For Immediate Release
December 7, 2018
PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Okaloosa and Walton County Sheriff’s Offices, Drug Enforcement Administration, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Miami-Dade Police Department and members of the North Florida High Intensity Drug Task Force arrested 21 suspects for running a drug trafficking organization from South Florida to the Panhandle. The investigation shows the suspects were distributing illegal prescription drugs in Miami-Dade, Broward, Walton and Okaloosa counties. Four suspects remain at large this morning.
Authorities began investigating the case after identifying a local drug ring in Okaloosa County whose members were obtaining large amounts of illegal drugs from South Florida and selling those drugs in Walton and Okaloosa counties.
“This massive drug interdiction operation WILL save lives and send a strong message to anyone trying to traffic opioids in our great state,” said Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. “This case is just one of many examples of how seamlessly our great law enforcement partners work together to stop drug trafficking and save lives.”
“We are pleased that the Statewide Prosecutor has worked with law enforcement in order to make these important arrests,” said State Attorney William Eddins, 1
st Judicial Circuit.
“Today’s illegal prescription drugs are extremely dangerous,” said FDLE Commissioner Rick Swearingen. “These arrests will make our communities safer, and I thank our FDLE agents and law enforcement partners for their work on this case.”
“This successful operation was a result of the hard work of men and women from multiple local, state and federal agencies whose late nights and relentless efforts helped take down a significant drug ring operating across the state,” said Okaloosa County Sheriff Larry R. Ashley.
The drug trafficking organization is accused of selling prescription painkillers including oxycodone and hydromorphone. Some of these drugs were obtained from pain clinics in South Florida. Investigators believe the suspects were a main source of illegal drugs in the Panhandle and South Florida as several shipments containing hundreds of illegal painkillers were intercepted by law enforcement.
Twenty-one suspects were arrested yesterday:
Victoria Bruton, 44, 5552 NW 9
th Ave., Miami, booked into Turner Gilford Knight Correctional Center.
- Trafficking in hydromorphone (conspiracy)
- Trafficking in hydromorphone, 2 counts
- Delivery of a controlled substance (conspiracy)
Tanisha Lashan Curry, 39, 355 NE 152
nd St., Miami, booked into Turner Gilford Knight Correctional Center.
- Armed sale, manufacture, delivery or possession of oxycodone with intent to sell
- Delivery of oxycodone (conspiracy)
- Possession of morphine
Clifford Erskin Howard, 51, 5552 NW 9
th Ave., Miami, booked into Turner Gilford Knight Correctional Center.
- Trafficking in oxycodone
- Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Ronald Wesley Fields, 54, 5020 NW 5
th Ave., Miami, booked into Turner Gilford Knight Correctional Center.
Michael Williams, 58, 1334 NW 55
th Terrace, Miami, booked into Turner Gilford Knight Correctional Center.
Joycelyn Dolores Green, 74, 2351 NW 135
th St., Apt. 7, Miami, booked into Turner Gilford Knight Correctional Center.
- Delivery of oxycodone (conspiracy)
Georgiana Williams, 31, 2358 Susan Dr., Crestview, already in custody at the Walton County Jail.
- Trafficking in hydromorphone (conspiracy)
- Trafficking in hydromorphone, 2 counts
Robin Godsey, 60, 6109 Willow Ln., Crestview, booked into the Okaloosa County Jail.
- Illegal use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony
- Conspiracy to possess a controlled substance
Randal Dees, 50, 129 Lonnie Jack Dr., Crestview, booked into the Okaloosa County Jail.
- Illegal use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony
- Conspiracy to possess a controlled substance
Tidalux Burgess, 73, 4000 Gulf Terrace Dr., Unit 175, Destin, booked into the Okaloosa County Jail.
- Illegal use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony
- Conspiracy to possess a controlled substance
Stormy Bones, 37, 165 B Downing St., Panama City Beach, booked into the Walton County Jail.
- Illegal use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony
- Conspiracy to possess a controlled substance
Matthew Barry, 27, 105 E. Renoir Rd., Defuniak Springs, booked into the Okaloosa County Jail.
- Illegal use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony
- Conspiracy to possess a controlled substance
Margaret Barbaree, 45, 498 E. Brock Ave., Crestview, booked into the Okaloosa County Jail.
- Illegal use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony
- Conspiracy to possess a controlled substance
Dana Bafetti Clah, 48, 101 Dogwood Ln., Crestview, already in custody at the Okaloosa County Jail.
- Illegal use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony
- Conspiracy to possess a controlled substance
Gary Thibault, 43, 3042 Quasar Dr., Crestview, booked into the Okaloosa County Jail.
- Illegal use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony
- Conspiracy to possess a controlled substance
Tyshaun Tarver, 39, 1889 Interstate Cir., Pensacola, booked into the Okaloosa County Jail.
- Illegal use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony
- Conspiracy to possess a controlled substance
Michelle Rogers, 42, 686 E. Cobb Ave., Crestview, booked into the Okaloosa County Jail.
- Illegal use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony
- Conspiracy to possess a controlled substance
Stacey Minick, 39, 408 Ashley St., Crestview, booked into the Okaloosa County Jail.
- Illegal use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony
- Conspiracy to possess a controlled substance
Ashley McDaniel, 36, 1780 Batson Ln., Apt. 21, Cantonment, booked into the Okaloosa County Jail.
- Illegal use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony
- Conspiracy to possess a controlled substance
Jonathan Grice, 37, 602 Lee Ave., Crestview, already in custody at the Okaloosa County Jail.
- Illegal use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony
- Conspiracy to possess a controlled substance
Elizabeth Haire, 71, 1540 Richmond Lane, Bainbridge, Georgia, booked into the Decatur County Jail.
- Trafficking in hydromorphone (conspiracy)
Four suspects remain at large this morning:
Daniel Bertram, 49, 603 S. 2
nd St., Destin.
- Illegal use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony
- Conspiracy to possess a controlled substance
Tiffany Russell, 34, 320 Tedder Rd., Defuniak Springs.
- Illegal use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony
- Conspiracy to possess a controlled substance
Vickie Renee Acevedo, 49, 4844 Everglades Circle, Kissimmee.
- Sale of a controlled substance
- Conspiracy to possess a controlled substance
- Illegal use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony
Gabriel W. Manley, 48, 4332 NW 11
th Ave, Miami.
- Sale of a controlled substance
- Conspiracy to possess a controlled substance
- Illegal use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony
In addition to the arrests, agents served a search warrant at the shared residence of suspects Bruton and Howard in Miami yesterday.
The case will be prosecuted by the Office of Statewide Prosecution and Office of the State Attorney, 1
st Judicial Circuit.
For further information contact:
Gretl Plessinger, Jessica Cary, Jeremy Burns or Angela Starke
(850) 410-7001
(407) 988-5009, Tampa and Orlando