Drug search nets more than 90 pot plants; deputies save man who overdosed on heroin

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Drug searches at various locations by sheriff’s VICE detectives in April and early May led deputies to discover more than 90 marijuana plants in a grow house, authorities said.

During the searches, deputies also found an unresponsive woman who showed signs of drug abuse at a home. The woman was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead, deputies said.

Also, at another home, deputies used Narcan to save a man who overdosed on heroin, according to a news release.

“It is a safer day in Indian River County with these drugs off the streets. We saw one man almost die and a young woman lose her life just last week to these dangerous opioids,” Sheriff Deryl Loar said in a statement. “The search warrants listed here are a result of neighbors, tipsters, and concerned citizens who were willing to step forward and provide us with critical information we needed to make these cases. Those who continue to sell, use, and abuse these drugs need to know that incarceration and death are very real outcomes.”

During the month of April, deputies conducted a month-long investigation regarding a grow house at a home in the 15000 block of 109th Street, Fellsmere. Deputies seized 96 marijuana plants and more than 86 pounds of processed and packaged marijuana, authorities said.

Deputies found processing equipment such as a hydraulic press, lights, grow equipment, a pickup used to transport the marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Deputies also discovered “dab,” a concentrated oil version of marijuana, was also being processed and packaged at the home.

The estimated street value for the total drugs seized is more than $200,000.

Deputies stopped a vehicle on May 2 they thought was involved in drug trafficking. Deputies searched the vehicle and seized a variety of narcotics, including meth, powder cocaine and pills used to treat severe pain and seizures, according to a news release.

Deputies charged Drew Lindberg, 41, of the 3100 block of Ashford Square, and Stephen Massey, 56, of Port St. Lucie, with trafficking in meth, trafficking oxycodone and multiple counts of possession of a controlled substance.

Both are still being held at the county jail. Massey’s bail amount is $551,500; a bail amount for Lindberg was not available.

Deputies responded to a home last Friday after getting tips of drug sales. Deputies found crack cocaine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia at the home, 1850 38th Street, Fellsmere, a news release shows.

Arrest warrants are pending for suspects at the home, deputies said.

Deputies responded to a 29-year-old woman found unresponsive last Thursday at a home in the 2500 block of Compass Drive. The woman was taken to the Indian River Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead, deputies said.

Deputies suspect obvious signs of drug abuse on her body and at the home caused her death.

Deputies responded to a 45-year-old man found unresponsive last Friday at a home in the 100 block of 22nd Avenue. The man had syringes, tourniquets and cotton ball filters around him, which are signs of drug abuse, deputies said.

Deputies injected the man with Narcan and he became responsive while being taken to the hospital. The man admitted to deputies he bought and used $30 worth of heroin.

Photos by Indian River County Sheriff’s Office