OCEAN CITY — Allied law enforcement officials in Worcester including Ocean City this week announced a months-long multi-agency investigation has resulted in dozens of arrests in the growing drug epidemic in the county.
The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Enforcement Team along with the Ocean City Police Narcotics Division and other allied agencies across Worcester and into Delaware recently completed an eight-month investigation appropriately named “Operation Street Sweeper.” The investigation, which included overt and covert operations over an eight-month period, resulted in dozens of arrests from significant mid- and upper-level dealers down to the street level. Worcester County Sheriff Reggie Mason announced the results of Operation Street Sweeper on Tuesday.
“For months, the Criminal Enforcement Team, in cooperation with the Ocean City Police Department’s Narcotics Division, the Delaware State Police, Homeland Security and the Office of the State’s Attorney have been working hand in hand to uncover, investigate and stop the growing drug problem that has not only been a problem for our community, but for neighborhoods around the country,” he said. “Appropriately named Operation Street Sweeper, this eight-month long operation was our response to what is absolutely an escalating problem.
Mason said Operation Street Sweeper targeted street level users and dealers, resulting in information being obtained for locating and arresting dealers further up the chain.
“Understanding that nearly every user deals at some point to support their habit, a ground-up approach to enforcement was likely to net intelligence that would ultimately lead us to many of their suppliers,” he said. “As a result of these street level investigations into the drug users of our community, we were able to jointly make or obtain 61 arrests or arrest warrants.”
Mason said the investigations led to the authoring and signing of multiple search warrants for residences, vehicles, persons, computers, social media accounts and cell phones.
“In addition to securing our streets from the dangers of opiate and serious drug abuse, these arrests have further prevented common nuisance crimes associated with drug use,” he said. “Many of those arrested were observed committing theft, engaging in prostitution or otherwise taking the safety of Worcester County from her citizens.”
Mason said the latest initiative continues a recent highly successful pattern for allied agencies in Worcester in pulling off large scale, covert drug infiltration investigations.
“Following on their incredible success from 2012, 2014, 2015 and now 2016, the Criminal Enforcement Team along with the Ocean City Narcotics investigators have once again demonstrated their incredible propensity for large-scale counter drug operations,” he said. “They continue to live up to their motto of detect, disrupt and destroy.”
The Ocean City Police Department’s Narcotics Division played a major role in the county-wide investigation. OCPD Chief Ross Buzzuro said the success of the operation hinged on the partnerships between the allied agencies.
“The success of this effort is due in large part to the extraordinary partnership we have with the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, Maryland State Police, the office of State’s Attorney Beau Oglesby and all other agencies involved,” he said. “To effectively tackle the heroin problems we face in Worcester County, law enforcement must work together across jurisdictional boundaries. It is because of teamwork that these individuals are off our streets and out of our neighborhoods.”
With dozens of arrests made during Operation Street Sweeper, it will now be up to the Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office to make the charges stick and put those arrested behind bars. State’s Attorney Beau Oglesby said his staff is more than up to the challenge and was happy to participate in the extensive eight-month investigation.
“Today, we find ourselves reminded not just of the problems we face, but reminded of how fortunate we are to live in Worcester County where the men and women of our allied agencies work day and night to keep our communities safe, our children cared for and our homes guarded,” he said. “This operation is neither the first nor the last of its kind. For as long as there are people suffering, you can count on my team of prosecutors and staff to answer the calls of our community.”
In a release accompanying the announcement, many of the most egregious offenders, those charged with distribution of heroin, other opiates, cocaine and crack cocaine, were listed.
