Police round up suspects tied to drug dealing ring
The Pasco County sheriff says the sweep may have broken up county's largest drug operation.
By STEVE THOMPSON
Published July 31, 2003
Classes aren't due to start for about two weeks, but there was plenty of activity Wednesday morning at Bayonet Point Middle School.
Sheriff's deputies in SWAT uniforms and black masks milled about. Other deputies kept an eye on accused drug traffickers in metal cages. Reporters and videographers mingled freely outside the steel mesh to question them.
Many of the suspects turned their backs. One, being questioned by a female reporter, dropped his pants. Another sat with his head between his knees.
Nearby, in one of the classrooms, crack cocaine, marijuana, and an assault rifle sat on desks. Thousands of dollars in cash lay spread out on the floor.
At 10 a.m., Sheriff Bob White stepped up to a lectern to announce that authorities had spent the morning breaking up what might have been Pasco County's biggest drug ring. Two dozen suspects had been indicted on federal drug charges.
More than a dozen had been arrested. Others were being brought in as he spoke.
"The price of drugs in Pasco County just went up," he told reporters. White said he had gone to a couple of the raids himself.
The drug organization authorities targeted was bringing about 25 kilos of cocaine into western Pasco and northern Pinellas County each month, White said. The street value on 25 kilos is more than $500,000.
Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies have been cooperating in an operation called "Bahama Breeze" that began in August 2002.
More than a dozen agencies had helped in the investigations.
The drugs were coming out of the Bahamas and into South Florida. From there they were couriered into Pasco County.
"This is a major investigation," said David Waller, a special agent supervisor with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement who also spoke at the news conference. "A major organization has been taken down."
Two hundred law enforcement officers from several agencies had served eight search warrants in Pasco County and one in Pinellas County on Wednesday morning. Another was served in Miami.
They had used the middle school as a staging ground for the raids.
"It's a central point," said sheriff's spokesman Jon Powers. "It's close to where most of the arrests were going to be made and close to the Sheriff's Office."
The prisoners, some of whom were being brought in during the news conference, were gathered at the school before being bused to the Orient Road jail in Hillsborough County.
All of those arrested were mid-level dealers who distributed the cocaine to street-level dealers, authorities said.
"None of them are really high rollers," White said. "Some of them have nice houses, modest houses; some of them were living in less than desirable conditions."
But detectives said some of the suspects were wearing Rolex watches, driving expensive cars, and going on lavish vacations. One even sported platinum plated teeth.
"They were caught off guard," White said. "No one was injured. No one put up a fight. They were totally taken by surprise."
The initial investigation centered on Joseph Schaefer, 24, of 7451 Mulligan Court in Port Richey, and Michael Arline, 24, of 7548 Sequoia Drive in New Port Richey.
Further investigation yielded other suspects involved in helping the two transport and distribute cocaine, authorities said.
Other suspects were from Hudson and Bayonet Point. One lives in Dunedin. Their criminal records run the gamut from attempted murder and years of drug charges to one that came up absolutely clean.
All now face a minimum of 10 years imprisonment and up to life imprisonment.
They are:
James Connors, Christopher Schaefer, and Dina Cobb, all of 7451 Mulligan Court in Port Richey.
Jeff Striano of 7406 Royal Crescent, Emmanuel Jones of 8229 Oak Leaf Ave., and Brent Clarke of 9420 Ledgestone Lane, all of Port Richey.
Ryan Ferro of 7449 Culver Lane, Zebulon Cann of 9130 Maynard Ave., Michael Kicak of 3414 Monte Rio St., Glen Land of 9900 Leguna St., Kevin Nemes of 4123 Vistaverde Drive, Jeremie Malvoisin of 6721 Moss Drive, Robert Dunn of 6245 Central Ave., Robert Fitz of 12807 Tinley Road, Jillene Klepser of 3230 Carlsbad Ave., and Desiree Marissa Evans of 7546 Sequoia Drive all of New Port Richey.
Geneva G. Ellwood of 13215 Wagner Drive, Thomas Herold of 11933 Mary Lou Drive, Kevin Applefield of 9602 Gene St., and Daniel Kelleher of 10524 Pinto Drive, all in Hudson.
Cameron Jones of 8035 Eacon Court in Bayonet Point.
Jason Vaughn of 1145 Curlew Road in Dunedin.
Sixteen of these suspects had been arrested by Wednesday evening. Two had already been in jail on state charges. Authorities were searching for the others.
