Charleston police made six arrests after a search warrant execution on the city's West Side Thursday morning in an area known as "Slater Alley."
The arrests in the 1800 block of Seventh Avenue came following a lengthy investigation by the agency's Special Enforcement Unit that started in August. Police said citizen complaints prompted the investigation.
"During the search, officers located firearms, narcotics, a large amount of money and suspected stolen property," Lt. Tony Hazelett said.
Anthony Hairston, 65, of Charleston and Steven Slater, 56, were considered the targets of the raid but four others were taken into custody on various outstanding warrants.
Hairston is charged with conspiracy, receiving and transferring stolen property and and two counts of delivery of fentanyl. Slater is charged with three counts of conspiracy, three counts of delivery of fentanyl and one count of receiving or transferring stolen goods.
According to criminal complaints filed in Kanawha County Magistrate Court, SEU detectives started investigating two homes in the 1800 block of Seventh Avenue for allegedly selling drugs and stolen property.
Police said Hairston, on two different occasions, traded fentanyl with a confidential informant for clothes police said he knew, or had reason to believe, were stolen.
Slater is accused of trading fentanyl for two stolen catalytic converters.
"Mr. Slater utilized another person in the residence to facilitate the transaction by giving the controlled substance to the other person, who then provided them to the confidential informant," Detective Travis Bailes wrote in the criminal complaint.
On another occasion, police said Slater facilitated a transaction where a confidential informant was given one half gram of fentanyl in exchange for $100 cash.
"Slater utilized another person in the residence to take the cash on his behalf and gave the controlled substances to the confidential informant," Bailes said in the complaint.
Police also said, on another date, Slater exchanged more fentanyl with a confidential informant for cash. This time, however, police said Slater used someone in the home who was armed with a gun to "provide security for the transaction."
Also arrested were:
- Izak Surface, 19, of Charleston - Municipal capias for controlled substance and state warrant for domestic battery
- Shane Harless, 25, of Charleston - State capias for controlled substance and municipal court capias
- Louise Lanham, 51, of Charleston - Municipal court capias
- Autumn Wiseman, 21, of Clendenin - Municipal court capias
Police said three others were wanted in the investigation on these charges but have not been arrested. They are:
- Justin Casto, 40, of Charleston - Conspiracy
- Katherine Williams, 30 , of Charleston - Delivery of fentanyl, conspiracy, transferring and receiving stolen goods and family court capias
- Timothy Burdette, 37, of Charleston - Delivery of fentanyl, conspiracy and family court capias
Police said the building commission also responded and posted the residence for having no utilities.