4 arrested in Clay County drug raid

Neighbor says she was alarmed by raid, but not surprised

Jose Maldonado (from left), Maegan Hale, Decoda Sluder and Josue Maldonado Jr. were arrested on drug charges in Clay County.

MIDDLEBURG, Fla. – A drug raid Tuesday in Clay County led to the arrest of two men and two women after nearly 5 pounds of marijuana were found in a Middleburg home, according to the Clay County Sheriff's Office.

Josue Maldonado Jr., 23, Jose Manuel Maldonado, 21, Decoda Sluder, 19, and Maegan Hale, 25, are facing drug-dealing charges, deputies said.

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Members of the Clay County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team and Strategic Response Division served a narcotics-related search warrant at the home on County Road 215 in Middleburg. The search resulted in the seizure of nearly 5 pounds of marijuana and additional drug paraphernalia, deputies said.

The marijuana was found in glass jars inside a safe in a bedroom.

Jose Maldonado tried to run away from the home through the backyard during the raid but was caught and brought back to the home, deputies said.

Several items, including potentially stolen property believed to have been taken in trade for marijuana, were seized as well.

Seven adults were in the home at the time of the raid and four main suspects were arrested, deputies said.

A neighbor who saw the raid go down said it was pretty alarming. She said the Maldonados live at the home and Sluder and Hale are their girlfriends.

“I heard SWAT on their PA system, and there were cops all over the yard, undercovers, some cop cars, people in full gear, everybody was aiming their guns at the house yelling for them to come out, so I grabbed my son and ran to the other room,” Chantel Tinney said.

Tinney recorded video on her phone, showing police officers surrounding her neighbor's front yard. She said she immediately called her husband.

"I told him it has gone down next door. He said, 'Go video it.' I said, 'No, you don't understand. It's crazy out there,'” Tinney said.

Tinney was able to shoot a few videos but said that she was too afraid to go outside.

She said she was alarmed by the raid, but not surprised. She said there were always cars pulling in and out of the driveway, and she knew it was suspicious.

"We knew something was going on, and not everyone is going to be a good guy that comes in their yard,” Tinney said. “A little worried when you have to walk the dog at night and come out here."

Tinney said she's glad it's over, and so is her daughter.

“You can hear doors shutting all night in the middle of the night, so she would wake up scared from hearing the noises,” Tinney said. “Last night, the first thing she said was, 'At least I can sleep. I have a big test tomorrow.'”

Jose Maldonado, Sluder and Hale are all facing a charge of possession with intent to sell marijuana. Josue Maldonado is charged with sale and delivery of marijuana, possession with intent to sell marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.