Read the original article on the Carteret County News-Times website.
CARTERET COUNTY — Carteret County Sheriff Asa Buck announced the arrest of 18 suspects that are facing 146 felony charges in round one of “Operation Find Out.” According to Buck, the arrests were the result of a months-long operation by the sheriff’s office carried out through undercover purchases, with charges ranging from possession to trafficking.
Buck said the arrests have come with bond amounts as high as $10 million. At least 30 more suspects will be arrested as part of the operation in the coming weeks, he said during a Wednesday press conference.
“The message is clear – sell drugs in Carteret County and you’ll find out,” Buck said. ”You’ll find out that you’ll be arrested, taken to jail, and likely depending on your charges given a high bond to keep you in jail. You’ll be strictly prosecuted and many of you will ultimately find yourselves serving prison time.”
Buck said his team of detectives has done “tremendous work” in taking drug dealers off the streets. He said Carteret County District Attorney Matt Wareham and Assistant District Attorney David Spence have also been critical partners in their efforts.
“The work they have done over the years has made a major impact on our county and our work continues,” Buck said.
Wareham warned that the DA’s office will seek tough sentences for drug-related crimes.
“To those folks who sell drugs, who traffic in drugs, who live off others misery, we will prosecute you. We will seek tough enforcement, we will seek long prison sentences,” Wareham remarked.
Buck noted that Carteret County leads the state in prosecuting death by distribution cases.
“If you want to go to prison for killing someone over something as stupid, foolish and needless as selling dope, then keep on and find out,” Buck commented.
Buck noted that drug overdose deaths in Carteret County have fallen from 36 in 2020 to only five this year.
“We were having a terrible problem with Fentanyl for some time, and it seems like we’re not dealing with as much as we had been in the past,” he said.
For those addicted to drugs, Buck said the county is willing to offer help.
Brooke Lane, who heads up the Carteret County Post Overdose Response Team, echoed Buck’s remarks.
“There is help out there. You don’t have to end up in our county jail, you don’t have to end up part of this operation,” she commented.