On Wednesday, March 26, the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office Crime Suppression Unit wrapped up a six-month-long undercover investigation of a local drug trafficking organization that led to 19 arrests, and 7.89 pounds of methamphetamine being seized.
A total of 3.68 pounds of methamphetamine was seized during search warrants and arrests and an additional 4.21 pounds intercepted while being shipped to the home on W. Shula Road in Avon Park that was the hub for the organization.
“Keeping drugs off our streets is a core mission of the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office, and the Crime Suppression Unit is the tip of the spear when it comes to the fight against drug dealers,” Sheriff Blackman said. “It takes countless hours of surveillance and investigation to pull together an operation like this, but it is worth it when the end result is the dismantling of a drug trafficking organization. I am very proud of everyone involved in this investigation and want to thank our state and federal partners who assisted us.”
Operation Lil Bit was named after the ringleader of the organization, 37-year-old Dalia Elaine “Lil Bit” Gonzalez, who is in the Highlands County Jail facing five separate cases that add up to eight counts of trafficking methamphetamine, five counts of drug trafficking, six counts of conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, eight counts of sale of methamphetamine and various other charges.
Also arrested were:
• Julio Cesar Colon Garcia, age 40: Five counts of trafficking methamphetamine, two counts of drug trafficking, 2 counts of conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, 2 counts of producing drugs, other charges.
• Brittany Lynn Wall, age 37: Two counts of trafficking methamphetamine, three counts sale of methamphetamine, two counts possession of drug equipment.
• Scott Munroe Green, age 38: Trafficking methamphetamine, drug trafficking, sale of methamphetamine, possession of drug equipment.
• Catarino Borjas-Moreno: Trafficking methamphetamine, trafficking fentanyl, drug trafficking, possession of drug equipment.
• James Leroy Hulen, age 43: Trafficking methamphetamine, committing a first-degree felony with a firearm, two counts of possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.
• Franki Ealine Vazquez, age 30: Five counts trafficking methamphetamine, four counts of conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, four counts sale of methamphetamine, other charges.
• Jonathan Lawrence Tully, age 51: Trafficking methamphetamine, sale of methamphetamine
• Karen Ashley Fettinger, age 40: Two counts of trafficking methamphetamine, two counts of drug trafficking, two counts of sale of methamphetamine, two counts possession of drug equipment.
• Jessica Addison: Possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug equipment.
• Courtney Nicole Hamilton, age 37: Trafficking methamphetamine, sale of methamphetamine
• Althea Alisha Marie Gammage, age 31: Possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug equipment
• Melanie Sue Gaskins, age 51: Sale of methamphetamine
• Garth Adrian Hobart, age 41: Possession of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug equipment, resisting an officer without violence.
• Mary Evangeline White, age 43: Possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug equipment.
• Noelle Ashley Reno, age 38: Possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug equipment, possession of a controlled substance.
• Jaycen Colquitt Pardee, age 24: Possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug equipment.
• Annastasha Marie Crawford, age 31: Possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug equipment.
• Justin Dawayne Hatchett, age 39: Trafficking methamphetamine, sale of methamphetamine.
Note: Not all arrests result in convictions. Everyone is considered innocent until proven guilty in court.
