ONE OF AREA'S LARGEST ECSTASY RINGS BUSTED

TREASURE COAST Eight Indian River County residents were arrested
Thursday in what law enforcement officers are calling one of the
largest Ecstasy rings operating in Indian River and St. Lucie
counties.

"I think this put a big dent in the supply in Indian River County,"
said Special Agent Richard Piccininni of the Florida Department of
Law Enforcement.

John W. Dyal, 29, of 2160 87th Court, Indian River County, is charged
with racketeering, three counts of conspiracy to traffic in Ecstasy,
21 counts of conspiracy to distribute Ecstasy and two counts of
conspiracy to traffic in cocaine.

Christopher Rothy, 22, of 1198 Coverbrook Lane, Sebastian, is charged
with racketeering, eight counts of conspiracy to distribute Ecstasy,
two counts of conspiracy to traffic cocaine and trafficking in
Ecstasy.

Lt. Pete Lenz of the Multi-Agency Crime Enforcement Unit said Dyal
and Rothy were arrested about three weeks ago.

The other six men were arrested during a drug sweep that began at
9:30 a.m. Thursday with law enforcement officers from Indian River
and St. Lucie counties, the State Attorney's Office and FDLE agents,
Piccininni said.

A Fort Pierce man, Joseph Clark, 22, was arrested in Fort Pierce and
charged with similar charges.

He was being held without bond. Clark is considered by officers to be
the kingpin of the organized drug operation, Piccininni said.

Lenz said Indian River County deputies began receiving information
about the drug operation in January, about the same time that St.
Lucie County law-enforcement officers also began working on an
investigation.

A joint investigation, involving undercover officers and
surveillance, was launched between the two counties that culminated
in Thursday's arrests, Lenz said.