ASTATULA, Florida—Last month during a press conference about a record-breaking drug bust, Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell had a message for drug dealers in Lake County, “To be continued.” And on Wednesday he kept his word.
A yearlong investigation by LCSO, The City/County Investigative Bureau and Homeland Security Investigations into an Astatula man culminated in a search warrant early Wednesday morning at 22630 County Road 561, Astatula where detectives found a “one-stop shop of narcotics,” and arrested Eugene Isom, 44, and Marie Richardson, 42, LCSO Lt. John Herrell said in a press release.
Detectives, who were assisted by the SWAT team, searched the home and found 1 pound of crack cocaine, 2 pounds of fentanyl, 8 pounds of cocaine, 2 pounds of methamphetamine, 25 Tramadol pills, seven firearms, two vehicles and $218,000 cash.
Detectives also found “everything needed to distribute large amounts of illegal drugs,” including presses, digital scales and packaging materials, Herrell said.
Isom is facing a litany of charges including tampering with evidence, trafficking in methamphetamine, trafficking in cocaine, trafficking in fentanyl, possession of marijuana, possession ammunition by a felon, and two counts of possession of a controlled substance. He is being held in the Lake County Jail on $421,000 bond. Richardson is facing the same drug charges. She is being held on $406,000 bond and her mugshot was available at press time.
“This case is only part of an ongoing, continuing effort to combat those who deal drugs in our communities and its success would not have been possible without the support and assistance from our partners with the Clermont, Eustis, Mount Dora, and Leesburg Police Departments, as well as those from Homeland Security Investigations,” Herrell said.
This bust comes a little over a month after LCSO wrapped up “Operation Sneak-A-Peek,” a four-month operation that resulted in 27 arrests including three high-level dealers and the county’s largest fentanyl haul to date.
Inside Lake’s previous story on Operation Sneak-A-Peek
Inside Lake’s previous story on Operation Sneak-A-Peek https://insidelake.com/2022/06/30/team-effolcrt-in-operation-sneak-a-peek-nets-largest-fentanyl-haul-in-county-history/
