SirBlazinBowl
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Tip-offs may have foiled an Alachua County Sheriff's Office sting operation Sunday evening meant to end in the arrest of at least 29 people on drug-related charges. By 10 p.m., the sheriff's office had arrested only one of the suspects, but seven other arrests were made. "We expected more," said spokesman Lt. Jim Troiano, speculating some suspects may have been tipped off. "We do know the phones light up when we come into town. The fact nobody was out was a sign that perhaps they did get a message." In addition, he said, many suspects are transient, so police can only guess which homes they will be in when officers attempt to serve a warrant.Sunday night's warrants were for low-level, or street-level, Archer and Newberry, Troiano said. The court documents were obtained after undercover operatives and cooperating informants purchased drugs up to five times from each individual, according to police. They make many purchases to build a solid case before requesting a warrant from a judge, Troiano said.
While some identities were uncovered through informants, police were tipped off about the majority of the dealers by community members who saw suspicious activity. On Sunday night, about two dozen police set out in unmarked vehicles, attempting to serve the warrants in homes and in known public meeting places. While few of the desired individuals were found, police did make arrests when people "trespassing" on public property were questioned. On Archer's Magnolia Street, police found a group of cars congregated at a city-owned building marked "no trespassing." Deputy C.W. Phillips said the odor of marijuana emanated from one vehicle, and a search later uncovered a bag of what appeared to be 61.8 grams of the drug, which is worth about $620. Police arrested Mandingo Boykim, who was sitting in the passenger seat under which it was found.
While Deputy Josh Crews read him his rights, Boykim's parents stood watching nearby. Troiano said the son had just gotten out of jail on previous marijuana charges. Watching Phillips guide another arrestee into a police van, Troiano said, "We were reminiscing that we arrested people 20 years ago for the same thing in the same place, but it was just different people." Overhearing Troiano, Phillips added, "When I came here in '83, I was chasing them up and down Magnolia all night long." While police questioned several men they had found along Magnolia Street, neighbors began congregating to watch. Children rode up on their bicycles. One resident walked down the street in her slippers. Others stood watching from their yards.
Though most were silent observers, Troiano said many community members in Archer, Newberry and other towns have complained about drug activity.
"Our message to them is, 'We hear you loud and clear,'" he said. The lieutenant said drug activity has significantly decreased over the years, but acknowledged, "There's still a lot of problems." Police are criticized for making fewer drug-related arrests in more up-scale areas, he said, but - since drug activity is less often on the streets and more often hidden indoors - it's harder to spot. "These are the ones we're hearing the most about," he said while en route to a suspect's Newberry residence. Many of the cases police build are within 1,000 feet of churches and schools, he noted, which increases the penalties suspects face. ACSO's Narcotics Commander John Redmond said the current cases are the result of three to four months of police work, and there's plenty more to come. "Literally every day, I get two or three phone calls," he said, though many tipsters won't give their names because they're either neighbors or family members of the drug dealers they're reporting. He said the latest drug activity has "pretty much been wide open on the street," but added the new string of arrests will quell some drug activity, and what remains will be hidden within residences until dealers think police aren't watching anymore. Sheriffs conduct the stings every few months, but their undercover work carries on continuously.
Newshawk: SirBlazinBowl - 420Times.com
Source: Gainesville Sun, The (FL)
Copyright: 2005 The Gainesville Sun
Contact: voice@gvillesun.com
Website:https://www.sunone.com/
Author: Tiffany Pakkala,
While some identities were uncovered through informants, police were tipped off about the majority of the dealers by community members who saw suspicious activity. On Sunday night, about two dozen police set out in unmarked vehicles, attempting to serve the warrants in homes and in known public meeting places. While few of the desired individuals were found, police did make arrests when people "trespassing" on public property were questioned. On Archer's Magnolia Street, police found a group of cars congregated at a city-owned building marked "no trespassing." Deputy C.W. Phillips said the odor of marijuana emanated from one vehicle, and a search later uncovered a bag of what appeared to be 61.8 grams of the drug, which is worth about $620. Police arrested Mandingo Boykim, who was sitting in the passenger seat under which it was found.
While Deputy Josh Crews read him his rights, Boykim's parents stood watching nearby. Troiano said the son had just gotten out of jail on previous marijuana charges. Watching Phillips guide another arrestee into a police van, Troiano said, "We were reminiscing that we arrested people 20 years ago for the same thing in the same place, but it was just different people." Overhearing Troiano, Phillips added, "When I came here in '83, I was chasing them up and down Magnolia all night long." While police questioned several men they had found along Magnolia Street, neighbors began congregating to watch. Children rode up on their bicycles. One resident walked down the street in her slippers. Others stood watching from their yards.
Though most were silent observers, Troiano said many community members in Archer, Newberry and other towns have complained about drug activity.
"Our message to them is, 'We hear you loud and clear,'" he said. The lieutenant said drug activity has significantly decreased over the years, but acknowledged, "There's still a lot of problems." Police are criticized for making fewer drug-related arrests in more up-scale areas, he said, but - since drug activity is less often on the streets and more often hidden indoors - it's harder to spot. "These are the ones we're hearing the most about," he said while en route to a suspect's Newberry residence. Many of the cases police build are within 1,000 feet of churches and schools, he noted, which increases the penalties suspects face. ACSO's Narcotics Commander John Redmond said the current cases are the result of three to four months of police work, and there's plenty more to come. "Literally every day, I get two or three phone calls," he said, though many tipsters won't give their names because they're either neighbors or family members of the drug dealers they're reporting. He said the latest drug activity has "pretty much been wide open on the street," but added the new string of arrests will quell some drug activity, and what remains will be hidden within residences until dealers think police aren't watching anymore. Sheriffs conduct the stings every few months, but their undercover work carries on continuously.
Newshawk: SirBlazinBowl - 420Times.com
Source: Gainesville Sun, The (FL)
Copyright: 2005 The Gainesville Sun
Contact: voice@gvillesun.com
Website:https://www.sunone.com/
Author: Tiffany Pakkala,
