Joint county, city RICO investigation nets 24 drug-related arrests

STAFF REPORTS :::

A joint four-month investigation of the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office(SCSO) Special Operations Unit and the Griffin Police Department’s (GPD) Special Investigation Unit spanned five states – Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Alabama – resulted in the arrest of 24 individuals on a variety of drug-related and other charges and the seizure of property related to the alleged crimes.

According to Spalding County Sheriff Wendell Beam, six search warrants were executed in Griffin and Spalding County beginning at 3 a.m. Dec. 4. The SCSO Uniform Patrol Division and Warrant Division assisted in the search warrants at the following locations:

The 102 Blanton Mill Road residence of Allison Aubrey, Jason Tarleton, Shanda Pitts, Eric Johnson and Alexis Morgan

The 1514 Teakwood Drive residence of Howard and Jenna Long

The 128 Vineyard Road residence of Randy Howard, Rodney Howard and Brandi Lamura

The 207 McKneely Road, Barnesville, residence of James Williamson, David Milligan and Amanda Dutton

The 813 Swint Road residence of Tony Jones

The 1408 Bowling Lane USA Storage unit leased by Randy Howard

Those arrested include:

Tiffany N. Roberts, age 23, of 109 River Hill Road, Blacksboro, S.C., who is charged with trafficking methamphetamine, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, misdemeanor possession of marijuana, violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and use of a telecommunications device to facilitate a drug transaction

Hoss Hicks, age 34, of 415 Townsel Road, Chesnee, S.C., who is charged with possession of methamphetamine, violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and use of a telecommunications device to facilitate a drug transaction

Jessica Wilkes, age 28, of 109 Lake View Dr., Stockbridge, who is charged with violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and use of a telecommunications device to facilitate a drug transaction

Luis Bejarano Moran, age 21, of 2102 Waverly Parkway, Opelika, Ala., who is charged with violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act

Melissa Hardy, age 35, of 142 Wildwood Circle, who is charged with violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and use of a telecommunications device

Lindsay Thomas, age 31, of 340 Gresham Road, Zebulon, who is charged with violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, use of a telecommunication device to facilitate a drug transaction and pending violation of parole

Joshua Jones, age 34, of 1833 Patterson Road, who is charged with violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act, use of a telecommunication device to facilitate a drug transaction, possession of cocaine and possession of Schedule II narcotics (Hydrocodone)

Charles W. Martin, age 49, of 710 Concord Road, Concord, who is charged with violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act and use of a telecommunication device to facilitate a drug transaction

Rodney Howard, age 47, of 128 Vineyard Road, who is charged with violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act and use of a telecommunication device to facilitate a drug transaction

James Williamson, age 52, of 207 McKneely Road, Barnesville, who is charged with who is charged with violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act, use of a telecommunication device to facilitate a drug transaction, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and possession of a firearm with altered identification

Randy Howard, age 52, of 128 Vineyard Road, who is charged with who is charged with violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act, use of a telecommunication device to facilitate a drug transaction, pending violation of parole, and pending Grand Jury indictment on charges of trafficking methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of Schedule II narcotics

Allison Aubrey, age 20, of 102 Blanton Mill Road, who is charged with who is charged with violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act and use of a telecommunication device to facilitate a drug transaction

Tony Jones, age 42, of 813 Swint Road, who is charged with who is charged with violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act, use of a telecommunication device to facilitate a drug transaction and possession of an item (enclosed trailer) with altered identification

Howard C. Long, age 27, of 1514 Teakwood Drive, who is charged with who is charged with violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act use of a telecommunication device to facilitate a drug transaction, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a Schedule II narcotic, possession of a Schedule IV narcotic, possession of marijuana and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime

Oscar U. Alvarez, age 25, of 101 Veterans Parkway, Opelika, Ala., who is charged with who is charged with violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act and use of a telecommunication device to facilitate a drug transaction

Tiffany Long, age 31, of 112 Dobbins Mill Road, who is charged with violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act and use of a telecommunication device to facilitate a drug transaction

Jenna Long, age 29, of 1514 Teakwood Drive, who is charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of a Schedule II narcotic, possession of a Schedule IV narcotic and possession of marijuana

Jason B. Tarleton, age 19, of 102 Blanton Road, who is charged with conspiracy to purchase narcotics and use of a telecommunication device to facilitate a drug transaction

Alexis Morgan, age 34, of 73 Bartlett Drive, who is charged with possession of methamphetamine

Amanda Dutton, age 34, of 207 McKneely Road, who is charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of Schedule III narcotics and possession of marijuana

Eric Johnson, age 26, of 102 Blanton Mill Road, who is charged with who is charged with violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act and use of a telecommunication device to facilitate a drug transaction, possession of Schedule III narcotics and possession of marijuana

David Milligan, age 58, of 207 McKneely Road, who is charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime

In addition to the 24 arrests, the investigation resulted in the seizure of $76,000 cash; 13 vehicles; $50,000 in personal assets; five guns; and drugs including one pound of methamphetamine and numerous amounts of Methodone and Hydrocodone pills with a street value of $44,800.

Beam said he is appreciative of the assistance received from the GPD’s Chief Frank Strickland, Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney Scott Ballard, the Georgia State Patrol, the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office, the Banks County Sheriff’s Office, the Lamar County Sheriff’s Office, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Atlanta and South Carolina offices of the Drug Enforcement Administration.