will it end? Staly addressed the question this way today: “The state attorney and the sheriff have always asked for drug addiction treatment funded by the state and until the state properly funds it we will always be chasing drug dealers because there’s a drug addiction problem in this county. With 440 arrests total between these defendants the sheriffs office is clearly doing their job but it’s time for the system to do their job.”
Staly has consistently made a distinction between users and dealers, saying users must be dealt with through treatment programs, with the state stepping up its support for such programs, especially in Flagler County. Flagler has just one residential treatment program, and even that one is restricted to young mothers. There is no residential treatment program for men or for others struggling through addiction. St. Johns and Volusia counties aren’t much better off, with a few dozen beds between them. State lawmakers have not been interested in serious investments in treatment, though treatment dollars have better dividends in reduced recidivism than do punishment dollars–as proven by the revolving doors for drug dealers even at the Flagler jail.
Take one example from those arrested today. Michael Connelly. Several years ago the 38-year-old faced a felony charge for not returning a leased television to Z-Best. He pleaded to the charge and the judge withheld adjudication, because it was his first felony. Two years ago he was arrested for battery. The charge was dropped. Last year he was arrested on a misdemeanor drug charge and found guilty, paid a fine. Earlier this year he was charged with grand theft, a felony. The charge was dropped. A few months later he was charged with cocaine possession. By then he was homeless. He was found guilty. The judge again withheld adjudication. That was in April. Today, he was rearrested, this time on a charge of hydromorphone possession and the illegal use of a two-way communication device.
Or take Nina Holley, a 36-year-old resident of Bunnell with a dozen arrests, more than half of them felonies, over the past half dozen years, many on drug charges, including four such charges–among them fentanyl possession–last February. Shge was found guilty on three of the charges, two of them felonies. She was sentenced to six months in prison on Feb. 25, with 16 days’ credit, which means she should have served until early August. She was released on June 15. Today she was among those wanted for selling fentanyl within 1,000 foot of a public park. She was not among those arrested.
There’s also Joshua LeMaster, a 25-year-old resident of Kingswood Drive with his own long history of arrests–hashish possession, lewd and lascivious battery, dealing in stolen property, weapons charges–though the last time he was in the news was less than three weeks ago, when he was shot at a garage off Hargrove Lane. The facts were ion dispute at the time as to his role. Today, he was shown on one of the two posters as having “charges pending” for allegedly selling THC oil in connection with that incident.
So goes the rest of the list, with 12 of the 27 individuals included on the two poster boards at today’s news conference arrested, or re-arrested.
One of today’s search warrants was served at 20 Poppy Lane in Palm Coast, where several undercover operations had been conducted, concluding that the house was a suspected drug house. “Detectives confirmed that narcotics were being sold from the residence and witnessed non-stop traffic coming and going from the residence at all hours of the day and night,” a sheriff’s release stated. “During the serving of the search warrant, there were 2 adults and 3 children (ages 12, 9, and 1) inside the home. During the search, detectives seized over three ounces of Cocaine, with an approximate street value of
$7,200.00. Numerous scales, packaging materials, and approximately one ounce of Cannabis along with $3,000.00 cash believed to be proceeds from narcotics sales were also seized.”
Detectives arrested Christopher Shane Brock, 29, and charged him with Trafficking Cocaine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of Cannabis. Brock had faced a felony charge of child abuse and two misdemeanor drug charges in 2013, and was eventually found guilty of all three, after the felony charge was reduced to a misdemeanor (contributing to the delinquency of a child).
Not every sweep has targeted drug pushers, but every such operation gets a monicker usually tagged to something in the zeitgeist: “Operation Wrong Number” targeted unlicensed contractors early in Staly’s tenure, “Operation Red Light to Green Roof” just months later was a rare prostitution sting. “Operation Spring Cleaning” the following year–back to drug dealers–also featured the sheriffs of Volusia and Putnam counties alongside Staly. Last summer at this time it was again just Staly and Larizza, that one with 40 warrants and 23 arrests at the time. It was called “Operation Heat Wave.”
With no deference to subtlety but with a hard-to-miss contradiction, today’s operation was called “Operation Unmasked–Stop the Spread.” (Health officials say going unmasked only accelerates the spread.)
Notably, none of the 45 people who appeared on the “Operation Heat Wave” posters made a repeat appearance in today’s posters. Whether reformed or incarcerated, the new crop with its own long history of 440 arrests between them suggests the pipeline of drug dealing is nowhere near dry, as the sheriff’s own figures indicated today: “There have been 179 suspected drug overdoses in Flagler County so far in 2020, up 189 percent from 2019,” Staly said. “Many experts across the country believe this increase is related to covid-19 lockdowns and the stresses the pandemic has caused across America.
