MULTI-AGENCY RAIDS YIELD 33 DRUG ARRESTS IN PINE BLUFF AREA

City, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies banded together
Wednesday, arresting 33 people on drug charges.

Nineteen people were arrested on federal offenses and 14 on similar state
charges involving marijuana, cocaine or methamphetamine.

The arrests stemmed from a federal indictment last week of 32 people and
from state charges against an additional 31.

All the charges grew out of an extensive undercover drug operation conducted
in the Pine Bluff area beginning in June 1999.

U.S. Attorney Paula Casey, who released the names of 18 people facing
federal charges, said local charges also were filed and will be prosecuted
in state courts. But city and county law enforcement spokesmen couldn't be
reached for comment Wednesday afternoon to identify those people or the
charges against them.

Casey, the federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of Arkansas, said
what began as a local investigation eventually turned into an Organized
Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force operation led by the FBI. Then in July,
the multi-agency effort was assisted by a mobile enforcement team provided
by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.

Other agencies involved included the Pine Bluff Police Department, the
Jefferson County sheriff's office, the Tri-County Drug Task Force, Jefferson
County Prosecuting Attorney Steve Dalrymple and Lincoln County Prosecuting
Attorney Robert Dittrich.

Casey called it a "big, cooperative effort." She said, "The state
prosecutors and I divvied up the cases according to where best we thought
they should be prosecuted."

Those facing federal charges of conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams
of crack cocaine and two counts of possession with intent to distribute more
than 500 grams of powder cocaine are: Timothy Armstrong III, 30; Clifton
Zayrell Freeman Jr., 34; Larry Eugene McCain, 31; and L.C. Davis, 51, all of
Pine Bluff.

The conspiracy charge, which carries the biggest sentence upon conviction,
is punishable under federal statutes by 10 years to life in prison, though
federal sentencing guidelines help determine sentences.

Charged with distribution of more than 50 grams of crack, a charge with the
same penalty range as the conspiracy count, are James Ray Scott Jr., 25, and
Marcus Rodgers, 20, both of Pine Bluff.

Charged with conspiracy to distribute more than 5 grams of powder cocaine
and distribution of more than 5 grams of crack cocaine are Trevalus Ray
Wilson, 26, and Jacquelyn Marie Wilson, 25, both of Pine Bluff. Both of
those charges are punishable by five to 40 years in prison.

Charged with distribution of more than 5 grams of crack cocaine, which also
is punishable by five to 40 years, are Carlos Urquhart, 23, address unknown,
and Pine Bluff residents Elijah Lancaster Jr., 32; Calvin Dewayne Baker, 26;
Latricia S. Moore, 22; Chavarian Avery, 23; Jerald Lamard Miller, 30; Eric
Lamont Austin, 22; and Edward Jett McClain, 21.

Facing a charge of distributing crack cocaine, which again carries a penalty
range of five to 40 years upon conviction, are Willie Heard, 19, and Sedrick
Rauls, 24, both of Pine Bluff.