Video: Volusia Drug Trafficking Ring Dismantled, 38 Facing Charges
Date Added: June 20, 2024 3:10 pm
VOLUSIA DRUG TRAFFICKING RING DISMANTLED, 38 FACING CHARGES
A major drug trafficking ring responsible for dealing fentanyl, heroin, meth, and cocaine in Volusia County was dismantled Thursday in a series of raids and arrests stemming from an 8-month multi-jurisdictional investigation that identified more than 3 dozen suspects.
The ringleaders and most of the 38 defendants identified in the investigation were arrested Thursday as detectives and agents fanned out across the county with arrest warrants. Those remaining will be arrested in the hours and days to come.
“It takes a team effort to bring down a drug trafficking organization like this, and that’s exactly what we did in this investigation,” Sheriff Mike Chitwood said of the operation, which involved about a dozen local, state and federal agencies. “Today we put a bunch of drug dealers in jail and made a major dent in the fentanyl, heroin and meth supply in our community. But we know our work is never done, and we have to pick it right back up tomorrow.”
The trafficking ring was led by Toure Wilder, Bobby Wilder, Khyree Isaac and Allen Messer. The group distributed illegal narcotics to other dealers throughout the Volusia County communities of Daytona Beach, Port Orange, New Smyrna Beach, Edgewater, Oak Hill, and Deltona, as well as Pomona Park in Putnam County.
Evidence seized during the investigation included more than a kilogram of fentanyl, more than 19 pounds of methamphetamine, 69 grams of cocaine, and various equipment used to manufacture and package drugs for sale. During a search warrant raid Thursday morning at a house at 711 Essex Road in Daytona Beach, detectives found 75 grams of fentanyl stored in a baby diaper.
The cases will be prosecuted by the Florida Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution. Said Attorney General Ashley Moody: “Thankful to our law enforcement partners for shutting down this massive drug trafficking ring in Volusia County and getting this deadly poison off our streets. Now our statewide prosecutors will ensure these 38 drug traffickers are held accountable for their crimes.”
The investigation was led by the Volusia Bureau of Investigation (VBI) with the assistance of the East Volusia Narcotics Task Force. Partners included the FBI, DEA, FDLE, Homeland Security Investigations, ATF, Central Florida HIDTA, the DeLand, Edgewater, Holly Hill, New Smyrna Beach, Ormond Beach, and Port Orange police departments; VSO’s Overdose Task Force, Deltona Narcotics Enforcement Team, West Volusia Narcotics Task Force, and SWAT teams from VSO and FDLE.
"Disrupting drug trafficking organizations is a critical part of the FBI mission, and we are proud to work side-by-side with our federal, state, and local partners to make Florida a safer place,” said Kristin Rehler, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Field Office – Daytona Beach Resident Agency. "The FBI and our partners will continue to use every legal means available to rid our communities of dangerous drug distributors and the wanton destruction their activities create.”
“None of these drug dealers in Volusia or anywhere in the state are safe from prosecution,” FDLE Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jason Kriegsman said at the scene of one of the search warrants. “The men and women, all the members of the task force who are putting their lives on the line every day fighting these battles and making the community safer, it’s important they’re recognized, too.”
“The message has to be clear,” Sheriff Chitwood said. “If you’re going to peddle that poison in this community, we are coming to get you. Be prepared for what’s next.”
Arrested Thursday or *already in custody were:
Toure Wilder (DOB 4/1/2000): Conspiracy to traffic in fentanyl, meth; trafficking in fentanyl, meth; unlawful financial transactions; manufacturing fentanyl; conspiracy to manufacture fentanyl; unlawful use of a 2-way communications device; possession of drug paraphernalia.
Khyree Isaac (DOB 11/25/1999): Conspiracy to traffic in fentanyl, meth; trafficking in fentanyl, meth; unlawful financial transactions; manufacturing fentanyl, cocaine; conspiracy to manufacture fentanyl; manufacturing a controlled substance; possession of a structure with knowledge it will be used for trafficking; unlawful use of a 2-way communications device.
Allen Messer (DOB 12/5/1965): Conspiracy to traffic in fentanyl, meth; solicitation to deliver fentanyl, cocaine; unlawful financial transactions; unlawful use of a 2-way communications device.
Derick Darnell Gray (DOB 5/9/2001): Conspiracy to traffic in fentanyl, meth; unlawful use of a 2-way communications device.
Paul Wheat Sr. (DOB 10/22/1955): Solicitation to deliver fentanyl, cocaine; conspiracy to purchase fentanyl; unlawful use of a 2-way communications device.
Crystal Brown (DOB 6/28/1982): Conspiracy to traffic in fentanyl, meth; solicitation to deliver cocaine; unlawful use of a 2-way communications device.
Wayne Kerrison (DOB 2/1/1987): Conspiracy to traffic in fentanyl, meth; unlawful financial transactions; unlawful use of a 2-way communications device.
Madeline Zinno (DOB 9/27/2003): Conspiracy to traffic in meth; solicitation to deliver fentanyl; unlawful use of a 2-way communications device.
Travis Jackson (DOB 9/27/1987): Conspiracy to traffic in fentanyl, meth; unlawful use of a 2-way communications device.
Jay Moore (DOB 12/21/1974): Conspiracy to traffic in meth; unlawful use of a 2-way communications device.
Joseph Titsworth (DOB 1/4/1991): Conspiracy to traffic in fentanyl, meth; unlawful financial transactions; unlawful use of a 2-way communications device.
Melissa Seay (DOB 9/28/1992): Conspiracy to traffic in meth; solicitation to deliver fentanyl; unlawful financial transactions; unlawful use of a 2-way communications device.
Christina Spiceland (DOB 5/18/1978): Conspiracy to traffic in meth; solicitation to deliver fentanyl; unlawful use of a 2-way communications device.
Frank Matott (DOB 9/16/1982): Conspiracy to traffic in meth; solicitation to deliver fentanyl; unlawful use of a 2-way communications device.
Paulette Vickers (DOB 6/24/1979): Conspiracy to traffic in meth; solicitation to deliver fentanyl; unlawful use of a 2-way communications device.
Matthew Kelley (DOB 5/27/1981): Conspiracy to traffic in fentanyl; unlawful financial transactions; unlawful use of a 2-way communications device.
Chad Wheat (DOB 10/9/1983): Solicitation to deliver fentanyl, cocaine; conspiracy to purchase fentanyl, cocaine; unlawful use of a 2-way communications device.
Ronald Rapley (DOB 7/5/1986): Conspiracy to traffic in fentanyl; unlawful use of a 2-way communications device.
Crystal Talbert (DOB 7/27/1976): Conspiracy to traffic in fentanyl, meth; unlawful use of a 2-way communications device.
Kyle Antonelli (DOB 5/24/1988): Conspiracy to traffic in fentanyl, meth; unlawful use of a 2-way communications device.
*Charles Penansky (DOB 12/5/1979): Conspiracy to traffic in fentanyl, meth; solicitation to deliver cocaine, Alprazolam.
*Brian Sims (DOB 11/24/1982): Conspiracy to traffic in fentanyl; unlawful use of a 2-way communications device.
*Roger Reigelsperger (DOB 3/21/1961): Conspiracy to traffic in fentanyl, meth; unlawful financial transactions; unlawful use of a 2-way communications device.
*Kevin Allen (DOB 8/15/1976): Conspiracy to traffic in meth; unlawful financial transactions; unlawful use of a 2-way communications device.
*Kevin Cutlip (DOB 8/15/1972): Conspiracy to traffic in fentanyl, meth; unlawful use of a 2-way communications device.