FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. – A monthslong investigation into drug activity in Fernandina Beach resulted in dozens of arrests on a variety of felony drug charges, the Nassau County Sheriff's Office announced Thursday.
Operation City Sweep involved multiple undercover operations in Fernandina Beach after residents complained of drug activity and first responders were called to numerous drug-related medical calls.
“So far during 2018, 14 people have died as a result of drug overdoses in Nassau County,” Sheriff Bill Leeper said. “People who buy illegal drugs are playing Russian roulette with their lives. They have no idea what the drugs are cut with, or their potential potency.”
Leeper said overdoses are the heartbreaking reality that comes with illegal drugs.
"In one of the drug overdose and death cases that we responded to, we found the person lying on the bathroom floor with a needle he was shooting up with still stuck in his arm," Leeper said. "It killed him instantly."
A total of 30 people were arrested on 118 charges -- 97 felony, 21 misdemeanor.
Items seized during the operation included 60 grams of pills, 26 grams of cocaine, 34.5 grams of methamphetamine, 53 grams of heroin, 214 grams of marijuana, $7,998 cash, four handguns and two vehicles, Leeper said.
“The people who were involved in this operation are not your casual drug user,” Leeper said. “These are drug dealers and repeat offenders.”
The Sheriff's Office said many of the drug deals occurred near schools and churches.
Among those arrested was Jonel Bernabe Rios, who is a self-described member of the street gang “Folk Nation," deputies said. He was caught selling drugs at and near Central Park, where children play, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Brass knuckles, a sawed-off shotgun, two handguns and bong masks were found in his home, deputies said.
Rios, 20, is charged with possession and sale of a controlled substance.
Deputies said James Daniel Barber, a felon, offered to sell a handgun in his possession to an undercover detective during the operation. According to deputies, Barber said he didn’t know if the gun had any "bodies" on it yet -- meaning whether it had been used to shoot anyone -- but he was pretty sure it was "hot.”
The gun had not been reported stolen, deputies said.
Barber, 33, is charged with possession of meth and heroin and possession of a firearm by a felon.
In addition to Rios and Barber, the 28 others arrested in Operation City Sweep were:
- Randall Grey Jones, 30, sale of meth, Fernandina Beach
- Erica Danielle Barber, 40, sale of meth, Fernandina Beach
- Joseph Daniel Eusey, 41, trafficking in heroin, MDMA and opiates, Fernandina Beach
- Jordan Keith Warner, 19, sale of marijuana, Fernandina Beach
- Victoria Morgan Altman, 27, sale of cocaine, Fernandina Beach
- Danny Dewayne Dawson, 41, sale of cocaine, Fernandina Beach
- Marlenea Rose Carter, 41, possession of meth, Fernandina Beach
- Nason Vincent Jones, 31, sale of controlled substance, Fernandina Beach
- Gerrick Roshuard Melton, 28, sale of cocaine, Fernandina Beach
- Angela Dawn Greene, 51, sale of controlled substance, Yulee
- George Charles Delmar, 53, sale of meth, Fernandina Beach
- Shawn David Jones, 39, sale of meth, Fernandina Beach
- Chyna Louise Romedy, 18, sale of controlled substance, Fernandina Beach
- Christy Danielle Watkins, 24, sale of meth, Fernandina Beach
- Samantha Elizabeth Gilmer, 31, sale of meth, Jacksonville
- Laquan Reshard Richo, 29, sale of meth, Fernandina Beach
- Jason Brandon Harris, 36, sale of controlled substance/heroin, Fernandina Beach
- Terri Anne Dubberly, 34, sale of controlled substance/heroin, Yulee
- Crystal Danielle Fletcher, 38, sale of meth, Fernandina Beach
- Andrea Simmons Rowland, 41, sale of meth, Fernandina Beach
- Brian David McAndrew, 39, sale of marijuana, Fernandina Beach
- Leah Michelle Gosline, 41, sale of meth, Fernandina Beach
- Chandler Lee Cook, 27, sale of marijuana, Fernandina Beach
- David Lamar James Jr., 25, sale of marijuana, Fernandina Beach
- Mandi Marie Hatch, 39, sale of meth, Yulee
- Reginald Brown II, 35, sale of cocaine, Fernandina Beach
- Jacqueline Marie Rogers, 30, sale of meth, Fernandina Beach
- Holly Nicole Poling, 24, possession of controlled substance, Yulee
The Sheriff's Office said it asks anyone who knows someone dealing illegal drugs to please call deputies to report it or call Crime Stoppers to give an anonymous tip.
“We have made it clear that if you sell illegal drugs in Nassau County, we're going to target you through one of our operations," Leeper said. "If we didn't get you in the past and didn’t get you this time, hopefully we'll get you in the future. This operation serves as a reminder that we will not tolerate this kind of activity in our community."
During Operation City Sweep, detectives were alerted to a separate meth ring operating between Georgia and Fernandina Beach, Leeper said. The accused leader of that drug ring is a former Georgia law enforcement officer.