Operation D-Day

An announcement was made this afternoon at a News Conference attended by Historic City Media News at the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. The conference was hosted by Sheriff David Shoar of St. Johns County and was attended by Sheriff Don Fleming of Flagler County. Also on hand was North Florida HIDTA Executive Director, Ed Williams; and Special Agent in Charge of the Jacksonville Office of F.D.L.E., Dominick Pape.

Wednesday morning several teams of investigators went to those residences that were identified and received permission to search or had search warrants for those homes. Two subjects were arrested on a charge of cultivation of cannabis, two others were given notices to appear in court to answer the same charges, an arrest warrant will be obtained for another subject who was not home at the time and one subject was charged with an open warrant and sustained what is believed to be a self-inflicted gun shot wound to the head and is in a Jacksonville hospital.

The Tri-County Narcotics Task Force is coordinated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and has detectives from the St. Johns, Putnam and Flagler Counties Sheriffs’ Offices.

The locations of the residences where marijuana plants were identified as:

8280 Riverview Dr., 13 plants were seized and a pound of processed marijuana was located and seized. A Notice to Appear was issued to the resident who was identified as Daniel Lay, 60.

11835 C.R. 13 North, 24 plants and 20 grams of processed marijuana were located. Arrested was James Gupton, 21. He was charged with cultivation of cannabis and is in the St. Johns County Jail in lieu of $2,500 bond.

892 White Eagle Cr., 21 plants seized. Arrest Warrant pending to Jeffrey Branch, 43.

6300 Salado Rd., 59 plants seized. An arrest warrant will be obtained for the owner identified as Daniel Everhart, 35.

118 Jupiter Rd., 178 plants and 74 grams of processed marijuana was seized. Arrested was James Steele, 35, 305 Villa San Marco Dr., Apt. 306. He was charged with cultivation of cannabis and is in the St. Johns County Jail in lieu of $7,500 bond.

45 Palmetto Rd., two plants seized, however, no arrests were made since ownership of the cannabis has not been determined at this time.

5865 C.R. 208, 132 plants and 11 firearms seized. The occupant, identified as Lawrence Sacks, 50, sustained a self-inflicted gun shot wound to the head and was transported to Shands/Jacksonville hospital. When he is released he will be charged with an outstanding warrant for Writ of Bodily Attachment (Child Support) from St. Johns County and will also face Cultivation charges.

Additional locations and suspects are being sought as the investigation continues.

Photo credit: Historic City Media News Department