Sheriff’s office caps 11-month investigation with 30-plus arrests
Kmart might have shuttered all of its continental stores in the United States, but the spirit of the “blue-light special” lives on.
A convoy of authorities from multiple agencies rolled into Graham County just after 8 a.m., Nov. 26, with plans to make “Operation Dirty Laundry: Phase 1” look like a spin through the delicate cycle.
Throughout the day, officers were dispatched to various locations and found overwhelming success in the biggest attempt yet to strong-arm the local drug crisis. Of the 36 individuals on the checklist, 29 were apprehended before Nov. 26’s sunset; however, six additional arrests were made due to outstanding warrants.
“Operation Dirty Laundry: Phase 2” was the culmination of the Graham County Sheriff’s Office’s 11-month, undercover effort to bust up the dark underbelly of both illegal gambling and drug use within its borders.
It goes without saying, all the hard work paid off.
“When I came into office in 2022 … I made a promise to every citizen in Graham County that I would do everything in my power to combat the wave of illegal narcotics that had taken over our small community,” Graham County Sheriff Brad Hoxit said in a press release. “Illegal drugs were on every corner of the street. Business owners were having to pick up used needles within the parking lots of their businesses before opening. The county was completely inundated with narcotics. In the first 10 months of my tenure as sheriff, we had eight deaths that were linked to controlled substance overdoses. We – as an office – were working very hard to combat the drugs on the street.
“But I knew for us – as an office – to be successful, we would need to conduct an undercover operation utilizing an undercover law enforcement officer, who could operate within the local drug community.”
The office’s Drug Enforcement Unit delved into an investigation in January. Spearheaded by narcotics detective Graham Page, the office easily found assistance from a multitude of regional agencies – all eager to help combat the drug epidemic: the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement and its gaming unit; N.C. State Bureau of Investigation; N.C. Department of Revenue - Controlled Substance Tax Unit; N.C. State Highway Patrol; N.C. National Guard Counter Drug Task Force and its ground reconnaissance unit; members of the Cherokee, Clay, Jackson and Swain County Sheriff’s offices; and 43rd Prosecutorial District Attorney Ashley Welch’s office.
Throughout the execution of “Operation Dirty Laundry” – which was named after the investigation’s first stakeout, The Washboard Laundromat off Rodney Orr Bypass – each agency played a vital role in collecting a plethora of evidence.
Warrants were executed Nov. 22 and Nov. 26. The first cracked down on illegal gambling and drug sales at three different local businesses: the laundromat, The Greener Side Dispensary and Z’s Tobacco & Vape – which had either illegal gambling devices or was selling controlled substances with a THC content higher than the permitted limit of 0.3% in its Hayesville, Murphy and Robbinsville locations. Four total individuals were arrested: Brian Jude Muncy (owner of the dispensary); Ayad Radwan Alsalme (owner of Z;s Tobacco & Vape); Mohamed Abdullah Almasmari (an alleged co-conspirator for Z’s) and Willem Adriaan Van De Weerd (owner of the laundromat).
The Graham County Clerk of Court’s office then combined with the Jackson County Clerk of Court to ensure all the paperwork was ready for Phase 2 on Nov. 26.
Suspects arrested
When all was said and done, the following individuals were arrested as part of “Operation Dirty Laundry: Phase 2.” Charges below expand on those listed in our weekly arrest report (which are summarized mostly as “true bills of indictment” and can be found on page 2 of this edition):
* Mitchell Wayne Ayers: Four counts of sell/deliver a controlled substance.
* Randy Heath Blevins: One count of sell/deliver a schedule II controlled substance.
* Shauntae Antoinette Boykin: Two counts of selling a controlled substance.
* Patrick Ryan Burchfield: One count of sell/deliver a controlled substance near a school.
* Joshua Randall Cable: One count of sell/deliver a controlled substance near a school.
* Ritchie Lynn Campbell: Eight counts of trafficking opium/heroin; four counts of sell/deliver a controlled substance; one count of sell/deliver a controlled substance near a school.