Michael David Cobak – DOB: 07/17/91
1.) Distribution of Marijuana
2.) Conspiracy to distribute Marijuana
Brandon Christopher Cobak – DOB: 02/23/93
1.) Distribution of Marijuana
Zephaniah Antw Pritchett-Coles – DOB: 09/19/95
1.) Distribution of Heroin
2.) Distribution of Heroin
3.) Distribution of Crack Cocaine
4.) Possession of Heroin
5.) Possession of Heroin
6.) Possession of Crack Cocaine
Travis Scott Burton – DOB: 02/08/84
1.) Distribution of Powder Cocaine
2.) Distribution of Oxycodone
3.) Possession of Powder Cocaine
4.) Possession of Oxycodone
Devin Cole Hahn – DOB: 06/12/96
1.) Distribution of Powder Cocaine
2.) Possession of Powder Cocaine
Trisha Lyn Parker – DOB: 11/27/80
1.) Distribution of Crack Cocaine
2.) Possession of Crack Cocaine
David Kroon Jr. – DOB: 05/22/85
1.) Distribution of Powder Cocaine
2.) Possession of Powder Cocaine
Aubree Lynn Bentley – DOB: 01/31/94
1.) Distribution of Heroin
2.) Distribution of Buprenorphine
3.) Possession of Heroin
4.) Possession of Buprenorphine
Lauren Ashley Hubbert – DOB: 12/07/85 –
1.) Distribution of Heroin
2.) Distribution of Buprenorphine
3.) Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin
4.) Conspiracy to Distribute Buprenorphine
5.) Possession of Heroin
6.) Possession of Buprenorphine
Savanta Craig Selby – DOB: 07/07/68
1.) Distribution of Crack Cocaine within a drug free school zone
2.) Distribution of Crack Cocaine
3.) Possession of Crack Cocaine
Virginia Mayo Holland – DOB: 03/22/60
1.) Distribution of Crack Cocaine within a drug free school zone
2.) Distribution of Crack Cocaine
3.) Distribution of Crack Cocaine within a drug free school zone
4.) Distribution of Crack Cocaine
5.) Distribution of Crack Cocaine within a drug free school zone
6.) Distribution of Crack Cocaine
7.) Possession of Crack Cocaine
8.) Possession of Crack Cocaine
Eric James Bolt – DOB: 10/19/70
1.) Distribution of Buprenorphine
Margie Elizabeth Chambers – DOB: 03/11/63
1.) Distribution of Crack Cocaine
2.) Possession of Crack Cocaine
Timothy Randell Collins – DOB: 08/26/73
1.) Distribution of a non-controlled substance
2.) Possession of a non-controlled substance
Timothy Jamar Mitchell – DOB: 12/31/89
1.) Distribution of Powder Cocaine within a drug free school zone
2.) Distribution of Powder Cocaine
3.) Distribution of Heroin
4.) Distribution of Crack Cocaine
5.) Possession of Powder Cocaine
6.) Possession of Heroin
7.) Possession of Crack Cocaine
Sharon Louise Burgett – DOB: 11/08/61
1.) Distribution of Crack Cocaine
2.) Possession of Crack Cocaine
Mervyn Wilmer Bivens – DOB: 05/21/68
1.) Distribution of Crack Cocaine
2.) Distribution of Crack Cocaine
3.) Distribution of Crack Cocaine
4.) Distribution of Crack Cocaine
5.) Possession of Crack Cocaine
6.) Possession of Crack Cocaine
7.) Possession of Crack Cocaine
8.) Possession of Crack Cocaine
Dvaughn Jeronte Miller – DOB 02/13/1987
1.) Distribution of Crack Cocaine within a drug free school zone
2.) Distribution of Crack Cocaine
3.) Distribution of Crack Cocaine within a drug free school zone
4.) Distribution of Crack Cocaine
5.) Possession of Crack Cocaine
6.) Possession of Crack Cocaine
Anthony Lorenzo Smith – DOB 12/31/1958
1.) Distribution of Crack Cocaine
2.) Distribution of Crack Cocaine
3.) Possession of Crack Cocaine
4.) Possession of Crack Cocaine
Kimberlee Ann Swartz – DOB 07/12/1967
1.) Distribution of Crack Cocaine
2.) Possession of Crack Cocaine
Laslo Michael Lee Jarmon
1.) Possession of Cocaine
Others Arrested
Andrew Simmen Windsor
Christopher Charles Simone
Durontay Richard Turner
Devine Jakar Lynch
Adam Winter
Joshua Mitchell
Jonathon Veasy
Crystal Jennings
Jason James Burchick
Lopez-Oliva, Max Eduardo
