NEWS RELEASE
Nassau County Sheriff’s Office
Bill Leeper, Sheriff
July 2, 2015, 1:00 p.m.
The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office today announced the results of “Operation Sorry for the Weight” which was an operation conducted to reduce illegal drug activity within the Fernandina Beach area.
Over the past few months the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division, with assistance from the Fernandina Beach Police Department, has conducted numerous undercover drug operations within our community. Based on these operations warrants were obtained on several individuals.
During Operation Sorry for the Weight law enforcement officers were able to arrest 23 felons and take them off the streets. A total of 50 felony charges were made.
Numerous types of drugs were recovered ranging from Marijuana, Powder Cocaine, Crack Cocaine, Morphine, Methamphetamine, Xanax, Hydrocodone, Oxycodone, and items of drug paraphernalia. Detectives also seized a 2001 Saturn, a 1999 Ford Crown Victoria, and a 1997 Buick Century, along with $592 in cash. All subjects arrested were booked into the Nassau County Detention Facility on their respective charges.
“We’re going to continue to investigate drug crimes in this county relentlessly,” said Sheriff Bill Leeper. “We will continue to make cases against drug dealers and will do our best to put them behind bars where they belong. If you have knowledge of someone dealing illegal drugs within Nassau County please let us know.”
Those arrested during Operation Sorry for the Weight are:
• Tiera S. Moss, 25, Fernandina Beach, Possession of Marijuana less than 20 grams
• Vanandes M. Mercer, 26, Fernandina Beach, Sale of Marijuana
• Darius A. Blash, 24, Fernandina Beach, Possession of Cocaine & Marijuana
• Franklin E. Smith, 25, Fernandina Beach, Sale of Cocaine; Possession of Cocaine & Marijuana
• Laquan J. Shaw-Atwater, 20, Fernandina Beach, Sale of Marijuana
• Leon I. Thomas, 24, Fernandina Beach, Sale of Marijuana
• James E. Washington, 23, Fernandina Beach, Sale of Cocaine
• Earl L. Coleman, 52, Fernandina Beach, Sale of Cocaine
• James S. Raysor, 47, Fernandina Beach, Sale of Cocaine
• Sam Lee, 54, Fernandina Beach, Sale of Cocaine
• Kenya D. Dixon, 36, Fernandina Beach, Sale of Cocaine
• Tarurus L. Fleming, 41, Fernandina Beach, Sale of Cocaine
• Santaurus Q. Brizele, 24, Fernandina Beach, Sale of Marijuana & Cocaine
• Joshua L. Southers, 22, Fernandina Beach, Sale of Marijuana, Cocaine, Controlled Substance
• Xavier I. Stewart, 19, Fernandina Beach, Sale of Marijuana
• Steven A. Brown, 27, Fernandina Beach, Sale of Cocaine
• Jermaine L. Martin, 31, Fernandina Beach, Sale of Cocaine
• Corey D. French, 28, Fernandina Beach, Sale of Cocaine & Controlled Substance
• Dartaine L. Dunwood, 22, Fernandina Beach, Sale of Cocaine & Marijuana
• Kevin T. Lee, 34, Fernandina Beach, Sale of Marijuana
• Lavone M. Hutchinson, 29, Fernandina Beach, Sale of Controlled Substance
• Waylon C. Wilder, 34, Fernandina Beach, Sale of Methamphetamine
• Jauron R. Hyers, 16, Fernandina Beach, Sale of Marijuana
Outstanding warrants have been issued for the following individuals:
• Adam J. Galvin, 25, Fernandina Beach, Sale of Controlled Substance
• Malik Y. Moultrie, 24, Fernandina Beach, Sale of Marijuana
Those are a lot of people ‘dealing’ for such a small town. Is the drug problem ‘BIG’ here? If the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office continues to stay aggressive like this, that’s a good thing.
Well, I think quantities might have helped to determine what is really going in the “drug” locally.
The first individual on the arrest list is being charged with possession of less than 20 grams of pot. Is this really necessary? Pot is now legal in four States and partially legal in several others.
The statistics from Colorado show nothing but positive results from the legalization of marijuana.
Arresting a 25 year old person in this day with less than 20 grams of pot is absolutely ridiculous. Posting this as an arrest in how wonderful this operation was for the community is pathetic. Nothing positive for the community arises out of this arrest.
Completely agree with Ray. It’s way past time to back off of marijuana enforcement. There are bigger problems in Nassau County.
We are spending too much money on jail time for minor crimes. The U.S. has the greatest percentage of its people behind bars. There needs to be structural changes in jurisprudence.
“During Operation Sorry for the Weight law enforcement officers were able to arrest 23 felons and take them off the street.”
So are these folks already “felons” from previous activity? Or is the language just sloppy? Do they really mean these folks have been arrested on felony charges and await adjudication?
It’s an important distinction since it could mean that these 23 have been previously convicted and are living in FB.