CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — The Clay County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday 44 people are behind bars following a massive drug bust.
In January, Sheriff Michelle Cook, along with her leadership team, say they took a hard look at the drug issues in Clay County and discussed strategies on how to best combat them.
Deputies say all illegal drug activity was traced to the Clay Hill and Middleburg areas and Operation Hammer and Hope was launched in an effort to fight against drugs and drug dealers in the area.
There were more than 100 charges from the cases, including over 80 felonies.
”If you are a drug dealer understand that we have a highly trained and professional team of patrol deputies and detectives who love our community and will not allow you to prey upon our children and families,” Cook said.
The following drugs were recovered by deputies:
Meth: 188.11 grams
Cocaine: 61.5 grams
Crack Cocaine: 3.64 grams
Fentanyl: 72.62 grams
Heroin: 39.3 grams
LSD: .2 grams
MDMA: 3.5 grams
Marijuana: 506.3 grams
Marijuana edibles: 143.3 grams
Mushrooms: 2.5 grams
THC Gummies: 10.5 grams
Pills: 30 (assorted)
Pressed Pills: 196 (not prescription)
Sheriff Cook says drugs are a real problem in Clay County, with over 500 drug-related arrests and 23 confirmed overdose deaths in 2021 so far.
If you’re struggling with addiction, you can get help Friday at Wilkinson Elementary School from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will also be a no-questions-asked drug drop-off location.
”Drugs don’t just affect one person. They cause crime, that crime creates additional victims. They hurt parents and siblings and spouses and most of all our children,” Cook said.
The sheriff says getting drugs off Clay County’s streets couldn’t have been done without the community’s help.
ARRESTS FROM OPERATION HAMMER AND HOPE
1. Timothy James Middleton
2. Sheila Bryant Butler
3. Christopher Lee Hasten
4. Loretta Jenena Dyal
5. Michael Shawn Lanford
6. Adrian Antonio Battle
7. Edgar Tracy Pierre
8. Kenneth David Clifton Jr.
9. Deandre Rashad Hartley
10. Benjamin Stephen Anthony Fleming
11. Terry Lee Jones Jr.
12. Bryan Richard Harvey
13. Tara Autumn Trimble
14. Joseph Lee Lunsford
15. Candy Ann Yates
16. Marty Wayne Povlitzki
17. Megan Takara Howell
18. Elizabeth Ellen Carlisle
19. Richard Doyle Keene
20. Kristine Nicole Madej
21. Christopher Austin Matuse
22. John Frazier Mills
23. Joshua Kyle Meye