Five alleged drug dealers were taken off the streets Monday after multiple arrests were made — the result of a week-long investigation by Richmond Police narcotics detectives.
Ricky L. Abney Jr., 29, and Melissa G. Shanks, 29, both of Richmond, were arrested around 9 p.m. following a traffic stop of Shanks’ vehicle, said RPD Narcotics Sgt. Bob Mott. As a result of an ongoing investigation into drug activity involving the two suspects, Abney and Shanks were charged with first-degree trafficking Oxycontin, three counts and two counts, respectively. Each count indicates a separate incident, Mott said.
“He sold 80 mg. tablets,” Mott said. “Sometimes more than one. Eighties (mg. tablets) are the biggest ones you can sell. More than one 80 (mg. tablet) at a time, that’s quite a bit.”
Eighty mg. tablets typically sell for about $100 each, police say.
Evidence was recovered from Shanks’ vehicle, but RPD Sgt. Willard Reardon, public affairs officer for the department, said Tuesday details of the evidence could not be released.
“There are certain details of the investigation we don’t want to put out there,” Reardon said.
About 11 p.m., officers also arrested John B. Bellfield, 19, of Richmond, and charged him with three counts of first-degree trafficking crack cocaine. Bellfield also was arrested in a traffic stop, Mott said. Within 20 minutes, two other suspects also were arrested.
Amanda Michelle Deaton, 19, of Richmond, and Darryl M. Bush, 31, of Cincinnati, were arrested in the parking lot of a Richmond hotel. Deaton was charged with one count of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, facilitation, allegedly for facilitating Bush in a drug transaction. Bush is charged with three counts of first-degree trafficking crack cocaine.
“Information from Deaton and Bush’s arrests lead to a search warrant on Wayne Drive,” Mott said.
Dion L. Watts of Berea was arrested there on a warrant for probation violation. More evidence was collected at the Wayne Drive residence that is connected to Bush’s arrest, Mott said, but details were not being released Tuesday.
All the arrests were either controlled buys or buy-busts, Mott said. Kentucky State Police assisted in all of the arrests. All suspects were lodged in the Madison County Detention Center, where Bush and Bellfield still are lodged each on a $30,000 cash bond, Shanks and Abney each are lodged on $10,000 cash bonds and Deaton was released Wednesday on a $1,000 unsecured signature bond.
Anyone with information about drug activity in Madison County should call the department’s tip line at 623-1714, or submit tips online at the city’s Web site, www.police.richmond.ky.us. Tips can be made anonymously.
Kelly Foreman can be reached at kforeman@richmondregister.com or 624-6694.
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