FORT PIERCE, Fla. - The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office and multiple federal agencies held a news conference Friday morning to announce the results of a seven-month drug investigation. Officials said they investigated heroin and fentanyl dealers, which resulted in more than 40 arrests.
"The extensive number of individuals involved in the distribution at either an upper level or street level, it's quite significant," said Detective Andrew Bolonka with the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office.
St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara singled out four people as primary dealers: Cybil Green, her boyfriend Johnny Lewis, his son Rodney Stevens and his girlfriend Latoya Felder.
Sheriff Mascara said Green was pregnant and utilized her juvenile children to package drugs for sale.
"They made this a family affair," he said.
The law enforcement team called the investigation "Operation Big Mi-Steak" because the sheriff said Green was selling drugs from a Steak 'n Shake where she worked off Okeechobee Road near the Florida Turnpike.
"What we had actually learned from the sources is they could actually go into the facility, and if they knew Ms. Green, she would deal with certain individuals," said Detective Bolonka.
The sheriff's office said the following drugs were confiscated: 50 grams of fentanyl, 4 grams of heroin, 220 grams or almost half a pound of powder cocaine, 9 grams of crack cocaine, 1 gram of Molly, 11.5 grams of crystal meth, 80 pounds of marijuana, 23 marijuana plants, 16 liquid ounces of THC oil, 1,000 milligrams of cannabis oil, 71 caplets of carfentanyl, 2 vials of testosterone, 10 Xanax pills, and various drug paraphernalia.
In addition to confiscating drugs, investigators said they seized 25 firearms. The sheriff said those weapons are now at crime labs to see if they are linked to area crimes.
"In this case, all the guns were sent to a crime lab," said Sheriff Mascara. "The reason is, we know the equation for violence in our community is guns, felons, and drugs."
Following the arrests of the suspected dealers, officials said they noticed a drop in overdoses in the community.
Sheriff Mascara said they are still searching for two individuals who now face drug trafficking charges.
