Countywide Drug Sweep Nets 35

A six-month, multiagency undercover operation paid off this week when more than 30 people in Pasco County were arrested on drug-related charges.

The arrests came as a result of a Street Narcotics Apprehension Program Task Force investigation. The task force includes the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office and the New Port Richey Police Department, among others.

Street-level drug dealers and users were arrested Tuesday and Wednesday from all over the county with the New Port Richey Police Department serving as the command post for the operation, a Pasco County Sheriff’s Office media release said.

"We wouldn't be able to do operations like this one without the outstanding efforts of our Vice and Narcotics Unit," said Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco. "Working together with other agencies like the New Port Richey Police Department we can increase our resources to keep drugs out of our neighborhoods."

The need to crackdown on drug use and sale is supported by arrest statistics, officials said.

"We have seen about sixty to seventy percent of our cases as a result of the prescription drug problem in Pasco County," said Pasco vice and narcotics Lt. Charles Balderstone. "About 70 percent of the cases in which we made arrests in this roundup had something to do with illegal use of prescription drugs."

This round of arrests won’t be the last from the investigation, officials said. More arrests are expected soon.

Those arrested in the June 14-15 sweep included:

• Kathryn Tallant for trafficking a controlled substance
• Bobbie Jo Curtis for sale and possession of a controlled substance
• Lydia Dillow for violation of probation for possession of controlled substance
• Amy Scherer for sale and possession of a controlled substance
• Estelle Vitiello for sale and possession of a controlled substance
• Malina Ewing for violation of probation grand theft
• Antonio Winthrop for sale and possession of crack cocaine
• Cathryn Hamil for sale and possession of a controlled substance
• Thomas Shipman for sale and possession of a controlled substance
• Calvin Wolfe for sale and possession of a controlled substance
• Kimberly Monteserrato for sale and possession of a controlled substance
• Crystal Gabold for obtaining a controlled substance by fraud
• Anitra White for obtaining a controlled substance by fraud
• Deano Carrino for obtaining a controlled substance by fraud
• Michael Proude for obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and sale and possession of marijuana
• Matthew Belisle for sale and possession of a controlled substance
• Stuart Johnson for sale and possession of marijuana
• Brian Wilson for sale and possession of marijuana
• Eric Forsythe for cultivation of marijuana and possession of a controlled substance
• Theresa Bradshaw for sale of crack cocaine
• David Phelps for sale and possession of crack cocaine
• Larry Joray for sale and possession of marijuana
• Angelia French for trafficking a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia
• Patricia Bryant for trafficking a controlled substance
• Alicia Laporta for sale and possession of a controlled substance
• Robert Murphy for sale and possession of a controlled substance
• Brian Mulville for sale and possession of a controlled substance
• Amanda Rizzo for sale and possession of crack cocaine
• Fernando Vazquez sale and possession of a controlled substance
• Jonathan Ward for trafficking a controlled substance
• Paris Raymond for sale and possession of marijuana
• Alexander Martin for obtaining a controlled substance by fraud
• Benjamin Goodson for sale and possession of marijuana. A consensual search of his residence revealed 130 grams of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. A rifle and a semi-automatic handheld machine gun were also seized. Goodson was additionally charged with possession of felony marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, the sheriff’s office said.
• Rebecca Allison for sale and possession of methamphetamine
• Opel Harris sale and possession of a controlled substance