'HALLOWEEN HAVOC' NETS 34 DRUG SUSPECTS

'This Was Mainly Small Street Distribution,' Franklin County Sheriff's
Officer Says

Police are still looking for two suspects, including one juvenile.

ROCKY MOUNT - In an operation that sounded like a professional
wrestling event, Franklin County authorities Thursday arrested 34
people suspected of dealing drugs in a sweep dubbed "Halloween Havoc."

The investigation - based on undercover drug buys and informant tips -
consisted of the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, Rocky Mount police,
Virginia State Police and an officer from the Department of Game and
Inland Fisheries. It lasted 13 months and culminated with the early
morning raids by five teams.

Suspects were indicted by a grand jury Monday. One of two juveniles
who were indicted and another suspect are still at large, according to
Sheriff's Lt. Ewell Hunt.

Most of the 34 arrests were in Rocky Mount - 12 to 15 in the North
Main Street area.

"The deals took place at other locations," Hunt said of the undercover
drug buys. "They just happened to reside in the North Main Street area."

No drugs were seized Thursday, and officers met no resistance - most
of the suspects were roused from sleep, Hunt said. Most were charged
with distributing crack cocaine and marijuana, he said.

"This was mainly small street distribution," Hunt continued. "It's not
minor, and not major, but a moderate impact."

Of those arrested, Hunt singled out Jacoby Labordo Estes, 28, of
Sunset Drive and George Samuel Holloway, 22, of Doe Run Road.

Estes was indicted on charges of possession of cocaine with intent to
distribute. Hunt said he had 2 ounces of powder cocaine on one
occasion and 1 1/2 ounces of powder on a second occasion.

Holloway was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to
distribute after he was caught with more than 1 pound of marijuana,
Hunt said.

Hunt said the investigation revealed a surprising increase in
marijuana sales in Franklin County.

That increase seemed to contradict Franklin County's annual marijuana
crop enforcement, which seized only 49 plants this year - down from
thousands in the past.

Hunt said increased interdiction efforts over the last 10 years have
made it so "the old-time grow operations have become nonexistent." Now
Franklin County officers are seeing an influx of marijuana from
Mexico. Just two months ago a seizure netted 29 pounds, Hunt said.

"They're bringing it by the bale," Hunt said. "It's cheaper to deal
with a bale of imported marijuana than to grow it."

One of the two juvenile indictments includes a charge of selling drugs
on school property. Hunt would not say which school was involved.

Another Rocky Mount resident, whom Hunt declined to identify because
he is now a fugitive, is believed to be hiding in upstate New York.
That man was caught with a small amount of marijuana and a gun during
a search in December and has now been indicted on charges of crack
cocaine distribution.

Those arrested are not suspected of being part of an organized ring,
although some did know one another.

"I feel those arrested are a cross section of the populace that deals
in drugs in and around Rocky Mount," Hunt said.

Of the 34 arrested, eight had not yet bonded out of jail Thursday
afternoon. An arraignment was scheduled this morning to set their
bond, Hunt said.

Hunt said he expected drug sales to dip for a short time and then
rebound.

"We've got some small-time dealers that will turn into big-time
dealers because now there's no competition. They'll be filling the
void, you might say.

"It's the lure of easy money," Hunt said, quoting a rock 'n' roll song
popular in the early '80s.