In the biggest drug operation in department history, Clayton Police put 19 of 27 suspects behind bars Wednesday after a series of early morning raids. The coordinated sweep took down drug traffickers throughout Clayton. Police are still searching for 8 of the remaining suspects.
Leading up to the raids, “Operation Hailstorm” required three months of undercover investigation and close coordination with the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office and Selma and Smithfield Police Departments and more than 30 officers in total.
“The streets are going to be a lot quieter this weekend,” said Clayton Police Chief Blair Myhand, who said these suspects were responsible for pushing a huge amount of drugs.
“These dealers have polluted this community and, frankly, have polluted many communities throughout Johnston County and the region. Hopefully, they got the message that dealing drugs in the Town of Clayton is not acceptable. I simply have zero tolerance for illegal drugs.”
Clayton Police served warrants on the 19 individuals without incident and transferred the suspects to Johnston County Jail. All have Clayton addresses. In total, the magistrates levied more than $2.6 million in secure bonds.
In total, “Operation Hailstorm” uncovered evidence implicating 27 suspects, and Clayton Police scratched 19 of those names off the wanted list Wednesday. Police said they would continue to work with other law enforcement agencies to locate and arrest the remaining individuals.
The suspects arrested Wednesday include:
Timothy Leon Horton, 52
Cedveon Raheem Rouse, 22
Amy Gray Oneal, 37
Darius Hikeen Ray, 21
Michael Travis Pearson, 57
Joshua Shane Mitchell, 21
Kenneth Ray Powell, 32
Satchel Tobias Needham, 20
Thurman Keith Ward II, 44
Rodney Alonzo Williams, Jr.,31
Albino Zamora, 17
Bryan Lamont Barbour, 43
Gregory Marshal Hinton, 47
Joseph Archie Barbour Jr., 58
Tafari Linley Streeks, 21,
Marcus Deontoine Best, 39
Louis Smith, 61
Michael Travis Pearson faces some of the more serious charges including 8 counts of selling or delivering a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school. His bond was among the highest at $1 million.
