‘Operation Silent Night’ Yields 12 Arrests of Accused Drug Dealers

Flagler Sheriff Rick Staly announced on Thursday that twelve alleged drug dealers had been arrested as a result of ‘Operation Silent Night’, an undercover investigation into narcotics trafficking in Flagler County. The investigation spanned ten months and concluded with the serving of a series of arrest warrants Thursday morning. Operation Silent Night was conducted over a period beginning January 3rd of this year and concluding on November 7th, spearheaded by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit. The drugs being tracked within the investigation included cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana. Not only were all those drugs seized in the sting, but the FCSO also recovered $16,705 from profits by the alleged drug dealers. The arrest warrants were served by the Special Investigations Unit, SWAT team, Problem Area Crime Enforcement Unit (PACE), and K-9 Unit. The individuals arrested were residents of Bunnell and Palm Coast. The FCSO seized 164 grams of cocaine, 261 grams of methamphetamine, 109 grams of fentanyl, and 14 grams of marijuana. “I commend our SIU team for working hard over the last 10 months getting this poison off our streets,” Staly said. “Thanks to their efforts and help from our SWAT team, K-9 teams, PACE, CPD and Communications team, these poison peddlers were swept up this morning and will be spending the holiday season in the [county jail].” According to information by the FCSO, the arrests were the following suspects with accused crimes attached: Michael Allison (37 years old, Palm Coast) Sale of fentanyl Unlawful use of a two-way communications device Devarus Bethea (37 years old, Palm Coast) Fentanyl trafficking Unlawful use of a two-way communications device Robert Cone (50 years old, Bunnell) Sale of methamphetamine James Forbes (55 years old, Bunnell) Methamphetamine trafficking Unlawful use of a two-way communications device Luis Gil (56 years old, Palm Coast) Cocaine trafficking Sale of cocaine John Harris (35 years old, Palm Coast) Sale of cocaine Unlawful use of a two-way communications device Lizzette Johnson (50 years old, Palm Coast) Sale of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a park Samuel Johnson Jr. (63 years old, Bunnell) Sale of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a park Winston Rawlings (34 years old, Palm Coast) Sale of fentanyl Sale of cocaine Unlawful use of a two-way communications device Spencer Sarmento (32 years old, Bunnell) Sale of heroin Jerry Spates (69 years old, Bunnell) Sale of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a specified area (two counts) Jarvis Warren (47 years old, Palm Coast) Sale of cocaine