2020 has seen 17 fatal overdoses compared to 14 in 2019.
“In fact,” he continued, “today we are investigating a suspected overdose death that occurred early this morning and just 10-days ago, on International Overdose Awareness Day and on the same day a drug dealer was sentenced to 30-years in prison for dealing a fatal dose of fentanyl laced heroin we investigated a fatal overdose death that evening.”
Today’s operation also included 11 search warrants that were executed, yielding four guns, $19,300 in cash and various amounts of drugs (pot: 1,351 grams; THC: 1,937 grams; Cocaine: 120 grams; Schedule II Substance (typically, ptrescription narcotics with high addictive potential such as Oxycodone, Dilaudid, Percocet and the like): 4.61 grams; Methamphetamine: 36 grams; Heroin: 3.4 grams; Fentanyl: 21.5 grams. The sheriff placed the total street value for all those narcotics at approximately $110,000.
The full list of those arrested or sought as provided by the sheriff’s office:
1. Andrew Anthony; Sale of Cocaine and Unlawful Use of a 2-way Communication Device.
2. Christopher Avellar; Sale of Fentanyl and Unlawful Use of a 2-way Communication Device.
3. Charles Bailey IV; Sale of Heroin within 1,000 ft of a school.
4. Christopher Brock; Sale of Cocaine (x2) and Unlawful Use of a 2-way Communication Device (x2).
5. Everett Bullard; Sale of Cocaine within 1,000 ft of a park.
6. Eric Carias; Sale of Heroin/Cocaine.
7. Trey Colbourne (juvenile); Sale of Cannabis within 1,000 ft of a park and Unlawful Use of a 2-way Communication Device.
8. Michael Connelly; Sale of Hydromorphone within 1,000 ft of a park and Unlawful Use of a 2-way Communication Device.
9. Keyshawn Davis; Sale of Cocaine within 1,000 ft of a park and Unlawful Use of a 2-way Communication Device.
10. Christian Grasso; Sale of Fentanyl within 1,000 ft of a park, Sale of Cocaine within 1,000 ft of a park and Unlawful Use of a 2-way Communication Device.
11. Nina Holley; Sale of Fentanyl within 1,000 ft of a park and Unlawful Use of a 2-way Communication Device.
12. Christopher Holmes; Sale of Cocaine within 1,000 ft of a park and Unlawful Use of a 2-way Communication Device.
13. Edward Hupp; Sale of a Substance in Lieu of a Controlled Substance and Unlawful Use of a 2- way Communication Device.
14. Joshua LeMaster – Charges Pending; Sale of THC Oil within 1,000 ft of a Convenience Business and Unlawful Use of a 2-way Communication Device.
15. Jonathan Lippart Sensenig; Sale of Meth and Unlawful Use of a 2-way Communication Device.
16. Chauncey McCray; Sale of Oxycodone within 1,000 ft of a park and Unlawful Use of a 2-way Communication Device. 17. Jordan Mercarter; Sale of Cannabis within 1,000 ft of a Convenience Business and Unlawful Use of a 2-way Communication Device.
18. Ashley Mitchell; Sale of Cocaine within 1,000 ft of a Park.
If anyone has information on the location of the fugitives not yet arrested, the FCSO is asking for tips to be called into Crime Stoppers at 1-888-277-TIPS (8477). You may be eligible for a reward up to $5,000.00. You may also send tips to [email protected] or by calling the FCSO at 386-313-4911.
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White Bronco says
So basically if you sell something within 1000 feet of anything it’s a bigger deal than if you sold something otherwise? Clearly that’s an across the board, important Detail to Expedite certain punishment the court considers? Anyways, What a weird and unnecessarily redundant Justice system we have at hand. Lets focus on society at large, addiction, and it’s association with crime. We may actually learn something about ourselves as a whole group. That alone might denote a concept toward changing the circumstances in the relationship between the criminal and law abiding public. Ironically, it’s a thin, possibly even blue line apparently. Proactive policing is good, effective follow up to reduce recidivism is equally important. Everyone should be interested in the betterment of their neighborhoods, their family, society, and all people. With consideration for the afflictions that create these scenarios to begin with. Many lives lost in this county due to overdose. Too many. A sad dichotomy of suffering and criminality. When will society be accountable for its lack of ability to prevent these types of lifestyles to come to fruition at all? Hint: don’t look in the mirror. Love your neighbors. Be helpful and proactive within your community. If you’re a righteous soul, share that. Somebody needs you.
