For the second time this year, Sheriff Ken Mascara has announced the take-down of numerous suspected heroin dealers and their networks operating in St. Lucie County. The first time was in January. The latest was announced this week, a spin-off of Operation Big Mi-Steak.
Following that operation’s conclusion, the Sheriff’s Office and its law enforcement partners learned of others believed to be involved in the supply chain of heroin and fentanyl. They continued investigating and announced the arrest of three accused distributors, two accused suppliers, and a dozen others either involved in the drug ring or users.
Authorities arrested suspected distributors, brothers William Strachan, 33, and Leo Jamaal Douglas, 34, both of Fort Pierce, and 24-year-old Peter Robert Clark of Port St. Lucie. The accused suppliers were identified as John A. Crane Jr., 36, of Miami and Tyko Charleston Dean, 41, of Oakland Park, Fla. They were arrested in Martin County before half a kilo of heroin and cocaine could cross into St. Lucie County.
“It’s been a heck of a team effort,” Sheriff’s Det. Andrew Bolonka said of the conclusion of Operation Second Mistake.
The investigation was a joint partnership between the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, the DEA, ATF, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and 19th Judicial Circuit State’s Attorney.
Sheriff Mascara said that Operation Big Mi-Steak should have served as a stern warning to others dealing in narcotics – “We have you in our sights.”
Operation Second Mistake should further serve as warning, he said, noting anyone still dealing in St. Lucie County has two options: stop what you’re doing, or get caught.
Seized in the second operation were seven guns from convicted felons – all of which have been or are in the process of being analyzed. The guns include a Walther 9mm handgun, a Glock handgun, a Model 1911 handgun, a Palmetto Arms AR-15, a 12-gauge shotgun, a pistol-style Drako AK-47, and a Highpoint .45 cal. handgun, as well as miscellaneous ammunition.
Drugs seized include a half-kilo of cocaine, 138 grams of powder cocaine, 194 grams of heroin, 740 grams of fentanyl, 34 capsules of heroin, six capsules of a heron/fentanyl/cocaine mixture, two capsules of a heroin/methamphetamine mixture, eight hydromorphone pills, 12 grams of crack cocaine, 54 grams of marijuana, and various drug paraphernalia.
For perspective, 740 grams of fentanyl is approximately 1.5 pounds. “This could have caused hundreds of deaths in our community,” Sheriff Mascara said.
A typical capsule, Det. Bolonka said, would contain 0.015 or 0.02 grams – without “cutting” the drug (adding in fillers to stretch the drug), that would have easily filled thousands of capsules.
And, at $20 a capsule, that would have been significant money.
“We continue to work diligently in every way possible to pursue these drug dealers, charge them with everything the law will allow and attempt to put them behind bars for as long as possible to end the pain and suffering they cause so many in our community,” Mascara said. “I want to thank our federal partners for again working so closely with us and thank the men and women of our agency who worked to make this investigation such a success.”
Sheriff Mascara hinted that this would not be the last announcement regarding the movement of heroin and fentanyl through the county.
“Probably in three months we’ll see you again,” he told the gathered reporters who attended the press conference Monday.
