JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Sheriff's Office announced the outcome of a nine-month undercover drug investigation called Operation Eastbound and Down on Thursday afternoon.
JSO said the investigation involved two separate operations, Drug Trafficking Organization 1 and Drug Trafficking Organization 2. Philip Lee and Carleton Parrish, charged with distributing cocaine in Jacksonville, were purchasing from two independent sources in Jacksonville who were buying from seperate sources in Houston.
Latest News Headlines from Action News
Drug Trafficking Organization 1
DTO 1 was led by Patrick Johnson of Miami and was assisted by Patrick Robinson, Shacoby Williams, Daryl Brown and Derek Alexander of Jacksonville. July 2, police learned from confidential source that Johnson directed Brown, who is a truck driver, to go to Houston and meet with his cocaine supplier and purchase illegal narcotics to bring them back to Jacksonville.
JSO, the FBI and the Florida Highway Patrol were set up on Interstate 10 and conducted a traffic stop on Brown's vehicle. Police found 15 kilos of cocaine and a handgun. Brown was arrested and his vehicle seized. That led to a search warrant being served at Shacoby Williams' Jacksonville home, which led to the seizure of 6.5 more kilos of cocaine, 16.5 lbs of marijuana, $141,588 in cash, an assault rifle, 2 handguns and 2 vehicles.
Drug Trafficking Organization 2
DTO 1 was dismantled and investigators turned their attention to DTO 2, which was led by Anthony Perkins of Houston. Perkins worked with Antoine Pearson, Sr., Antoine Pearson, Jr. and Gregory Pearson, all of Jacksonville. July 28, police learned that Antoine Pearson, Sr. and Antoine Pearson, Jr. were flying to Atlanta to meet with cocaine supplier Anthony Perkins.
JSO and the FBI conducted surveillance of the meeting and saw a black Ford pickup truck that dropped Perkins off at the airport. Douglas County, Ga. sheriff's deputies made a traffic stop on the truck. The traffic stop led to $32,000 in drug money, concealed in the pickup truck's bed.
On August 21, investigators learned that Gregory Pearson, directed by Antoine Pearson, Sr., was traveling from Jacksonville to Houston to meet with Anthony Perkins to purchase an undetermined amount of powder cocaine.
JSO and the FBI conducted surveillance of this meeting also, which led to the discovery of a semi-truck that Gregory Pearson was using to transport cocaine back to Jacksonville. A traffic stop by JSO and Harris County, Texas deputies led to seizure of 11 kilos of cocaine. Gregory Pearson was arrested.
That night, a search warrant was served at Anthony Perkins' Houston home, resulting in the seizure of $305,000 and the arrest of Anthony Perkins.
For Action News on the go, sign up for Action News Mobile & Email alerts
Sheriff: 2 organizations brought in 100 kilos of cocaine into Jacksonville every year
Betty Maynor Pearson, a JSO officer was arrested for trying to help her son, Antoine Pearson, Jr., elude arrest. Antoine Pearson, Jr. was arrested and charged with conspiracy to traffick cocaine. Antoine Perkins Sr. was arrested Wednesday after he turned himself in.
In total over the course of the operation, police seized a total of 32.5 kilos of cocaine, 16.5 pounds of marijuana, $478,599 in cash, 2 AK-47s, three handguns, two semi-trucks and three vehicles.
Officers say these two organizations were responsible for bringing over 100 kilos of cocaine or more into Jacksonville each year.
"We are committed to making Jacksonville the hardest city in America to deal drugs in," said Sheriff Mike Williams.
Police are still looking for more suspects in the case.