Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the arrests of several individuals allegedly connected to a drug trafficking operation in Palm Beach County during a press conference in West Palm Beach this week.
Dubbed "Operation Slow N Go," the investigation detailed large-scale trafficking of cocaine, fentanyl, xylazine, psilocybin, marijuana, methamphetamine, testosterone, alprazolam, and pharmaceutical pills across multiple Florida areas, including Palm Beach, Miami-Dade, Broward, Okeechobee, Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties.
A ring was also operating in Suffolk County, Virginia.
“If anyone traffics dangerous drugs like fentanyl into Florida, expect our Office of Statewide Prosecution to throw the book at you,” Uthmeier said in a release. “This case is further proof that Florida has the best sheriffs in the nation, and thanks to their partnership, we have fewer criminals on the street and less fentanyl in our communities."
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division and Uthmeier's Office of Statewide Prosecution led the six-month investigation. It was also assisted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office, and the West Palm Beach Police Department.
According to the release, two of the drug traffickers were dealing drugs out of a flea market in Palm Beach County, subsequently using it as a base to distribute the various narcotics throughout South Florida.
“Those who choose to profit from addiction should know they cannot hide in our community,” Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said. “We will aggressively pursue anyone trafficking fentanyl and other deadly substances. We remain committed to protecting our residents and holding drug traffickers accountable.”
The following were arrested on several charges:
- Gary Devon West - Conspiracy to commit racketeering, Delivery of fentanyl, Trafficking in fentanyl, Delivery of methamphetamine, Trafficking in methamphetamine 14-28g, and others
- Darryl “Unc” Butler - Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, Unlawful use of a two-way communication device
- Andres Chaves - Conspiracy to deliver Fentanyl, Delivery of Fentanyl, Unlawful use of a two-way communication device
- James Thiele - Traffic in Methamphetamine 14 grams or more, Unlawful use of a two-way communication device
- Robert Townsend - Traffic Methamphetamine 14 grams or more, Delivery of Schedule 2 controlled substance, Unlawful use of a two-way communication device
“This is a good message to everybody that with our collaborative efforts, if you comit a crime we will catch you anywhere, inside or outside the state of Florida,” Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said. “We have broken down the barriers of the jurisdictional boundaries to protect the residents of Florida. This case exemplifies our working relationship and our resolve to catch bad guys everywhere.”
