FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – Sheriff Rick Staly announced Thursday the arrest of 18 people following an 11-month-long operation targeting drugs in Flagler County.
The operation, called Santa’s Naughty Lil Sellers, resulted in 35 total arrest warrants. The sheriff said his deputies are actively looking for outstanding suspects.
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“This operation started in January 2022 — and culminated today as we are rounding up these boys in public — that resulted in 24 search warrants and seizure of street value of $5.7 million in illegal drugs,” Staly said.
Staly said the drugs range from opioids like heroin and fentanyl to psychedelics like MDMA and psilocybin mushrooms.
“We seized 13 firearms investigations, seven of which were rifles, (and) $642,000 in cash, taking the profits away from these dealers,” the sheriff said.
Staly encouraged the community to report any drug activity in they see.
“If you have a poison peddler that you think is living near you, give us a call, send us a tip, call CrimeStoppers — we will actively search investigate it and then the next round that we do, hopefully, we’ll get your poison peddler,” he said.
In an arrest report released Thursday, deputies said they found one of the suspects — Jeremiah Harris, 32 — speeding along U.S. 1 near County Road 304. Harris failed to pull over for a traffic stop, instead speeding into Bunnell and repeatedly throwing his hands out the window, the report shows.
Harris was eventually caught near East Booe Street, and deputies found several narcotics along the road that had been thrown from Harris’ car during the chase — including approximately 8 grams of fentanyl, according to the sheriff’s office.
Harris was arrested on charges of driving without a Florida driver’s license, reckless driving, resisting an officer without violence, trafficking fentanyl, possession of synthetic Cathinones, tampering with evidence and five counts of fleeing and eluding law enforcement.
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