INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — One man was arrested and another is wanted following an extensive drug investigation that ended with an undercover drug buy and four executed search warrants.
Authorities arrested Gerald Helms, 49, of Vero Beach and are searching for Mark Hewitt, 54, also of Vero Beach.
“These two men have been supplying the community with a considerable amount of cocaine,” Sheriff Deryl Loar said. “We are proud of our detectives work to put them behind bars for their illegal narcotics distribution network. We will not tolerate drug dealers in our community as we are committed to eradicating professional drug dealers like Hewitt and Helms.”
Detectives with the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Special Weapons and Tactics Team, served search warrants at 3825 and 3831 44th Place, 3971 47th Street, and 7986 105th Court in Vero Beach. Detectives located 264 grams of marijuana, a loaded AK-47 magazine, drug paraphernalia and $7,715 in cash.
During this investigation, detectives purchased more than 34 grams of crack and powder cocaine from Helms and Hewitt, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Helms was arrested and charged with three counts of sale of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a church, conspiracy to sell cocaine, and four counts of possession of cocaine. Helms was booked into the Indian River County Jail and bonded out on $265,000 bail.
Hewitt is currently wanted on charges of sale of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school, sale of cocaine, and owning, renting or leasing to traffic or manufacture cocaine.
