Cocaine arrests continue during drug operation
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The latest to be arrested is Robert (One-Eyed Bob) Reed, 26, who is charged with one count of sale of cocaine over half a gram and one count under half a gram. The over half a gram count carries eight to 12 years in prison.
According to District Attorney General Dale Potter, Reed was convicted here in 1998 on cocaine charges, along with a conviction on robbery charges in Nashville.
Reed is among 18 alleged drug traffickers targeted for arrest as part of Operation Cleanup. Most of the offenders targeted this time are among those who were arrested in operations during the mid to late 1990s during Operations Rock-It and Eight Ball.
The operations led to the arrests and convictions of scores of defendants, many of whom have now served their time and have been released from prison.
The operations were credited with breaking an organized crack cocaine distribution network here.
“We still have a crack cocaine problem, but it comes and goes,” Potter said. “We put people in jail for it, but someone shows up and takes their place. In these cases, many of these were folks who were in jail who have gotten out and went back into the business.”
Much like the 1990s, Potter said the crack dealers have become organized; however, lawmen are not seeing the turf battles, which were sometimes violent during the 1990s, develop this time.
“They’ve kind of learned to get along and compete for business, kind of like Coke and Pepsi,” Potter said. “They’re still as organized and some of them are as big time as they were before they went to jail the last time. Back in the 1990s, we saw a more violent turf battle with some gang association. Now, turf doesn’t seem to be a big deal since they realize there’s plenty of business for everybody.”
Potter pointed out operatives had no problem buying all the cocaine they wanted from some suspects, forcing investigators to limit their buys in most cases to three per dealer.
Potter noted some of those to be arrested as part of the operation will face charges of selling drugs within a school zone since some of those arrested allegedly sold drugs at or near the auto clean-up shop located next to Bobby Ray School on Chancery Street. Sale of drugs in a school zone enhances punishment.
In cases where large amount of the drugs are sold in a school zone, the perpetrator can face 15 to 25 years in jail without chance of parole.