Major Drug Trafficking Organization Dismantled in “Operation Taking Care of Business”
After an extensive 11- month local, state, and federal joint investigation, 48 men and women have been arrested on the Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and will be charged on numerous drugs and weapons offenses, spanning the Northern District of Georgia into the metro Atlanta area.
From August 2019 to the present, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office (ARDEO), the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Major Offender’s Task Force in conjunction with the Hall County District Attorney’s Office has been conducting an investigation into the drug trafficking organization of Luther Troy Summerfield, age 43, Alejandro Ceja-Solano, age 40, and others.
During the course of the investigation, agents in coordination with local deputies from the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, the Banks County Sheriff’s Office, the White County Sheriff’s Office, Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office, Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Cleveland Police Department, Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hall County Sheriff’s Office learned that Summerfield purchased and distributed kilograms of methamphetamine from Ceja-Solano.
Information obtained from numerous hours of investigation also revealed that Summerfield traveled to Ceja-Solano’s residence to obtain drugs and traveled to the metro Atlanta area to obtain heroin and methamphetamine, either facilitated by Ceja-Solano, or another source of supply.
Throughout the investigation, police executed approximately 12 search warrants yielding the following:
Approximately 50 kilograms of methamphetamine
Approximately ½ kilogram of heroin
Approximately 20 firearms
Approximately $70,000 in cash
Approximately 6 vehicles
The street value associated with all the drugs seized is $705,000.00.
The following individuals were arrested:
Tanya Lynn Allison, age 48-arrested
Katlynn Marie Beaucaire-arrested
Richard Daniel Burkett-arrested
Dulcey Burton, age 51-arrested
Alejandro Ceja-Solano-arrested
Jose Alfredo Miranda Chavez-already in custody
Jessica Marie Clark, age 28-arrested
Noah Coker-in prison
Mark Coker-arrested
Joshua Collins- already in custody
Kevin Cosper-arrested
Robyn Samantha Dost, age 27-arrested
Chelsea Dover, age 30-arrested
Shelbi Eanes, age 25-arrested
Juan Antonio Flores-custody in Gwinnett
Brandi Nicole Freeman-arrestedo
Jory Gee, age 33-arrested
Roger Dale Gerrin, age 62-arrested
Robert Green- already in custody in Lumpkin
Dexter Grier, age 40-arrested
Nucoma Grindle, age 42-arrested
Dustin Floyd Groves- arrested
Terry Harris, -arrested
Christy Deresia Hedden-arrested
Jerry Lee Helton-arrested
Crystal Marie Herrin-arrested
Brooke Barron Hicks-arrested
Christopher Jackson, age 33-arrested
Kimberly Ann Kennedy-arrested
Richard Jason Maddox-arrested
Marinela Romeiro Marquez-arrested
Pablo Martinez-already in custody
Shayna Millwood-arrested
Allie Murray-arrested
William Harrison Nicely-arrested
Ashley Parker- already in custody
Joshua Ray Phillips- custody already
Kirstie Purvis-arrested
Brianne Ross Rummell-already in custody
Michael Rummel-arrested
Coty Anthony Sanders-arrested
Jeffrey Shane Seabolt—arrested
Erin Sexton-arrested
Jessie Elaine Smith-arrested
Seantal Tiffany Smith-arrested
Luther Troy Summerfield-arrested
Delores Thomas –arrested
Anthony Williams-in custody
The Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office is a multi-agency unit that consists of the following agencies: White County Sheriff’s Office, Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office, Towns County Sheriff’s Office, Banks County Sheriff’s Office, Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, Rabun County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Fannin County Sheriff’s Office, Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office, Cleveland Police Department, Lavonia Police Department, Toccoa Police Department, the Georgia National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, the Department of Public Safety, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
The FBI’S Major Offender’s Task Force consists of the Gainseville Police Department, the Georgia State Patrol, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office the Georgia Department of Corrections, the GBI, the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, Winder Police Department, and the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office.
The Alto Police Department assisted with this investigation as well.
Authorities say this investigation is an example of the value of interagency cooperation. Because of the strong, existing relationships between the participating agencies, agents were able to share intelligence and coordinate the dismantling of a complex drug trafficking organization.
Although numerous arrests have been made and evidence seized, the investigation continues, and additional arrests are expected.