Lancaster cops went undercover to buy drugs. Roundup nets 32, with more to come

Agents arrested 32 people, ranging from ages 17 to 71, in a drug bust early Thursday after a months-long investigation, according to the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office.

Fifty people with outstanding arrest warrants were targeted in the string of arrests, and 30 were arrested. Two additional suspects were arrested during the operation.

Drug task force agents are still looking for 20 more suspects.

The 50 people with outstanding warrants include 11 women and 39 men.

Seventeen of the charges were in response to drug sales near schools or parks in Lancaster, the Heath Springs area and Kershaw, including: Barr Street School, South Side School, Buckelew Park, Stafford Belk Park, Gay Street basketball courts, Springdale Recreation Complex, Heath Springs Park, Kershaw Elementary School and Stevens Park, according to the sheriff’s office.

Lancaster County Sheriff Barry Faile said the arrests were the result of drug task force undercover buys from March through July.

“I am extremely proud of the drug task force. If you look over the year, our drug charges and drug arrests have increased pretty significantly, I just can’t thank them enough,” he said.

Faile said this operation, and two other drug investigations in March and May, involved 111 defendants with 185 drug-related charges altogether.

Lancaster County investigators are still searching for 20 suspects with outstanding drug warrants in this operation.

“So far this has been a very successful operation,” Faile said in a statement. “During the coming days we will continue to search for those not arrested Thursday until we get them all. I encourage those still wanted to turn themselves in. Our drug task force has been relentless this year in their pursuit of people selling drugs in this county.”

The 32 people arrested are:

Bryan Chase Stogner, 27, charged with distribution of heroin;

Justin Andrew Johnson, 28, charged with distribution of Oxycodone;

Julie Ann Marie Ellis, 28; charged with distribution of heroin;

Laura Lee Noah, 71, charged with distribution of Alprazolam;

Charles Morris Ellis, 32, charged with distribution of heroin;

Gregory Daniel Witherspoon, 28, charged with two counts of distribution of cocaine, trafficking Oxycodone hydrochloride, possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, three counts of possession with intent to distribute amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute clonazepam, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a firearm during a violent crime;

Leon Caskey Sr., 51, charged with two counts of distribution of crack cocaine and two counts of distribution of crack cocaine near a school or park;

Lisa Marie Gainey, 28, charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine;

Joshua Allen Price, 34, charged with distribution of methamphetamine;

Nickie Tyrone Gilford, 42; charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of acetaminophen and hydrochloride and possession of a stolen pistol;

Claude Andrew Shields, 57, charged with distribution of crack cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia;

Eddie James Mckinney, 53, charged with distribution of crack cocaine and distribution of crack cocaine near a school or park;

Marquintis Quavin Mcfadden, 32, charged with two counts of distribution of crack cocaine and two counts of distribution of crack cocaine near a school or park;

Dillon Kim Sellers, 27, charged with distribution of heroin;

Christopher David Parker, 36, charged with distribution of crack cocaine and distribution of crack cocaine near a school or park;

Christopher Dean Welch, 29, charged with distribution of crack cocaine;

Tommy Eugene Smith, 38, charged with two counts of distribution of crack cocaine and two counts of distribution of crack cocaine near a school or park;

Darian Marquis Stevenson, 20, charged with distribution of marijuana;

Gisella Anabel Tarque, 23, charged with possession with intent to distribute Schedule I controlled substance (Psilocybin mushrooms) and possession with intent to distribute marijuana;

Carl Nicholas Hall, 35, charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana;

Larry J. Truesdale, 32, charged with distribution of MDMA (ecstasy) and distribution of marijuana;

Joneisha Antoinette Patton Barber, 25, charged with distribution of marijuana;

Shakendria Sheoka Wright, 25, charged with distribution of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a prescription drug without a prescription;

Megan Leigh Anderson, 30, charged with distribution of Alprazolam;

Lashawn Devert White, 24, charged with distribution of heroin and distribution of heroin near a school or park;

Antonio Demarcus Wright, 35, charged with distribution of a Schedule II controlled substance and distribution of a Schedule II controlled substance near a school or park;

Majeed Hasson Phillips, 31, charged with distribution of marijuana, distribution of marijuana near a school or park, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a prescription drug without a prescription;

Donald Carson Hopkins, 66, charged with distribution of Hydrocodone and distribution of Hydrocodone near a school or park;

Jequavius Lenard Jackson, 33, distribution of crack cocaine and possession with intent to distribute marijuana;

Tyree Javon Thompson, 17, charged with distribution of crack cocaine;

Tyler Lee Smith, 21, charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and

Brandi Nicole Maness, 29, charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

This story was originally published August 31, 2018 at 12:25 PM.