Mylove says
Step one is the most important and easiest one if liberals would stop crying kicking and screaming long enough for the man to do his job.!Yup stop it at the borders it comes from! STep 2 harsher punishment ie consequences for poor behavior, witch is exactly where the problem starts at home with these ppl
This alone should slow down the problem enough to get a grip on the social aspect
Mark says
We don’t have a justice system. We have a catch and release system.
blondee says
As long as Narcan continues to be administered, it would appear overdoses will continue.
CB from PC says
Narcan administered at a cost to the taxpayer, and additional cost if deploying equipment and EMT personnel because people make a stupid choice.
Only Me says
I just read how many of these drug dealers get arrested then charges dropped then arrested again charges dropped. I would imagine this is very frustrating to our Flagler County Sheriff Officers that are doing their jobs only to read the Judges in Flagler County let them go over and over again.
Just wondering if the County Judges ever heard about repeat offenders may need to do to state prisons once and for all?
Trailer Bob says
Personally, I have never lived in a county, place, whatever, that had such lenient punishment for some pretty serious crimes. And yes, selling drugs is a serious crime that leads to many ruined lives. I will give a pass to pot because I am 65 and don’t know anyone who has died from it or whose life was negatively impacted, at least not as much as with alcohol (the legal poison).
And yes, without adequate long term treatment, drug addiction is not often easy to eradicate on one’s own.
Short term addiction treatment doesn’t work, and it is a waste of time and resources.
Of course my generation had its share of addiction, mostly heroin back then. Charges and punishment were MUCH more severe then I see today, but it seemed to work at least a bit more than the revolving door system. So…how does one determine if an addict wishes to recover? How do we know who to spend the financial resources on with expectations of success? Should we decide to stop punishing pure users and allocate our limited resources to the “dealers”? Do we legalize recreational pot use and stick to the bad drugs, the addictive drugs, the ones that melt people’s minds? Should incarceration include mandated “long term” professional therapy, which may be the best bet for long-term recovery?
I do know that there is a huge amount of money…billions…being made at the top of the drug food chain, most from outside of our boarders, so then there is that.
In the end, the problem comes down to this…it takes manpower and money to do all the above, something that politicians will tell you that we do not have. But sadly, that is what I believe the answer is, and yes it will cost lots and lots of money. So what is a human life worth? Not much I guess.
really says
10 4 TB. Heck 10s of Millions dont even have HealthCare jobs or Income at present. Follow the Money. Too much being made passed around IMO
CB from PC says
Thank you Law Enforcement, EMT, Firefigghters and all First Responder personnel who continue to do their jobs with professionalism in these times.
And on the 9/11 anniversary, you and those who selflessly gave their lives, had their lives cur short due to illness, YOU ARE THE HEROES.
Helen says
Selling small amounts of dope to mantian your own addiction is not being a “Drug Dealer”.
Most all these people arrested are just petty drug users that sell amongst themselves to support their own drug addiction.
Where are the rehabillitation centers in the county? And why entrap them near a school? No other reason then to pile charges on a drug addict that actually needs help. Would love to see them bust a real drug dealer oner time and not some low level junkies that they parade in front of us like some big time criminals.
Mark says
Your logic eludes me. I guess if they steal to maintain their addition they aren’t really criminals. These petty drug users are criminals. I know one of these petty drug users personally. Doing drugs in front of their children, exposing their children to this lifestyle, She has repeatedly been to drug help. When is enough enough?
Reinhold Schlieper says
I am somewhat surprised that the entire list of these people is being published. Do we not withhold the “guilty” label until after adjudication by a court of law? Have we suspended the “innocent until proven guilty” rule? All these cases show that step 1 should be a decriminalization of drug use fully and completely, a controlled distribution of drugs to persons who are addicted, and an offer of rehabilitation to people who do suffer. I really wonder whether the sheriff’s stubborn approach to this problem is not severely misguided. There is something someone has said about doing the same procedure over and over again while expecting a different outcome each time.
Mark says
They have been found guilty numerous times.
Reinhold Schlieper says
So the rule that one is innocent until proven guilty takes only once to rescind for forever after? Man! I’m glad you’re no attorney. :-)
Really says
If one looks at the facts the continual incarceration release repeat over and over I feel better knowing they are or will be off Streets eventually. BTW huge drug use problem in your County. Just sayin