July 10, 2020
Major Drug Trafficking Organization Dismantled in “Operation Taking Care of Business”
North GA (July 10, 2020) – After an extensive 11- month local, state, and federal joint investigation, 48 men and women have been arrested on the Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and will be charged on numerous drugs and weapons offenses, spanning the Northern District of Georgia into the metro Atlanta area.
From August 2019 to the present, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office (ARDEO), the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Major Offender’s Task Force in conjunction with the Hall County District Attorney’s Office has been conducting an investigation into the drug trafficking organization of Luther Troy Summerfield, age 43, Alejandro Ceja-Solano, age 40, and others. During the course of the investigation, agents in coordination with local deputies from the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, the Banks County Sheriff’s Office, the White County Sheriff’s Office, Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office, Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Cleveland Police Department, Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hall County Sheriff’s Office learned that Summerfield purchased and distributed kilograms of methamphetamine from Ceja-Solano. Information obtained from numerous hours of investigation also revealed that Summerfield traveled to Ceja-Solano’s residence to obtain drugs and traveled to the metro Atlanta area to obtain heroin and methamphetamine, either facilitated by Ceja-Solano, or another source of supply.
Throughout the investigation, police executed approximately 12 search warrants yielding the following:
- Approximately 50 kilograms of methamphetamine
- Approximately ½ kilogram of heroin
- Approximately 20 firearms
- Approximately $70,000 in cash
- Approximately 6 vehicles
The following individuals were arrested:
- Tanya Lynn Allison, age 48-arrested
- Katlynn Marie Beaucaire-arrested
- Richard Daniel Burkett-arrested
- Dulcey Burton, age 51-arrested
- Alejandro Ceja-Solano-arrested
- Jose Alfredo Miranda Chavez-already in custody
- Jessica Marie Clark, age 28-arrested
- Noah Coker-in prison
- Mark Coker-arrested
- Joshua Collins- already in custody
- Kevin Cosper-arrested
- Robyn Samantha Dost, age 27-arrested
- Chelsea Dover, age 30-arrested
- Shelbi Eanes, age 25-arrested
- Juan Antonio Flores-custody in Gwinnett
- Brandi Nicole Freeman-arrested
- Jory Gee, age 33-arrested
- Roger Dale Gerrin, age 62-arrested
- Robert Green- already in custody in Lumpkin
- Dexter Grier, age 40-arrested
- Nucoma Grindle, age 42-arrested
- Dustin Floyd Groves- arrested
- {Name Removed per Court Order 11/15/21}, -arrested
- Christy Deresia Hedden-arrested
- Jerry Lee Helton-arrested
- Crystal Marie Herrin-arrested
- Brooke Barron Hicks-arrested
- Christopher Jackson, age 33-arrested
- Kimberly Ann Kennedy-arrested
- Richard Jason Maddox-arrested
- Marinela Romeiro Marquez-arrested
- Pablo Martinez-already in custody
- Shayna Millwood-arrested
- Allie Murray-arrested
- William Harrison Nicely-arrested
- Ashley Parker- already in custody
- Joshua Ray Phillips- custody already
- Kirstie Purvis-arrested
- Brianne Ross Rummell-already in custody
- Michael Rummel-arrested
- Coty Anthony Sanders-arrested
- Jeffrey Shane Seabolt—arrested
- Erin Sexton-arrested
- Jessie Elaine Smith-arrested
- Seantal Tiffany Smith-arrested
- Luther Troy Summerfield-arrested
- Delores Thomas –arrested
- Anthony Williams-in custody
The street value associated with all the drugs seized is approximately $705,000.00.
The Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office is a multi-agency unit that consists of the following agencies: White County Sheriff’s Office, Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office, Towns County Sheriff’s Office, Banks County Sheriff’s Office, Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, Rabun County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Fannin County Sheriff’s Office, Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office, Cleveland Police Department, Lavonia Police Department, Toccoa Police Department, the Georgia National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, the Department of Public Safety, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
The FBI’S Major Offender’s Task Force consists of the Gainseville Police Department, the Georgia State Patrol, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office the Georgia Department of Corrections, the GBI, the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, Winder Police Department, and the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office.
The Alto Police Department assisted with this investigation as well.
This investigation is an example of the value of interagency cooperation. Because of the strong, existing relationships between the participating agencies, agents were able to share intelligence and coordinate the dismantling of a complex drug trafficking organization. Although numerous arrests have been made and evidence seized, the investigation continues, and additional arrests are expected.