A year-long investigation ended this week with dismantling of a large-scale drug ring accused of dealing large quantities of cocaine throughout the Daytona Beach area of Volusia County, authorities said Friday.
The Volusia Bureau of Investigation and the Daytona Beach Police Department launched a joint investigation in May 2014 into the drug trafficking ring and its reputed leader, 60-year-old James Jenkins.
Agents arrested Jenkins earlier this week on three counts of conspiracy to traffic in cocaine and one count of use of a two-way communications device to commit a felony.
Jenkins is being held on $360,000 bond.
Other arrests this week resulted in the seizure of more than $54,000 and .25 kilograms of cocaine, authorities said.
In total, 10 people with different links to the organization have been arrested in what investigators are calling Operation Grumpy Old Men — a reference to the age of some of the accused drug dealers. In addition to Jenkins, two of the other men arrested are both 58 years old, and a fourth man is 51 years old.
Agents are still searching for another four people who are accused of being tied to the organization.
"This was a major operation that was dealing 4 to 5 kilos a month," Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson said Friday at a news conference. "It was very important to get an operation like this broke up, and it was very important to get people like this off the street."
Johnson also noted the extensive arrest records for many of the people who were arrested, adding they've been in the area for a long time.
"It's not like these are new kids on the block," Johnson said.
Through intensive investigation, interviews with confidential sources and surveillance of the group, undercover narcotics agents were able to infiltrate the organization and arrange several drug buys. The investigation revealed that the organization was getting the cocaine from a supplier in Miami-Dade County. On Friday, Operation Grumpy Old Men moved into high gear with several arrests and the execution of search warrants at four locations in Daytona Beach:
- 323 Bartley Road
- 1018 Imperial Road
- 1058 Libby Court
- 357 Walnut St.
Agents searched two additional locations — 709 Berkshire Road in Daytona Beach and 817 Orange Ave. in Holly Hill — earlier this week.
"They just don't get it," said Craig Capri, the deputy chief of the Daytona Beach Police Department. "If you sell drugs in this area, you're going to go to jail. It's as simple as that."
The 10 defendants and their charges and bond amounts are as follows:
- Shaun Bostic, 34, conspiracy to traffic in cocaine, use of a two-way communications device to commit a felony, possession of a conveyance for trafficking in a controlled substance. $125,000 bond.
- Marquis Garvin, 25, conspiracy to traffic in cocaine, use of a two-way communications device to commit a felony, possession of a conveyance for trafficking in a controlled substance. $175,000 bond.
- Darin Godwin, 44, conspiracy to traffic in cocaine, use of a two-way communications device to commit a felony. $20,000 bond.
- James Jenkins, 60, three counts of conspiracy to traffic in cocaine, use of a two-way communications device to commit a felony. $360,000 bond.
- William Maxson, 58, conspiracy to traffic in cocaine, use of a two-way communications device to commit a felony. $510,000 bond.
- Frederick Pope, 58, two counts of trafficking in cocaine, conspiracy to traffic in cocaine, use of a two-way communications device to commit a felony, possession of a conveyance for trafficking in a controlled substance. $370,000 bond.
- Tony Raggins, 41, conspiracy to traffic in cocaine, use of a two-way communications device to commit a felony. $160,000 bond.
- Joel Smith, 45, conspiracy to traffic in cocaine, four counts of sale or delivery of cocaine, use of a two-way communications device to commit a felony, possession of a conveyance for trafficking in a controlled substance. $235,000 bond.
- Lamont Stanley, 32, conspiracy to traffic in cocaine, use of a two-way communications device to commit a felony. $160,000 bond.
- Joseph Novak, 36, conspiracy to traffic in cocaine, use of a two-way communications device to commit a felony. $25,000 bond.
VBI is a multi-agency task force that pools resources from 10 local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in order to target mid- and upper-level narcotics traffickers as well as racketeering and organized crime. Participating agencies include the Volusia County Sheriff's Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Attorney's General's Office of Statewide Prosecution, Daytona Beach Police Department, Daytona Beach Shores Department of Public Safety, DeLand Police Department, Edgewater Police Department, New Smyrna Beach Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.