DELAND -- Dozens of local, state and federal agents toppled a large-scale drug trafficking organization Monday morning in a series of coordinated raids on a criminal network responsible for distributing massive quantities of cocaine into West Volusia, Sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson said.
A total of 16 people already are in custody, including 26-year-old Rosheen Cuthrell of DeLand, the reputed head of the organization, along with several of the group’s main drug suppliers, Davidson said.
Agents have had the organization under investigation since last year, having seized more than 1,500 grams of cocaine prior to Monday’s raids. Agents have arrest warrants for nine more people who are still being sought.
Dubbed “Operation Melt Down,” the investigation was initiated in 2007 by the multi-agency Volusia Bureau of Investigation.
When VBI learned that several of its targets were also under federal investigation, they joined forces with the City-County Investigative Bureau in Seminole County and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to bring down the trafficking network.
"Cocaine worth about $30,000 on the streets was seized during the investigation, which culminated Monday morning with raids at five locations in DeLand and DeLeon Springs and a round-up of defendants linked to the organization," Davidson said. "Most face cocaine trafficking charges and have been jailed on bonds of up to $305,000. Approximately 150 agents took part in Monday’s operation."
Four targets of the investigation, including Cuthrell, were already in custody prior to Monday’s operation. Cuthrell is incarcerated in South Florida on drug charges and faces charges in Volusia County of conspiracy to traffic in cocaine over 400 grams, trafficking in cocaine over 28 grams and unlawful use of a two-way communications device. Another 12 defendants were arrested on Monday, including three members of a West Volusia family -- 55-year-old Rafael Meza, Sr. and his two sons, 29-year-old Jose Meza and 21-year-old Rafael Meza, Jr. Investigators believe the trio was Cuthrell’s main cocaine suppliers.
Agents also snared 35-year-old Gregorio Mendoza of DeLand on Monday, who’s reputed to be one of the group’s upper-level suppliers, Davidson said.
Another accused upper-level supplier, 48-year-old Clemente Hernandez of DeLand, is being held in jail in Daytona Beach as a fugitive who’s wanted in Tennessee. Another defendant, 23-year-old David Gutierrez of DeLeon Springs, was facing charges of conspiracy to traffic in cocaine until he was killed recently in a traffic crash near Homestead. Other defendants taken into custody prior to Monday include 29-year-old Vernon Cheek of Palatka and a man known to agents only as Guerro. I
"nvestigators say the group was responsible for distributing between 20 and 30 kilos of crack and powder cocaine a month through the West Volusia area," Davidson said, adding, "agents seized 16 firearms along with a small amount of cocaine and marijuana during Monday’s raids.
As part of the operation, agents executed search warrants Monday at the following five locations:
DeLand
· 1420 E. Carolina Ave.
· 822 S. High Street
· 250 Palmetto Ave., Apt. C
· 700 E. Wisconsin Ave.
DeLeon Springs
· 5095 Penvan Ave.
Arrests also were made at the following locations:
· 1256 Helen Drive, DeLand
· 617 S. Montgomery Ave., DeLand
· 5359 N. U.S. Highway 17, DeLeon Springs
· 2212 Florida Drive, Apt. 4, Deltona
· 42229 Fonseca Lane, DeLand (Lake County)
· 611 Sidney Drive, Lake Helen
The 12 defendants arrested during Monday’s raids were as follows:
Anna Berriozabal, 27, DeLand. Conspiracy to traffic in cocaine over 400 grams, unlawful use of a two-way communications device, $155,000 bond.
Jose Angel Flores-Ruiz, 31, DeLand. Conspiracy to traffic in cocaine over 400 grams, $150,000 bond.
Janice Kohler, 21, Lake Helen. Possession of marijuana under 20 grams, possession of drug paraphernalia, $2,000 bond.
Gregorio Mendoza, 35, DeLand. Conspiracy to traffic in cocaine over 400 grams, $150,000 bond.
Jose Meza, 29, DeLand. Conspiracy to traffic in cocaine over 400 grams, $250,000 bond.
Rafael Meza, Jr. 21, DeLeon Springs. Conspiracy to traffic in cocaine over 400 grams, trafficking in cocaine over 28 grams, unlawful use of a two-way communications device, $205,000 bond.
Rafael Meza, Sr., 55, DeLeon Springs. Conspiracy to traffic in cocaine over 400 grams, $250,000 bond.
Travares Reed, 27, DeLand. Theft of a firearm, $1,500 bond.
Otilio Toledo, 38, DeLand. Possession of marijuana under 20 grams, possession of drug paraphernalia. (Arrested/booked in Lake County)
Antiqua Watts, 21, DeLand. Conspiracy to traffic in cocaine over 400 grams, $150,000 bond.
Shavon Watts, 28, DeLand. Possession of a controlled substance, $5,000 bond.
Elli Williamson, 26, DeLand. Possession of marijuana (bond amount not available).
The Volusia Bureau of Investigation is a multi-agency task force that pools resources from nine local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in order to target mid- and upper-level narcotics traffickers as well as racketeering and organized crime. Participating agencies include the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Attorney’s General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution, Daytona Beach Police Department, Daytona Beach Shores Department of Public Safety, DeLand Police Department, Port Orange Police Department, New Smyrna Beach Police Department and the U.S. Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.