DTF, DEA bust up drug trafficking operation in Jonesboro

Press Release from Paul Holmes, Jonesboro Police Department

Agents of the Second Judicial District Drug Task Force and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration capped a year-long investigation with the arrests Friday of a number of individuals on state and federal charges.

In June of 2015, the DEA’s Little Rock office and the Drug Task Force initiated an investigation named Operation King St. Louie. From July 2015 through March 2016, agents conducted surveillance, made controlled purchases of methamphetamine, seized drugs from members of an organization that DEA named the Freddie Capone trafficking operation.

On July 5, a federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Arkansas returned an indictment charging Freddie Capone, Brian Holt, Stephen Matthew Martin, Gary Sims and Jeremy Logwood, all of Northeast Arkansas, with conspiracy with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and other violations, alleging the charged individuals played an active role in the trafficking of methamphetamine. The grand jury alleged that the drug trafficking organization was responsible for the acquisition, transportation and distribution of methamphetamine, marijuana and pharmaceutical controlled substances in Northeast Arkansas.

Agents from the Second District Drug Task Force obtained state-level arrest warrants for the following individuals: Kenneth Ball; Mary Brown; Tamika Capone; Jessica Chism aka Jessica Samolyuk; Cory Gremard; Bonard Vincent Mace III aka Trey Mace; Herbert Moore; Brett Samolyuk; Waddell Sanders,; Elmer Eugene “Too Tall” Bruner; Damian Martez Cutler Jr; Terry Hodges, Melvin Fiebrantz; Tommy Hunter and Anthony James Cassulis.

State charges include: Ball, possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, simultaneous possession of drugs and a firearm, possession of drug paraphernalia; conspiracy to deliver a narcotic; use of communication device constituting a felony; Tamika Capone, conspiracy to possess a narcotic, use of a communication device constituting a felony; Chism, conspiracy to possess a narcotic; use of communication device constituting a felony; Gremard, conspiracy to possess a narcotic, use of communication device constituting a felony; Moore, conspiracy to possess a narcotic, use of communication device constituting a felony; possession of a narcotic with intent to deliver; simultaneous possession of drugs and a firearm; possession of drug paraphernalia; Brett Samolyuk, conspiracy to possess a narcotic; use of a communication device constituting a felony; Sanders, conspiracy to deliver a narcotic, use of communication device constituting a felony; Cassulis, delivery of methamphetamine; Fiebrantz, delivery of methamphetamine; Mace, conspiracy to possess a narcotic, use of a communication device constituting a felony; Bruner, delivery of methamphetamine; Hunter, possession of a controlled substance; Brown, possession of drug paraphernalia.

Judge Thomas Fowler has set temporary bonds for the defendants’ appearances in circuit court on the state charges.

Jonesboro Police Chief Rick Elliott noted that several JPD officers are assigned to the Second Judicial District Drug Task Force and that the task force works extremely well with local, state and federal law enforcement to combat drug trafficking.

Scott Ellington, Second Judicial District prosecutor, said, “I appreciate the hard work of our local officers and federal partners in getting dangerous drugs off the streets of Jonesboro and Northeast Arkansas.”