More than a dozen people were arrested and face drug- and theft-related charges following a large-scale bust made in the Winfield area early Friday morning, Chief Danny Parker said.
Multiple local and state law enforcement agencies executed search warrants at five properties. Parker said officers had 19 arrest warrants and expect 22 to be formally charged.
The Winfield Police Dept. had spent about a year collecting evidence and building cases against those targeted. The drug and theft operation is said to have dealt in the selling of marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine.
Heavy users, sellers and dealers were all a focus of the bust.
"Certainly this will put a dent in (the local drug trade)," Parker said. "I can assure you it will."
Specifics are not yet available, but some drugs, paraphernalia and stolen property were recovered. Parker said this operation is not related to a large scale drug operation targeted during a bust earlier this year in Ark City.
Roughly 50 law enforcement officers have been involved in collecting evidence for this particular case, Parker said. Homes searched were in the 1200 block of Millington, 100 block of E. 13th, 400 block of E. 12th, 7700 block of 252nd Rd. and 300 block of E. Seventh.
The following people were either arrested or already in custody and will be charged in connection with this morning’s bust. Names for two juveniles will not be released.
Taylor Towles, Anthony Bell, Chalen Tickel, Chad Parker, Anthony Henderson, Bruce Cook, Cameron Cassiday, Krista Horton, Britney Banja, Summer Potter, Derrick Nasworthy, David Carothers, Ashley McCaskey, Marlon Lear and Logan Gomez.
Police later said that Cassiday and Horton had yet be located but that warrants for their arrest had been issued.
Whitney Clay was arrested on an outstanding warrant unrelated to the drug investigation.
Names of others arrested will be released when formal charges are filed.
