A years-long investigation into drug trafficking and distribution in Chatham County led to charges against 35 individuals, according to the sheriff’s office.

Authorities said in a release on Monday that 19 of those accused have been arrested, while law enforcement is asking for public assistance in tracking down the remaining 16.

The operation, carried out on June 19 in conjunction with members of the Drug Enforcement Administration, was the result of “a years-long investigation,” according to the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office.

“These investigations require time, patience, and perseverance as well as the ability to look at the big picture,” Sheriff Mike Roberson said in the release. “The community helped us identify the individuals, and we used that information to target a larger network of criminal activity. We could not achieve this level of success without residents who are willing to work with law enforcement and share information.”

Those arrested range in age from 16 to 54 years old and charges vary from possession of narcotics up through trafficking. The following information on those arrested was provided by the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office:

  • Ja’Cori Alston, 19, of 327 Duncan Farm Road, Siler City, is charged with two counts of sell/deliver marijuana, two counts of possession with intent to sell/deliver marijuana, two counts of misdemeanor possession of marijuana, and two counts of maintaining a vehicle for a controlled substance. He was released under a written promise.
  • Steven Craig Barth, 50, of 100 George Hudson Road, Siler City, is charged with possession of methamphetamine and maintaining a vehicle for a controlled substance. He was assigned a $1,000.00 secured bond.
  • Kesshia Annetta Brown, 38, of 1108 Lee Street, Siler City, is charged with two counts of sell/deliver cocaine, two counts of felony possession of cocaine, two counts of maintaining a vehicle, conspiracy to possess cocaine, conspiracy to maintain a dwelling, and conspiracy to sell/deliver cocaine. She was assigned a $1,000.00 secured bond.
  • Robert Michael Canada, 40, of 414 Fellowship Church Road, Siler City, is charged with conspiracy to sell/deliver cocaine, conspiracy to possess cocaine, and conspiracy to maintain a dwelling for a controlled substance. He is currently being held under a $20,000.00 secured bond.
  • Ivan Sanchez Canela, 19, of 735 West Dolphin Street, Siler City, is charged with two counts of selling marijuana, two counts of possession with intent to sell/deliver marijuana, two counts of misdemeanor possession of marijuana, maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance, and maintaining a vehicle for a controlled substance. He was released under a written promise.
  • Josue Isaac Figueroa, 19, 127 Santa Fe Circle, Siler City, is charged with felony sell/deliver marijuana, maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance, and possession of marijuana up to ½ ounce. He was released under a written promise.
  • Tiffany Nicole Heaton, 31, of 104 North Garden Avenue, Siler City, is charged with possession with intent to sell/deliver heroin, possession of heroin, and maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance. She was released under a written promise.
  • Chelsea Renee Holland, 25, of 32 Kings Landing Drive, Pittsboro, is charged with selling methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, maintaining a vehicle for a controlled substance, conspiracy to sell methamphetamine, conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine, and conspiracy to possess methamphetamine. She is currently being held under a $5,000.00 secured bond.
  • Zane Michael Holland, 24, of 1724 Lutterloh Road, Pittsboro, is charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is currently being held under a $1,000.00 secured bond.
  • Lashanda Monique Lane, 49, of 269 Crestview Road, Siler City, is charged with felony possession of a schedule I controlled substance, maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was released under a written promise.
  • Sheron James Letterlough, 26, of 104 North Garden Avenue, Siler City, is charged with possession with intent to sell/deliver heroin, possession of heroin, two counts of communicating threats, and maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance. He is currently being held under a $30,000.00 secured bond.
  • Cody Daniel Loomis, 21, of 1567 Bynum Road, Pittsboro, is charged with possession with intent to sell/deliver marijuana, maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance, possession of marijuana up to ½ ounce, conspiracy to possess with intent to sell/deliver a schedule VI controlled substance, conspiracy to possess a schedule VI controlled substance, and conspiracy to maintain a dwelling for a controlled substance. He was released under a written promise.
  • Vernon Wayne Newby, 52, of 405 East 10thStreet, Siler City, is charged with three counts of sell/deliver cocaine, three counts of felony possession of cocaine, seven counts of conspiracy to maintain a dwelling, four counts of conspiracy to sell/deliver cocaine, and four counts of conspiracy to possess cocaine. He was assigned a $50,000.00 secured bond.
  • Arthur Marquelsa Palmer, 35, of 2339 Mount Vernon Springs Road, Siler City, is charged with trafficking cocaine to sell, trafficking cocaine by transport, trafficking cocaine by possession, conspiracy to traffic cocaine by sell, conspiracy to traffic cocaine by transport, conspiracy to traffic cocaine by possession, sell/deliver cocaine, conspiracy to sell/deliver cocaine, and felony possession of cocaine. He was assigned a $100,000.00 secured bond.
  • Ritchie Phillips, 50, of 230 Claude Phillips Road, Bennett, is charged with possession with intent to sell/deliver methamphetamine, two counts of possession of methamphetamine, maintaining a vehicle for a controlled substance, and maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance. He is currently being held under a $10,000.00 secured bond.
  • Tristan Rapsky, 16, of 120 Booth Road, Chapel Hill, is charged with possession with intent to sell/deliver marijuana.
  • Willie James Scotton, 40, of 596 Eden Hills Road, Siler City, is charged with four counts of conspiracy to sell/deliver cocaine, four counts of conspiracy to possess cocaine, five counts of conspiracy to maintain a dwelling, five counts of sell/deliver cocaine, five counts of felony possession of cocaine, and three counts of maintaining a vehicle for a controlled substance. He was assigned a $50,000.00 secured bond.
  • William Lawrence Strickland, 54, of 109 Pondarosa Road, Siler City, is charged with two counts of sell/deliver cocaine, two counts of felony possession of cocaine, two counts of conspiracy to maintain a dwelling, conspiracy to sell/deliver cocaine, and conspiracy to possess cocaine. He is currently being held under a $20,000.00 secured bond.
  • Joseph Allen Wicker, 21, of 369 R C Overman Road, Siler City, is charged with two counts of sell/deliver Adderall, two counts of possession with intent to sell/deliver a schedule II controlled substance, two counts of possession of a schedule II controlled substance, and two counts of maintaining a vehicle for a controlled substance. He was released under a written promise.

