Records show heroin sold at St. Johns Town Center, other popular spots

Documents give details of $1M drug bust announced by Jacksonville police

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Court documents obtained by News4Jax on Wednesday provide new information about Operation Cash Flow, a long-term, multi-agency investigation that targeted multiple drug organizations and led to the arrests of 11 people.

Heroin and cocaine were being trafficked in highly populated areas, including the St. Johns Town Center, the court documents show.

Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams announced Friday that investigators seized a stockpile of drugs, including $1 million worth of cocaine and heroin, as part of the operation that began in May.

Police said a heroin deal was made last fall in the parking lot of the Dillard's at the St. Johns Town Center on Jacksonville's Southside, one of the city's most popular shopping areas. 

It's the last place that many people, including Matthew Potter, think drugs would be sold.

"I'm usually not worried about any crimes that could be happening," Potter said. "A shopping center like this, you would never expect something like that."

News4Jax obtained the court documents after 11 people were charged last week with trafficking in either cocaine or heroin.

Records show the men arranged to traffic heroin at the Cracker Barrel on J. Turner Butler Boulevard, but eventually made the drug deal in the Dillard's parking lot at the Town Center.

"I think it's an absolute shame," Potter said. "This is a nice part of town, so safe and friendly. And for something like that to be happening, it's really a shame."

IMAGES: 11 arrested, drug stockpile seized in Operation Cash Flow

News4Jax crime and safety analyst Gil Smith said it's not uncommon for drug dealers to meet in the nicer parts of town because they know more police officers are patrolling areas typically associated with crime.

"When people think of drug deals, they think of high-crime areas, like side streets. But that's where people are watching and it's kind of obvious to people in those areas that it is a drug deal," Smith said. "So you go to places like the Town Center. You see two or three people getting together, the last thing people are going to suspect is a drug deal going down."

In total, Williams said, investigators seized over 8 kilograms of cocaine, 2 kilograms heroin cut with fentanyl, 4 pounds of marijuana, five vehicles, five guns and more than $100,000 in cash as part of Operation Cash Flow. 

The arrest reports show recorded conversations and security video helped investigators build their case. 

"I would hope that they could eradicate the drugs," Jacksonville resident Jonnie Davis said. "But I just see it getting bigger and bigger and I don't think they have the manpower to stop."

Davis said the drugs in the city are getting out of hand.

"It's everywhere you go," he said. 

The joint investigation brought together the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, its counterpart in St. Johns County, the Florida Highway Patrol, the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration, among other partner agencies.

The sheriff said investigators continue to search for Bernard Brown, Emarrie Jackson and Wayne Norman, all of whom are wanted on outstanding warrants in connection to the drug operation.

"I do think that there's a bit of an epidemic. It happens all across the country, but I do think there's some issues in Jacksonville that do need to be worked on," Potter said. "I hope that our justice system can crack down on this and move up and crack down on suppliers."

Potter said he hopes the rest of the suspects are caught soon to help keep the drugs out of Jacksonville. 

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the other three men is asked to anonymously call Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.


About the Author:

Corley Peel is a Texas native and Texas Tech graduate who covered big stories in Joplin, Missouri, Tulsa, Oklahoma and Jacksonville, Florida before returning to the Lone Star State. When not reporting, Corley enjoys hot yoga, Tech Football, and finding the best tacos in town.