DRUG PROBE NETS 15

UMW Students Busted In City Drug Sweep

Fourteen current and one former University of Mary Washington students
have been charged in an ongoing drug investigation.

Fredericksburg police spokeswoman Natatia Bledsoe said the arrests
range from simple possession of marijuana to distributing such drugs
as ecstasy and prescription drugs.

The most-recent five arrests occurred this week in Marshall and
Jefferson halls on the UMW campus, Bledsoe said.

The other arrests took place at various off-campus
locations.

The cases involving the students began on July 29 while city narcotics
officers were investigating a suspected drug dealer who was not
associated with the university.

Bledsoe said narcotics officers had set up surveillance in
anticipation of an arranged drug transaction in an undisclosed
location near the university.

Prior to the planned deal going down, two young men drove up and made
a purchase. Police followed them and stopped their vehicle on College
Avenue.

[name1 redacted], 20, of Warrenton was charged with possession of
marijuana. [name2 redacted], 20, of Warrenton, a former UMW student,
was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of Fentanyl.

Information obtained during this investigation led to other probes,
police said.

On Sept. 3, two pounds of marijuana were mailed from California to a
home at [address redacted].

The U.S. Postal Service had already inspected the package and knew
marijuana was in it, Bledsoe said. They notified city police and
agreed to deliver the package.

Police obtained a search warrant prior to the delivery and raided the
home as soon as the delivery was made. Another half-pound of marijuana
was recovered from a safe, and three residents were arrested.

[name3 redacted], 19, and [name4 redacted], 19, were charged with
possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute and conspiracy
to distribute marijuana.

A third resident, 19-year-old [name5 redacted], was charged with
misdemeanor distribution.

Bledsoe said that while police were at the home with the suspects in
custody, one of them got a text message from someone asking about
obtaining marijuana. A detective texted back, telling the person to
"come on over."

[name6 redacted], 19, of Goochland showed up and was charged with
possession of marijuana.

On Sept. 30, police said, a 1.5-pound package of marijuana was mailed
to [address2 redacted]. City police were waiting with a search warrant
just as in the previous case.

Two residents and two visitors were arrested. [name7 redacted], 21,
[name8 redacted], 20, and [name9 redacted], 21, were all charged with
possession with the intent to distribute and conspiracy.

[name10 redacted], 21, was charged with simple possession.

This week's arrests were the result of undercover purchases on the
campus, Bledsoe said.

The drugs included marijuana, ecstasy, prescription drugs and capsules
referred to as "molly," which police said combines ecstasy with such
things as cocaine and heroin.

[name11 redacted], 19, of Alexandria, [name12 redacted], 20, of
Orange, [name13 redacted], 20, of Fredericksburg and [name14
redacted], 19, of Fairfax were all charged with felony distribution
charges.

[name 15 redacted], 18, of McLean was charged with two misdemeanors
involving marijuana.

Police said more charges are expected.

"The distribution of these dangerous narcotics represents a serious
threat to the UMW community and to the whole Fredericksburg region,"
city police Capt. Brent Taylor said.

"I hope these arrests send a clear message that such illegal
activities will not be tolerated."