The Mobile Police Department is cracking down on harmful drugs like meth and crack cocaine being brought into our community.
Thursday day, police arrested 10 people who they say were bringing drugs into the Glen Acres community and we got exclusive behind the scenes access as they conducted Operation Green Acres. Law enforcement says the Mobile Police Department is committed to getting rid of illegal drugs and other related crimes in our community. It's a small part of the police department's plan to make Mobile that safest city in America.
In the early morning hours, while most people were sleeping the Mobile Police Department was up and at ‘em.
"The goal of anything we do, especially in these operations is to not just arrest those that are selling drugs and not just to put people in jail, but to do it as safely as possible," says Johnathan Lee, Captain of MPD Special Investigations and Narcotic and Vice Unit.
NBC 15 exclusively road along with police, SWAT, the special enforcement team, the canine detail, and the 4th precinct as they conducted Operation Green Acres. A finish to a 3 month long investigation.
"We had some complaints of drug activity. We also had some property crime issues in that area," says Lee.
Officers went undercover into the Glen Acres community to see for themselves.
"We primarily bought methamphetamine also bought crack cocaine in that area,” says Lee. “So, what we did today is we did 6 search warrants, we did 1 last week and 5 this week."
Police identified subjects that were selling drugs in the community, using what law enforcement call ‘hot spot policing’ to catch the perpetrators.
"We go into an area that has crime and we go after the drugs, go after the people selling it, but what we mistake from people on the outside looking in is that everyone in that area is involved or condones criminal activity and that is not the case, the vast majority of people that live in those areas want the police there," he says.
Lee saying many people that live in high crime areas are scared to speak up out of fear of retaliation.
Police arrested 10 individuals, executed 6 search warrants, and seized one firearm. Along with methamphetamine and crack cocaine, law enforcement also seized marijuana, MDMA, and illegal prescription pills. Conducting these raids early in the morning as a safety precaution, before kids go to school.
"The safety of everyone involved, but especially the children is really paramount,” says Lee. "Because there's drug worth a child's life and at the same time you have to go in those environments and a lot of times when we do enforcement, drug dealers will set things up in public areas to blend in with the public, so there's always that balance."
One thing Lee says is they've been seeing more recently when conducting these raids is fentanyl. He says they mostly see it in pill form and it's a trend that's very alarming.
PRESS RELEASE:
In an effort to combat the sale of illegal drugs, the Mobile Police Department conducted a successful operation in the Glen Acres community.
With the support of the members of the Fourth Precinct, the Narcotics and Vice Unit spent three months collecting intelligence on suspects involved in drug sales and property crimes in the area.
The operation culminated in the execution of six search warrants by the Narcotics and Vice Unit, SWAT, SET, the Canine Detail, and the Fourth Precinct.
This operation resulted in the arrest of ten individuals and the seizure of illegal drugs, which included confiscated crystal methamphetamine, marijuana, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), illegal prescription pills, and one handgun.
The Mobile Police Department's commitment to eradicating the sale of illegal drugs and related crimes in the community is reflected in this operation.
Individuals Arrested: 10
Targets Arrested: 5
Wanted Targets: 7
Search Warrants Executed: 6
Firearms Seized: 1
Targets:
Timothy Helton DOB: 3/01/1983
Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance
Possession of Marijuana 2nd Degree
Possession of Controlled Substance
Jacob Manning DOB: 01/21/2004
Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance
Dylan Sockriter DOB: 01/06/1999
Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance
Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance
Trafficking Morphine
Possession of Controlled Substance
Possession of Marijuana 2nd Degree
Randall Yonker DOB: 3/13/1963
Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Robert Bailey DOB:11/25/1984
Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance
Possession of Marijuana 2nd Degree
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Ancillary Arrests:
Brittany Stiles DOB: 11/23/1993
Possession of Controlled Substance
Probation Revocation
Emily Black DOB: 02/05/1993
Possession of Marijuana 2nd Degree
Possession of Marijuana 2nd Degree (Warrant)
Kevin Strickland DOB: 11/26/1974
Probation Revocation
Michael Finch DOB: 03/24/1965
Receiving Stolen Property 4th Degree
No Driver’s License (Warrant)
Fail to Register New Vehicle (Warrant)
No Insurance (Warrant)
Daniel Butler DOB: 10/13/1983
Possession of Marijuana 2nd Degree
Outstanding Warrants:
1. Joseph Seitz DOB: 12/04/1976
Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance
2. Roy Carter DOB: 09/29/1980
Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance
3. Minton Matthews DOB: 12/31/1962
Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance
4. James Carter DOB: 04/18/1979
Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance
David Draughon DOB: 12/04/1976
Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance
Alexander Waldrop DOB: 10/24/1993
Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance
Theft of Property 1st Degree
Possession of Marijuana 2nd Degree
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card
Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card
Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card
Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card
Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card