June 19, 2008
Gary Davidson
Public Information Officer 

DRUG AGENTS TARGET NEW SMYRNA BEACH AREA, MAKE 10 ARRESTS

Narcotics agents attacked both the sale and consumption of illegal drugs Wednesday in the New Smyrna Beach area with dual operations that resulted in 10 arrests. Another five people are still being sought. 

The New Smyrna Beach Police Department in conjunction with the multi-agency East Volusia Narcotics Task Force teamed up on the operations, which started with a warrant round-up. The Task Force obtained the arrest warrants after their undercover agents spent three months making drug buys from street dealers throughout the west side of New Smyrna Beach. The task force is a multi-agency force of narcotics agents from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, Daytona Beach Police Department and Ormond Beach Police Department that shares resources and crosses jurisdictional boundaries to combat street-level drug and vice crimes. In addition to the New Smyrna Beach Police Department, the Sheriff’s Office’s Crime Suppression Team also assisted in Wednesday’s operations. 

The warrant round-up resulted in seven arrests. Agents are still searching for five others with open warrants generated by the investigation. All from New Smyrna Beach, the seven defendants and their charges are as follows:   

• Richard Blackwell, 41, 509 N. Oleander Street. Sale of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a place of worship - $25,000 bond.
• Christopher Butler, 24, 905 Spruce Street. Two counts of s Sale of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a place of worship - $50,000 bond.
• Marcee Evans, 41, 207 S. Myrtle Ave. Sale of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a place of worship, sale of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a place of worship or convenience business - $60,000 bond.
• Ned Lowe, 56, 571 Greenlawn Terrace. Sale of cocaine. Also charged with possession of cocaine during his arrest - $3,500 bond.
• John McCormick, 43, 106 North Street. Sale of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a place of worship - $25,000 bond.
• Allen Peterson, 23, 327 Palm Street. Sale of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a place of worship, sale of substance in lieu of a controlled substance - $26,500 bond.
• Startavious Tarpley, 17, 402 Oak Street. Sale of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a place of worship or convenience business, driving while license suspended – no bond. 

The Task Force also conducted a reverse sting operation in which the following three people were arrested for trying to buy drugs from undercover agents posing as street dealers:   

• Bradley Clerkin, 25, 2323 Queen Palm Drive, Edgewater. Attempted purchase of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia - $2,000 bond.  

• Johnny Mabe, 54, 2609 Kumquat Drive, Edgewater. Attempted purchase of cocaine, while license suspended - $3,000 bond.  

• Vincenzo Miragua, 29, 1303 Palmetto Street, New Smyrna Beach. Attempted purchase of a controlled substance, no valid driver’s license – no bond.