LUMPKIN COUNTY, Ga. — (Editor's note: The video above this story is related to a GBI heroin bust from August.)
More than a dozen people were arrested this week in north Georgia as part of a sting on a drug trafficking ring, the Lumpkin County Sheriff's Office said Thursday.
The sheriff's office said 12 were arrested in connection to a yearlong investigation and charged with violations of the Racketeering and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, while an additional two people were arrested while the original 12 warrants were being served.
"Throughout the investigation, law enforcement seized multiple kilograms of methamphetamine, multiple kilograms of heroin, and a large amount of U.S. currency along with other assets," a release said.
The sheriff's office identified 34-year-old Jeremy Ball, who is currently already incarcerated in the Georgia Department of Corrections system, as the "primary suspect of the investigation."
He and 11 other Lumpkin County residents were charged with RICO Act violations. They include:
- Lisa Andrews, 35
- Justin Walker, 33
- Casey Daughtry, 41
- Kimberly Biggs, 26
- Justin Newell, 30
- Candice Newell, 32
- Morgan Lee, 35
- Cedric Bearden, 41
- Shannon Perry Major, 49
- Carrie Stephens, 38
- Sandra Sullens, 39
According to the sheriff's office, 57-year-old James Graham was charged with possession of methamphetamine and drug-related objects, and 34-year-old Gary Dowdle was arrested on outstanding warrants for previous crimes in Habersham County.
"The investigation is ongoing and further charges are pending," the release said.
The sheriff's office said the investigation was conducted in coordination with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office, and the arrests were made in conjunction with the GBI and FBI's Safe Streets Task Force.