DPS SEIZES SEVEN POUNDS OF CRACK IN CASS COUNTY

More than seven pounds of crack cocaine were taken off the streets in a
Texas Department of Public Safety narcotics bust in Cass County. Narcotics
officers with DPS seized 7.59 pounds of crack cocaine on Sept. 2 in a
buy/bust operation in Cass County on Texas Highway 77 between Douglassville
and Atlanta. Officials close to the investigation said the drugs carry a
retail street value of $400,000.

That amount of crack would provide more than 700 doses of the highly
addictive and illegal drug, which is a derivative of cocaine. The bust
resulted in the arrest of Zebadee Lawson III, 28, and Willy Jones, 41. Both
men are from Dallas but have East Texas ties. Both were arrested on charges
of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance (cocaine base).
Following their arrest, they were taken to the Cass County Jail. Both men
secured bail bonds and are free pending the filing of federal charges.
Authorities say they will also move to seize any vehicles the suspects own.
Cass County Chief Deputy Ronnie Fincher said it is the largest amount of
drugs that he has seen seized in Cass County this year.