A 32-month long undercover drug operation by the Fourth Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force in Wilcox County came to a conclusion last Friday after nearly two dozen arrests.

Larry Colston, commander of the task force, said after months of surveillance and investigating, the task force and several other agencies executed search warrants that resulted in 23 arrests for various charges including drug distribution.

“We all got together that morning early, and we just went out on our separate ways and executed search warrants and arrest warrants, and everything checked out pretty good,” Colston said.

Colston said the task force had assistance from the Wilcox County Sheriff’s Department, police departments from Camden, Pine Hill and Hayneville, the Demopolis SWAT Team, the Marengo County Sheriff’s Department, the Clarke County Drug Task Force, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force, ATF agents and the 17th Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force.

“A lot of the citizens wanted something done, so all of these agencies got together and did a good job. It shows the cooperation and success you can have when everybody is on board with each other,” said District Attorney Michael Jackson.

“This is obviously going to quiet Wilcox County down for a while, which is a good thing.”

Jackson said the operation was put in place after Wilcox County had issues with drugs and gang violence.

“They’ve had a lot of situations in Wilcox County lately with drugs being brought in. They’ve had issues with gangs beating up and shooting people,” Jackson said.

“The sheriff there wanted some help in that area, so the task force and other agencies got together in that area to give them that help.”

Colston said agents found crystal meth, marijuana, crack cocaine, cocaine, synthetic marijuana, prescription pills, firearms, drug paraphernalia and money during searches.

The people arrested were:

Monica Price, 36, Camden, unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, three counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, first-degree unlawful possession of marijuana; Utopia Smith, 32, Camden, carrying a pistol without a permit; Theoplis Price, 41, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia; Cordreck Thompson, 36, Camden, four counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, first-degree unlawful possession of marijuana; Tianecka Lloyd, 22, Camden, second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana; Kendall Pettway, 30, Camden, two counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance; Cortez Irby, 28, Camden, unlawful possession of a controlled substance; Christopher Lamkin, 18, Camden, unlawful distribution of a controlled substance;

Justin Perkins, 28, Pine Hill, unlawful distribution of a controlled substance; Missouria Bridges, 47, Camden, unlawful distribution of a controlled substance; Cedric Oliver, 35, Pine Hill, unlawful distribution of a controlled substance; Jerome Mendenhall, 35, Camden, unlawful distribution of a controlled substance; Thomas Threadgill, 36, Camden, two counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance; Jamorris Nickerson, 29, Camden, first-degree unlawful possession of marijuana, unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, certain person forbidden to carry a firearm; Gregory Morgan, 32, Camden, unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, probation hold; Harley Manley, 20, Pine Hill, second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana; Angela Higgenbottom, 35, Camden, probation warrant; Cassandra Higgenbottom, 30, Camden, probation warrant; Carlos Higgenbottom, 33, Camden, first-degree unlawful possession of marijuana; Antonio Rodgers, 38, Lower Peachtree, two counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana; Vera Reeves, 28, Coy, unlawful distribution of a controlled substance; Crystal Matthews, 29, Camden, first-degree unlawful possession of marijuana, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia; Tasha Manzie, 34, Camden, unlawful distribution of a controlled substance.

Colston requested anyone with suspicion of drug or gang-related activity going on to call the task force at (334) 874-2540, 1-877-653-8293, 1-888-424-6981 or (334) 247 2151.