* Daniel Glenn Cooper: One count of sell/deliver schedule III controlled substance; one count of trafficking opium/heroin.
* Joshua James (“JJ”) Crisp: One count of possession of methamphetamine.
* Rebecca Ann Crisp: Eight counts of trafficking opium/heroin; four counts of sell/deliver a controlled substance; two counts of maintain a dwelling for controlled substances.
* Samuel Henry Crisp: Four counts of trafficking opium/heroin; two counts of sell/deliver a controlled substance.
* Ray Marcus Freeman: 26 counts of sell/deliver a controlled substance; 15 counts of possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver a controlled substance; 13 counts of trafficking in methamphetamine; and eight counts of sell/deliver a controlled substance near a school.
* Casey Trent Freeman: 17 counts of sell/deliver schedule II controlled substance; 12 counts of trafficking in opium/heroin; eight counts of trafficking in methamphetamine; six counts of felony maintaining dwelling for controlled substance; three counts of sell/deliver schedule III controlled substance; two counts of sell/deliver a controlled substance near a school.
* Hannah Lynn Garrison: Three counts of sell/deliver a controlled substance.
* Gary Dion Harris: Four counts of trafficking opium/heroin; two counts of sell/deliver a controlled substance; two counts of felony maintaining a vehicle for controlled substance.
* Lisa Denene James: Two counts of sell/deliver a controlled substance; two counts of felony maintaining a vehicle for controlled substance.
* Keith Jordan: Five counts of illegal gambling offenses; one count of sell/deliver a controlled substance.
* Terry Cain Jordan: Two counts of sell/deliver a controlled substance.
* Lisa Ann Jumper: Nine counts of sell/deliver a controlled substance; two counts of sell/deliver a controlled substance near a school.
* Christy Lee Lofty: Two counts of trafficking in methamphetamine; one count of sell/deliver schedule II controlled substance; one count of felony maintain a vehicle for controlled substance.
* Felicia Ann Mayberry: Two counts of possession of controlled substances; one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
* Donna Rose Messer: Five counts of gambling offenses.
* Carla Suzanne Moore: Two counts of sell/deliver a controlled substance; one count of sell/deliver a controlled substance near a school; one count of felony maintain a dwelling for controlled substance.
* Angel Nichole Morgan: Two counts of sell/deliver a controlled substance; one count of felony maintain a vehicle for controlled substance.
* Kevin Ray Nations: One count of sell/deliver counterfeit controlled substance.
* Aaron Keith Orr: One count of sell/deliver schedule III controlled substance.
* Travis Wesley Orr: Four counts of trafficking opium/heroin; one count of sell/deliver schedule II controlled substance.
* Kristy Meshell Phillips: Possession of methamphetamine.
* Michael Ray Phillips: Two counts of possession/sell non-tax paid alcohol.
* Charlona Leshon Pressley: One count of sell/deliver a controlled substance.
* Miranda Nicole Rutland: One count of possession of methamphetamine.
* Wayne William Sawyer III: One count of sell/deliver a controlled substance near a school.
* Timothy Andrew Sellers: One count of sell/deliver a controlled substance near a school.
* Dennis James Solles: Six counts of trafficking methamphetamine; two counts of sell/deliver a controlled substance; two counts of sell/deliver a controlled substance near a school; one count of possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver methamphetamine; one count of felony maintain a vehicle for controlled substance.
* Derek Channing Trull: One count of sell/deliver schedule II controlled substance; one count of sell/deliver schedule II controlled substance near a school.
* Brittany Paige Underwood: One count of sell/deliver a schedule II controlled substance; one count of sell/deliver schedule II controlled substance near school; one count of conspiracy to sell/deliver schedule II controlled substance near school.
* Larry Ted Williams: One count of possession of methamphetamine.
* Dale Henry Wilson: Operate/possess slot machine (two counts); manufacture/sell slot machine; operate video game machine; gambling.
“I want to ensure the community that even though you may not always see us, please know that we are always working to keep our community safe,” Hoxit added. “Our office is continuing to relentlessly combat narcotics trafficking and distribution in our county.”