INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Authorities arrested ten more suspected drug dealers linked to men who bought narcotics – including fentanyl – from the ‘dark web,’ officials said.
“The DEA Clandestine Lab team assisted our agency during this search, as the fentanyl in this case is so dangerous it must be handled with care,” Indian River County Sheriff Deryl Loar said in a statement. “We are grateful to our team of detectives for getting these illegal and dangerous substances off the streets. The opioid epidemic is very real and is here in our county.”
The three-month investigation ended last week, leading Indian River County deputies to arrest twelve people while serving three search warrants, authorities said. In the undercover probe, deemed Operation Dark Source, detectives bought drugs from the suspects, who were linked to Christopher Stokes, 31, of the 800 block of Jamaica Avenue, Sebastian, and Travis Remling, 33, of the 1500 block of 14th Avenue, Vero Beach.
Deputies learned the two men were purchasing fentanyl, black tar heroin and methamphetamine from the ‘dark web.’ The dark web is a collection of websites on an encrypted network that can not be found using regular search engines.
K-9 deputies, detectives, SWAT team and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration served the search warrants at homes located at 2305 84th Court, 8445 104th Court and 305 17th Avenue, officials said. Authorities recovered more than 40 grams of heroin and fentanyl, 11 grams of meth, more than 27 grams of cocaine, more than 13 grams of ecstasy, 20 grams of marijuana, a semi-automatic rifle and two handguns, deputies said.
“We will continue to battle against those who would peddle these illegal substances in our community,” Loar said.
Authorities also seized nearly $3,000, scales, pipes and drug paraphernalia. Remling and Stokes were arrested on a variety of charges, including trafficking fentanyl, possession of cocaine, possession of ecstasy and sale or delivery of fentanyl, reports show.
Here are the charges for the other ten people arrested:
• Heather Nowak, 35, of the 1900 block of 20th Avenue, sale of fentanyl and conspiracy to sell fentanyl
• Ricky Thompson, 48, of the 300 block of 17th Avenue, sale of fentanyl, possession of fentanyl, and conspiracy to sell fentanyl
• Wayde Crawford, 27, of the 300 block of 19th Avenue, sale of fentanyl, possession of fentanyl and conspiracy to sell fentanyl
• Cody McGraw, 26, of the 300 block of 19th Avenue, sale of fentanyl and possession of fentanyl
• Gerald Newman, 55, of the 1300 block of 14th Street, sale of fentanyl and possession of fentanyl
• Robert Parker, 29, of the 1500 block of Damask Lane, Sebastian, sale of meth, possession of meth, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
• Shannon Whitfield, 45, of the 1900 block of 24th Place, possession controlled substance and drug paraphernalia
• Carissa Campbell, 42, of the 300 block of 17th Avenue, possession of heroin, possession of cocaine, possession of meth and drug paraphernalia
• Curtis Chupik, 52, of the 300 block of 17th Avenue, operating a drug house, possession of marijuana -20 grams
• Scott Frantz, 56, of the 5800 block of 62nd Lane, possession of heroin, cocaine and meth
All remained held at the Indian River County Jail Tuesday. Remling and Crawford were being held without bond while the other suspects were being held on various bond amounts ranging from $11,000 to $337,000, records show.
Photos provided by Indian River County Sheriff’s Office