The sheriff’s office is still searching for:

  • Darius Lee Brewer, 26, of 19 William Goins Road, Siler City. He is charged with trafficking cocaine by sell, trafficking cocaine by transport, trafficking cocaine by possession, sell/deliver cocaine, possession of cocaine, two counts of maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance, conspiracy to traffic cocaine by sell, conspiracy to traffic cocaine by transportation, conspiracy to traffic cocaine by possession, and conspiracy to sell/deliver cocaine.
  • Karen Denise Buckner, 45, of 704 Bonlee Bennett Road, Siler City. She is charged with conspiracy to sell methamphetamine, conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine, and conspiracy to possess methamphetamine.
  • Jonathan Gray Burke, 24, of 1203 2ndAvenue, Siler City. He is charged with sell/deliver a schedule II controlled substance, possession with intent to sell/deliver a schedule II controlled substance, possession of a schedule II controlled substance, trafficking schedule II controlled substance by sale, trafficking schedule II controlled substance by possession, trafficking a schedule II controlled substance by transportation, and maintaining a vehicle for a controlled substance.
  • Wesley Lee Bynum, 27, of 494 May Farm Road, Pittsboro. He is charged with two counts of conspiracy to sell/deliver cocaine, two counts of conspiracy to possess with intent to sell/deliver cocaine, two counts of conspiracy to possess cocaine, and two counts of conspiracy to maintain a vehicle for a controlled substance. Editor’s Note: Bynum contacted WCHL to say he turned himself in over the weekend and was released after posting bond.
  • Matthew Shawn Cox, 30, of 978 Elmer Keck Road, Pittsboro, is charged with possession of methamphetamine, maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance, simple possession of a schedule III controlled substance, and possession of marijuana up to ½ ounce.
  • Seth Winford Cox, 22, of 978 Elmer Keck Road, Pittsboro. He is charged with possession of methamphetamine, maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance, and possession of marijuana up to ½ ounce.
  • Sheila Mae Curtis, 53, of 621 East 11thStreet, Siler City. She is charged with selling cocaine, possession with intent to sell/deliver cocaine, possession of cocaine, and maintaining a vehicle for a controlled substance.
  • Jared Richard Durizch, 29, of 135 Weatherbend, Pittsboro. He is charged with sell/deliver a schedule IV controlled substance, simple possession of a schedule IV controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, sell/deliver cocaine, possession of cocaine, and maintaining a vehicle for a controlled substance.
  • George Thomas Fritts, 30, of 166 Rising Ridge, Siler City. He is charged with selling cocaine, possession with intent to sell/deliver cocaine, possession of cocaine, and maintaining a vehicle for a controlled substance.
  • Ricky James Graves, 51, of 1315 Hodge Street, Siler City. He is charged with two counts of conspiracy to maintain a dwelling for a controlled substance and maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance.
  • Bobby Jackson, 62, of 401 East 9thStreet, Siler City. He is charged with sell/deliver a controlled substance within 1000 feet of a school, sell/deliver a controlled substance within 1000 feet of a park, sell/deliver cocaine, possession of cocaine, and maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance.
  • Daniel Moreno, 29, of 409 North Chatham Avenue, Siler City. He is charged with trafficking cocaine by sell, trafficking cocaine by delivery, trafficking cocaine by transportation, trafficking cocaine by possession, sell/deliver cocaine, possession with intent to sell/deliver cocaine, possession of cocaine, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
  • Jesus Rangel-Canela, 31, of 1002 Oxford Street, Siler City. He is charged with five counts of sell/deliver cocaine, six counts of possession with intent to sell/deliver cocaine, six counts of maintaining a vehicle for a controlled substance, six counts of possession of cocaine, five counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, three counts of trafficking cocaine by sell, three counts of trafficking cocaine by delivery, three counts of trafficking cocaine by transportation, and three counts of trafficking cocaine by possession.
  • Javier Salgado, 33, of 1021 Mount Vernon Springs Road, Siler City. He is charged with trafficking cocaine by sell, trafficking cocaine by delivery, trafficking cocaine by transportation, trafficking cocaine by possession, sell/deliver cocaine, possession with intent to sell/deliver cocaine, felony possession of cocaine, maintain a vehicle, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
  • Andre Scotten, 54, of 1315 Hodge Street, Siler City. He is charged with conspiracy to sell/deliver cocaine, conspiracy to maintain a dwelling for a controlled substance, conspiracy to possess cocaine, sell/deliver cocaine, and possession of cocaine.
  • Jose Alfredo Villalta, 36, of 1703 Wind Sound Way, Siler City. He is charged with sell/deliver cocaine, possession with intent to sell/deliver cocaine, maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance, and possession of marijuana paraphernalia.
  • Jason Ray Woody, 36, of 4135 Center Church Road, Sanford. He is charged with selling methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, and maintaining a vehicle for a controlled substance.