Fugitive from August drug sweep captured

Just after 3:00 p.m. this afternoon, Historic City News was informed that the noose had closed around 38 year-old Brenda Elaine Manucy; a fugitive from the tri-county drug sweep code named “Operation Shopping Spree” which resulted in warrants for 19 arrests last month.

Manucy, who resides at 3550 Datura Street in St. Augustine, escaped arrest on August 30, 2011, when she could not be located by officers who participated in the arrest teams.

Numerous complaints from citizens, law enforcement intelligence, as well as confidential sources were used to identify the illegal activity by St. Johns County Sheriff’s detectives, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and assistance from HIDTA Tri-County Narcotics Task Force.

According to information released to Historic City News this morning, those charged in this investigation were responsible for obtaining over 21,000 prescription pain pills by fraudulent means over the past two-plus years.

The defendants were said to have visited numerous doctors across nine different counties in the Northeast Florida region, all in the same month; illegally obtaining prescriptions for similar types of painkillers.

All of the subjects arrested were charged with either concealing information to obtain prescription medication or obtaining prescription medication by fraud and were booked into either the St. Johns or Duval County jails.

Manucy remains in custody tonight in the St. Johns County Detention Facility in lieu of $100,015 bond.