Drug Task Force nabs 22 in Polk Co. raids
Local, state and federal law enforcement officials gathered together to arrest several key players involved in drug trafficking in Polk County, and nearly two dozen people were arrested in raids on July 29.
The arrest, which netted 22 individuals — all charged with drug-related offenses — has made a considerable dent in the county’s ongoing effort to crackdown on illegal drug use and distribution.
“There’s no doubt that what we were able to do will be felt by the dealers still out there on the street,” said Polk County Drug Task Force Commander Jonathan Blackmon. “We locked up some major players.”
Blackmon stated the July 29 arrests were the result of a fivemonth long investigation headed up by the Office of the District Attorney, Jack Browning, and the Polk County Drug Task Force.
Uniform divisions from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the Cedartown Police Department (CPD), the Polk County Police Department (PCPD) and the K-9 units from both the CPD and the PCPD, were integral in carrying out the operation.
“With the previous busts we’ve conducted earlier this year, it just proves that we’re all working together and we’re all working very hard to get the bad guys off the streets,” he said.
According to Cedartown Police Chief and Drug Task Force spokesperson Jamie Newsome, those individuals arrested include:
Michael Hackney, 124 Morton Springs Road, Cedartown; Ulises Borja, 566 Pine Street, Cedartown; Justin Lee Cunningham, 9095 County Road 33, Centre, Ala.; Danny Dorris, 124 Morton Springs Road, Cedartown; Shaunda Star Easterwood, 1228 Maple Avenue, Rome; Sara Hackney,
126 Morton Springs Road, Cedartown; Jada Howard, 73 Milco Place SE, Rome; Jennifer Jenkins, 3428 Horseleg Creek Road, Rome; Casey Kerr, 3088 Buttermilk Road, Cave Spring; Barbara Morris, 55 County Road 555, Centre, Ala.; Fernando Hernandez Pizano, 508 Lynton Drive, Cedartown.
Also arrested were: Heather Rock, Chattanooga, Tenn.; Carmen Patricia Rodriguez, 566 Pine Street, Cedartown; Daramis Stephenson, 2167 Kingston Hwy NE, Rome; Jeffery Wayne Turner, 4738 Blacks Bluff Road, Rome; John Michael Turner, 4738 Blacks Bluff Road, Rome; Alejandro Pineda-Ortiz, 710 Ladue Street, Cedartown; Amanda Dempsey, 124 Morton Springs Road, Cedartown; Jennifer Ploof, 104 Apt. A, Tyler Street, Rome; Jana Lynn Dean, Rome; Meagan Gibson, 710 Ladue Street, Cedartown; Brian Sanchez, 710 Ladue Street, Cedartown.
Newsome said that Hackney, Borja and Pineda- Ortiz were charged with trafficking meth and conspiracy to traffic meth. All others arrested were charged with conspiracy to traffic or conspiracy to possess methamphetamine.
Blackmon confirmed that several pieces of property were seized, as well as five vehicles, $13,000 in cash and more than one pound of methamphetamine. Several bank accounts were also frozen, he stated.
Several other agencies also assisted in the July 29 operation. They include the GBI West Metro Regional Drug Enforcement Offices (R.D.E.O); Cartersville/ Bartow County Drug Task Force; Rome/Floyd Metro Drug Task Force; FBI/Northwest Georgia Criminal Enterprise Task Force, the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, the Chattooga Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the US Marshals.
Many of the suspects arrested were denied bond and being held on numerous charges.
Among those who were still in the Polk County Jail as of Friday, July 31, included:
Carmen Patricia Rodriguez, 24, of 566 Pine Street, Cedartown, was arrested on July 29 by the Drug Task Force on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, trafficking in methamphetamine, conspiracy to possess methamphetamine, and use of a communication device to facilitate drug transactions.
Ulises Borja, 22, of 556 Pine Street, Cedartown, was jailed on July 29 by the Drug Task Force on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, trafficking methamphetamine, manufacturing methamphetamine, use of communication device to facilitate drug transaction and conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine.
Amanda Lynn Dempsey, 34, of 3 Lee Street, Cave Springs, was taken into custody on July 29 by the Drug Task Force on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Danny Glenn Dorris, 45, of 52 Daryl Road, Silver Creek, was arrested on July 29 by the Drug Task Force on charges of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine and use of communication device to facilitate drug transaction.
Michael Gerald Hackney, 47, of 126 Morton Springs Road, Cedartown, was jailed on July 29 by the Drug Task Force on two charges of possession, manufacturing, distributing, etc. VGCS, traffic in cocaine, illegal drugs or marijuana; penalties, use of communication device to facilitate drug transaction and conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine.
Maegan Alicia Gibson, 26, of 710 Ladue Avenue, Cedartown, was taken into custody on July 29 by the Drug Task Force on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and possession of tools for the commission of a crime.
Sarah Anne Hackney, 74, of 126 Morton Springs Road, Cedartown, was arrested on July 29 by the Drug Task Force on two charges of possession, manufacturing, distributing, etc. VGCS, traffic in cocaine, illegal drug or marijuana; penalties, and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Benjamin Joseph Harris, 39, of 716 Jones Street, Cedartown, was jailed on July 31 by the Cedartown Police Department on charges of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine and use of communication device to facilitate drug transaction.
John Michael Turner, 36, of 4738 Blackbluff Road, Rome, was jailed on July 29 by the Drug Task Force on charges of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine and use of a communication device to facilitate a drug transaction.
Bryan Antonio Sanchez, 27, of 415 Lowther Street, Cedartown, was taken into custody on July 29 by the Drug Task Force on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and possession of tools for the commission of a crime.
Alejundro Ortiz Pineda, 42, of 730 Ladue Street, Cedartown, was jailed by the Drug Task Force on July 29 on charges of conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine and use of communication device to facilitate drug transaction.
Fernando Pizano, 19, of 508 Lynton Drive, Cedartown, was taken into custody on July 29 by the Drug Task Force on charges of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine and use of communication device to facilitate a drug transaction.
John Michael Turner, 36, of 4738 Blackbluff Road, Rome, was jailed on July 29 by the Drug Task Force on charges of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine and use of a communication device to facilitate a drug transaction.
Chadwick Lee Owens, 26, of 87 Oak Street, Aragon, was arrested on July 30 by the Aragon Police Department on charges of false name to law enforcement, possession of methamphetamine, possession and use of drug related objects and obstruction.
Gary Franklin Owens, 47, of Aragon, was taken into custody on July 30 by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office on charges of misdemeanor theft by deception and probation violation supervision services.
Benjamin Joseph Harris, 39, of 716 Jones Street, Cedartown, was jailed on July 31 by the Cedartown Police Department on charges of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine and use of communication device to facilitate drug transaction.
Jennifer Renee Ploof, 31, of 419 Willshire Road, Rome, was taken into custody on July 30 by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office on charges of conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine and use of communication device to facilitate a drug transaction. She was among the few released on bond.