INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A man on probation from an earlier drug arrest was detained with six others in a probe that yielded fentanyl, crack cocaine and methamphetamine, deputies said.
Deputies said Robert King, 53, of the 1200 block of 19th Avenue, Vero Beach, sold drugs out of two homes. Tips from the community led deputies to King and then six others in connection with the narcotics investigation.
“Our Special Investigation Unit would like to thank the numerous citizens who provided them with valuable information which enabled these investigations to have a successful outcome,” sheriff’s officials said in a Facebook post. Deputies also seized drug paraphernalia and a BB gun altered to look real, officials said.
King was charged with two counts of sale of methamphetamine within 1000 feet of a child care facility, two counts of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. King was held Monday at the Indian River County Jail without bond.
The six others arrested were:
- Richard Camacho, 46, of the 800 block of 41st Court, Vero Beach, charged with maintain a public nuisance home and resist arrest without violence. Camacho was held Monday at the Indian River County Jail without bond.
- Heather Mahaffey, 54, of the 600 block of 9th Place, Vero Beach, charged with maintain a public nuisance home. Mahaffey was released Saturday from the Indian River County Jail on $25,000 bond.
- Lisa Atchley, 52, of the 800 block of 18th Street, Vero Beach, charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Atchley was held Monday at the Indian River County Jail without bond.
- Gwendolyn Behen, 31, of Fort Pierce, charged with resist arrest without violence. Behen was released Monday from the Indian River County Jail without bond.
- John Schneider, 54, address not listed, charged with resist arrest without violence. Schneider was released Saturday from the Indian River County Jail on $500 bond.
- Mary Beth Elliot, 38, of 44th Avenue, Vero Beach, charged with possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Elliot was held Monday at the Indian River County Jail on $6,000 bond.
Indian River County deputies initially arrested King in March on charges of sale of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a church, display of a firearm during commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On June 25, King posted bond from the county jail, was given a curfew and ordered by Judge Dan Vaughn to not engage in criminal activities, deputies said.
“If you were to guess Robert did not heed Judge Vaughn’s warnings you would be correct,” sheriff’s officials said. “Since bonding out, Robert was caught violating his bond conditions twice and the State Attorney’s Office was in the process of revoking his bond.”
It was around this time when deputies received numerous drug complaints involving two residences. The home in the 600 block of 9th Place had 15 calls for service so far this year, including drug overdoses, grand theft auto, thefts, disturbances and searches for wanted suspects, deputies said.
“One neighbor stated they repeatedly had subjects mistakenly knocking on their door trying to buy drugs,” sheriff’s officials said.
The second residence on 44th Avenue had 10 calls for service so far this year, including drug incidents, drug overdoses, searches for wanted suspects and trespassing complaints, deputies said. Camacho, who was in charge of the home, was arrested for drug sales earlier this year and bonded out last week. deputies said.
The sheriff’s SWAT team served search warrants at both homes. Elliot and Camacho were located at the home on 44th Avenue, while the other five were at the residence on 9th Place, deputies said.
Deputies arrested the seven suspects and booked them into the county jail. King, Camacho, Mahaffey, Atchley and Elliot have arraignments at 8:45 a.m. Oct. 1, court records show.
Behen has an arraignment at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 1, and Schneider has an arraignment at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 8.
Photos provided by Indian River County Sheriff’s Office
