Sheriff: Inmate ran Florida meth business from Georgia jail

VBI/FBI Operation Extended Stay

METH DISTRIBUTION RING TRACED BACK TO GEORGIA PRISON, DISMANTLED Today, members of the Volusia Sheriff’s Office, Volusia Bureau of Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Florida Attorney General’s Office announced the dismantling of a methamphetamine and pill distribution organization that was being led from a prison cell in Georgia. The organization is believed to be responsible for distributing more than 200 pounds of crystal meth in Volusia County over the past year alone. VBI and the FBI launched a multi-jurisdictional investigation “Operation Extended Stay” in December 2018. The ringleader, 42-year-old Jeffery White, is currently incarcerated in the Washington State Prison in Washington County, Ga., where he is serving a 20-year sentence for aggravated assault. He ran the organization via a contraband cell phone. Other upper- and mid-level members of the organization were operating out of locations including DeLand, Edgewater and Crescent City, where VBI and FBI task force members executed a series of search warrants Friday. Those search warrants and previous searches during the operation resulted in the recovery of about 20 pounds of crystal meth, 327 pressed fentanyl pills, 64 Dilaudids, assorted other pills, marijuana, 5 guns (one stolen) and about $41,000 cash. “Our job here isn’t done,” Sheriff Mike Chitwood said, “but thanks to months of hard work by everyone involved in this operation, today there’s a little less crystal meth and fentanyl out on the street and a few more drug dealers behind bars. I call that a good day. We’re going to keep after it, and if you’re dealing drugs in Volusia County, one day you’re going to hear us knocking on the door.” In total, close to 40 arrest warrants and four search warrants were issued by the time the task force set out Friday morning. Twenty-eight members have been arrested as of this writing, with additional arrests expected in the near future. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution is prosecuting the cases. “Methamphetamine use destroys lives and rips families apart, and we will not allow traffickers to terrorize our communities by selling these extremely dangerous drugs on Florida streets,” Moody said. “Today’s arrests should send a strong message to anyone trying to cook or sell meth in our state that our Statewide Prosecutors and law enforcement partners are determined to seek you out and lock you up.” The defendants whose names are available for release at this time are: · Jeffery White, 42 (DOB 10/12/1977), leader, Washington State Prison, Ga. · Pedro Zamora, 29 (DOB 2/6/1990), 155 Denver Road, Crescent City (search warrant location) · Nora Lamb, 35 (DOB 12/23/1983)* · Gregory Hood, 39 (DOB 3/7/1980), 709 Kentucky St., Daytona Beach · Jerome Jones, 39 (DOB 2/16/1980) · Jose Peralez, 364 Circle Drive, DeLand (search warrant location) · Myrtis Whytus Jr., 28 (DOB 2/20/1991) · Bobby Goosby, 33 (DOB 11/22/1985), 1135 W. Winnemissett Ave., DeLand (search warrant location) · Michael Keith Bissell, 41 (DOB 8/28/1978), 2625 Westwood Ave., New Smyrna Beach · Rex Bissell, 24 (DOB 11/1/1995), 2569 Belmont Ave., New Smyrna Beach · Michael Baldwin, 45 (DOB 10/2/1974), 667 Wing Terrace, Deltona · Corey Taber, 26 (DOB 3/8/1993), DeLand · Keandera Robertson, 31 (DOB 11/14/1987) · Kyle Nowell, 33 (DOB 2/6/1986), 1858 Orange Tree Drive, Edgewater · Jason Gress, 43 (DOB 2/14/1976), 1101 Regent St., Edgewater · Edward Hargis, 35 (DOB 7/13/1984), 2518 Sabal Palm Drive, Edgewater · Sara Denn, 39 (DOB 10/16/1980), 604 Arnold Drive, Daytona Beach* · Randell Holley, 61 (DOB 12/27/1957), 3128 Carmie Drive, Edgewater · Larry Butcher, 76 (DOB 1/5/1943), 1729 Royal Palm Drive, Edgewater (search warrant location) · Sheena Robinson, 34 (DOB 3/22/1985), 941 Duncan Road, South Daytona · Jeffrey Barnes II, 41 (DOB 8/20/1978), 802 Angelfish Ave., New Smyrna Beach · Melissa Mahan, 48 (DOB 8/11/1971), 55 Ormond Shores Drive, Ormond Beach · Brienna Vickers, 24 (DOB 9/30/1995), 113 W. Pine Bluff St., Edgewater · Abraham Sanchez, 47 (DOB 11/21/1971), 895 Old Mission Road, New Smyrna Beach · John Luke, 41 (DOB 10/8/1978), 1930 Sunny Palm Drive or 1408 Avenue C, Ormond Beach · Christina Stemmerman, 48 (DOB 1/8/1971), 2428 Old Samsula Road or 2056 Halifax Drive, Port Orange · Aaron Robison, 41 (DOB 12/2/1977), 2529 Woodland Drive, Edgewater · Kelly Rogers, 31 (DOB 12/5/1987), 2519 Sabal Palm Drive, Edgewater, or 886 McDonald Road, Port Orange · Forrest Sumner, 46 (DOB 5/17/1973), 1550 Boyce Circle, Edgewater · Steven Jeffers, 35 (DOB 4/27/1984), 805 S. Ridgewood Ave. #21, Edgewater · Stacey Hackney, 39 (DOB 5/16/1980), 4325 Indiana River Drive W, Edgewater · Amanda Clifford, 40 (DOB 6/18/1979), 808 NE 16th Ave., Ocala* · Edward Langlois, 51 (DOB 7/23/1968), 1433 Springleaf Drive, Ormond Beach · Roger Reigelsperger, 58 (DOB 3/21/1961), 131 Ormond Shores Drive, Ormond Beach *Defendants with asterisks were already in custody at the Volusia County Branch Jail at the time of the operation. The Volusia Bureau of Investigation is a Central Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area initiative led by the Volusia Sheriff’s Office along with the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution, the Daytona Beach Police Department, Daytona Beach Shores Department of Public Safety, DeLand Police Department, Edgewater Police Department and New Smyrna Beach Police Department. The FBI Safe Streets Task Force, Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Putnam County Sheriff’s Office also participated in this operation, along with the East and West Volusia Narcotics Task Forces and Crime Suppression Teams. The Georgia Department of Corrections also provided valuable assistance.

Posted by Volusia Sheriff's Office on Sunday, November 10, 2019