SUFFOLK, Va. — A months-long investigation into illegal drugs and gun sales on the streets of Suffolk led to a large number of arrests Wednesday.
The Suffolk Police Department said with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tabaco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the United States Marshals Service, law enforcement officials served 10 narcotics and firearms-related search warrants, leading to the arrest of 12 people.
Those suspects are currently being held at the Western Tidewater Regional Jail, Police Chief Al Chandler said during a press conference Wednesday afternoon.
"We as an agency heard our citizens, expressed to us the need for change in policing," Chandler said. "It was important to us that rather than taking a hammer to our communities, we applied surgical investigative precision to cut the cancer out of our great city."
Authorities found what they believed to be marijuana in addition to multiple firearms, narcotics and U.S. currency.
Chandler called this the "first wave" of what is more to come. He said this operation included more than 160 indictments which led to 10 high-risk search warrants. In the end, more than 25 illegally possessed or illegally sold firearms were seized.
He thanked law enforcement at the local, state and national levels as well as the city's citizens who provided information and insight to protect their communities.
"We are continuing to investigate, identify and bring to justice those who choose to buy and sell those stolen, illegal firearms as well as illegal narcotics," Chief Chandler said. "I want this to serve as notice that we are focused and committed to ridding our neighborhoods of those who choose to commit crimes that fuel violence in our city streets."
Chandler did not say how much was seized because authorities are still investigating.
Suffolk Commonwealth Attorney Narendra Pleas said 350 indictments were presented to a grand jury in June, involving 164 defendants. Of those, 109 indictments were related to Wednesday's arrests.
"We have an uptick in violent crime and it needs to be addressed," Pleas said.
Suffolk's Mayor Michael Duman also spoke during the press conference Wednesday, thanking the multiple agencies that assisted in the arrests.
"This is a true example of what can be accomplished with interagency cooperation as we continue to address crime in our city and in our region," Duman said. "Rest assured, public safety is top of mind and we will continue to introduce initiatives to maintain Suffolk is one of the safest cities in Hampton Roads."
Here is the list of suspects along with charges:
ARMSTRONG, LATRAWN MONIQUE JR
1. Distribute sch I or II drug (f) x2
2. Poss gun w/sell sch I/II drug (f)
3. Conspiracy/distribute sch i/ii drug (f)
BARNES, KURTIS
1. Distribute Sch I/II Drug (F)
BREMBY, JAMES LEE JR
1. Distribute sch I/II drugs (f) x5
2. Drug sale on, near school (f)
COBB, KENNETH T
1. Distribute Sch I/II 2nd Offense (F) X8
GARVIN, DEON LAVELLE
1. Distribute sch I/II 2nd offense (f) x11
2. Poss gun w/sell sch I/II drug (f)
3. Violent felon poss firearm (f) x2
4. Conspire to distribute sch I/II (f) x2
HARDEN, PHILLIP ANDREW
1. Distribute sch I/II drug (f) x9
2. Conspire to distribute sch I/II drug
HOUSE, QUASHAWN DAMON
1. Distribute sch I/II drug (f) x4
2. Poss gun w/sell sch I/II drug (f)
3. Violent Felon Poss Firearm (F)
KEARNEY, KENYATTA LATEEF JR
1. Distribute Sch I/II Drug (F) X 6
THOMAS, TOMMY MACARTHUR
1. Distribute Sch I/II Drug (F) X7
THORPE, ERNEST SEMAJ
1. Distribute sch I/II 3+ offense (f) x7
2. Poss gun w/sell sch I/II drug (f)
3. Nonviolent felon poss gun within 10 yrs (f)
4. Carry concealed weapon (m)
WIGGINS, CORINTHIAN FRE’JOSEPH
1. PWID marijuana<1 oz (m)
2. PWID marijuana> 1 oz-5 lbs (f) x4
3. Conspire to distribute marijuana >1 oz-5 lbs (f) x4
WOOD, JOHN DEMETRIUS
1. Distribute sch I/II drugs (f) x19
2. Conspire to distribute drugs (f) x3
3. Nonviolent felon poss gun>10 yrs (f) x2
4. Poss gun w/sell sch I/II drug (f)
5. Distribute imitation sch I/II drugs (f)
Police said they are still looking for Darius Jones, wanted on drugs and weapons charges.
This is a developing story. Stay with News 3 as more details become available.
