Drug raids net six arrests in NK, two fugitives sought

Law enforcement personnel kicked in doors and made drug trafficking arrests in Charles City County on Nov. 13. Just over a week later, the same scenario played out in neighboring New Kent County.

Early morning raids took place on Nov. 21 at three New Kent residences, courtesy of the New Kent Sheriff’s Office Emergency Response Team. Operation Close Ties, dubbed the second phase of an eight-month effort to cripple the area’s drug trade, netted six arrests out of eight suspects indicted a few days earlier by a New Kent Circuit Court Grand Jury. Two of the suspects remain at large.

New Kent Sheriff F.W. “Wakie” Howard Jr. said the raids and arrests, along with Operation Happy Holidays (the first phase in Charles City a week earlier), have garnered positive results. The Operation Close Ties name was chosen because the suspects allegedly have some sort of connection or relationship, he said.

“This has had a tremendous impact on New Kent and Charles City drug trafficking,” the sheriff said. “Those arrested are the major players in the area’s drug trade.”

Suspects arrested in New Kent and the charges they face are:

–Christina Lynn Robinson, 31, of 4733 Mountcastle Road Lot 6, Providence Forge, on 6 counts of cocaine distribution stemming from alleged sales to undercover informants last May 9 (twice), 12, 13, 23, and 30, and 1 count of felony child neglect for allegedly allowing a child under age 18 to assist in cocaine distribution.

–Antonio Darell Minor, 22, of 8900 Higgins Road, Quinton, on 6 counts of cocaine distribution stemming from alleged sales to undercover informants last April 23 and 28 and May 13, 15, 20, and 22, and 1 count of felony marijuana distribution in connection with an alleged sale to informants last May 29.

–Thomas Huston Howell II, 22, of 4400 Liberty Hall Court, Quinton, on 4 counts of felony marijuana distribution, allegedly on June 24 and 26 and Aug. 6 and 26, and 1 count of ecstasy distribution, allegedly on July 21.

–Ryan William Janney, 19, of 6936 Longview Drive, Quinton, on 2 counts of cocaine distribution (allegedly on Aug. 19 and 20), 1 count of distributing ecstasy (allegedly on Aug. 26), and 1 count of distributing a hydrocodone/acetaminophen mix (allegedly on Aug. 19).

–Louis Keith Miles, 22, of 3320 New Kent Highway Lot AA, Quinton, on 1 count of felony marijuana distribution, allegedly last May 22.

–A 15-year-old juvenile male, name and address not released because of age, on 1 count of distributing cocaine.

Authorities, meanwhile, continue to search for the other two suspects, Amanda M. Baker and Phillip R. Landes.

Baker, 20, of 6413 Maple Road in Quinton, has been indicted on 3 counts of cocaine distribution (allegedly on Sept. 17, 24, and 30) and 1 count of conspiracy for allegedly conspiring with Landes on Sept. 10 to distribute the drug.

The grand jury indicted Landes, 19, of 6410 Maple Road in Quinton, on 1 count each of conspiring with Baker and distributing cocaine (allegedly on Sept. 10) and 2 counts of distributing percocet (allegedly on Sept. 9 and 12).

“We knew the two we didn’t get were out of the area,” Howard said. “But we were very happy to get the other six that morning.”

Search warrants on file reveal the raids began at 5 a.m. with Robinson’s Mountcastle Road address identified as the first house targeted. An hour later, the team entered Minor’s Higgins Road address. At 7 a.m., the final raid took place at Howell’s Liberty Hall Court address.

No drugs, weapons, or drug paraphernalia were seized at any of the residences. The search warrants, however, detail the alleged sales the three suspects made to undercover informants.

The search warrant for Robinson’s address reveals that Robinson suspected that one of two informants making the alleged buys worked for police. Eventually, she refused to sell to either after a May 30 buy, but not before she allegedly ordered her 14-year-old son to complete a crack sale to an informant on May 23.

Information in the search warrant for Howell’s home listed prior arrests in which Howell was charged with cocaine possession in New Kent in May 2005. Howell pleaded no contest to the New Kent possession charge in October 2005. He was granted first offender status, ordered to complete 100 hours of community service, and placed in a residential drug treatment program for youth.

All five adult suspects appeared by video conference for arraignment in New Kent Circuit Court on Nov. 24. Judge Thomas B. Hoover granted $50,000 bond for Howell and $10,000 for Miles, but ordered Robinson, Minor, and Janney held without bond.

Howard commended his office’s detectives, emergency response team, and entire staff. He also applauded cooperation among jurisdictions and the public’s assistance.

“We really worked closely with the task force and especially Charles City,” Howard said. “Criminals don’t adhere to boundary lines, and information we received led us back and forth across county lines.

“We really want to thank the public,” the sheriff added. “We got a lot of information from the public. We thought about discontinuing the operation earlier, but by keeping on we probably were able to add at least 20 more charges.”