Operation ‘Spring Cleaning’ Nets Thirteen Arrests for Drug Distribution Sweep Across Rural Virginia Countryside

Operation ‘Spring Cleaning’ Nets Thirteen Arrests for Drug Distribution Sweep Across Rural Virginia Countryside

WARSAW, VA. – Police agencies in the Northern Neck area of Virginia report that during the early morning hours on Monday, March 25, 2019, Operation ‘Spring Cleaning’ resulted in multiple individuals being arrested on several criminal indictments to include a warrant for various drug charges. All arrests were made without incident, say police.

Westmoreland County Narcotics Detectives conducted the undercover investigation in conjunction with the Tri-County Drug Task Force. Members of the task force include the sheriff’s offices of Caroline, King George and Westmoreland, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and Virginia State Police. Agencies that assisted during the morning operation were Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, Northumberland County Sheriff’s Office and Northern Neck Regional Jail.

Westmoreland County Sheriff reports the following persons charged in the roundup of alleged drug dealers:

Robert J. Ball, 70, Kinsale, Va., one count of felony distribution of a Schedule I or II controlled substance. Arrested on indictment per Northumberland County Sheriff’s Office. No Bond. Case transferred to Circuit Court on April 1, 2019.  Defense attorney is listed as Charles J. McKerns Jr. Ball was convicted in Westmoreland County District Court on June 4, 2013, of being a habitual offender of driving without a license and sent to jail for one year. Court records show that a fine of $598.30 has not been paid as of March 19, 2018.

Clarence B. Benjamin, 49, Montross, Va., three counts of distribution of a Schedule I or II controlled substance (Oxycodone and Endocet) and three counts of conspiring to distribute. Also charged with one count of distribution of an imitation drug (Molly). No Bond. Felony charges have been transferred to Westmoreland County Circuit Court as of March 26, 2019.

Amy A. Brown, 49, Montross, Va., three counts of distribution of a Schedule I or II controlled substance (Oxycodone and Endocet) and three counts of conspiring to distribute. Also charged with one count of distribution of an imitation drug (Molly). No Bond was allowed, and the felony charges have been moved to Circuit Court. Brown’s attorney is listed as ‘Trible’.

Mark Dwayne Fairall, 56, of 1110 Finch’s Hill Road, Warsaw, Va., charged with one count of possession of a Schedule I or II controlled substance (N-ethylpentylone ‘Molly’) $2,000 Secured Bond.

• Fairall was convicted in Charles County Maryland District Court of possession of drugs when arrested by Charles Sheriff Patrol Officer William Halt on Aug. 16, 2016. In a plea deal on Oct. 4, 2016, Fairall entered a guilty plea to the drug charge and to DWI while impaired by illegal drugs and was given a verdict of Probation Before Judgement. Fairall was sentenced to six months in jail with four months suspended and numerous other charges associated with causing a crash and fleeing were dropped.  The fine of $100 was suspended and Maryland taxpayers provided him with a free attorney – Zain Shirazi of the public defender’s office. The Public Defender doesn’t actually defend the public from anything, just those persons accused of crimes.  The States Attorney is supposed to defend the public from criminals by seeking justice. Probation for Fairall ended on Oct. 4, 2018.
• Fairall was given four years in prison in a plea deal in Howard County District Court when he was arrested on March 16, 2012 by Howard County Police Officer Ryan Thomas when charged with four drug related charges. In a plea deal with the Howard County States Attorney on Aug. 9, 2012, entered a guilty plea. His prison term was suspended by three years and seven months with 145 days of credit for time served.  Three other charges were dropped.
• Fairall was sentenced to six days in jail in Howard County, Md., on another drug charge on March 9, 2007.
• Fairall has a pending DWI arrest due for trial on June 11, 2019 in Westmoreland County, Virginia District Court.
• Fairall’s drug possession convictions in Maryland date to Nov. 16, 1990 when he entered a guilty plea to drug possession and was given a verdict of Probation Before Judgement in Howard County, Md., as he was formerly a resident of Savage, Maryland.

Pernell Roger Gaskins, 53, of Hague, Va., one count of distribution of a Schedule I or II controlled substance (Cocaine) and one count of conspiring to distribute on Nov. 13, 2018. He was released on bond and the criminal case has been forwarded to Circuit Court in Westmoreland County, Va.

Latasha Michelle Gordon, 38, Callao, Va., one count of distribution of a Schedule I or II controlled substance (Cocaine) and one count of conspiring to distribute. No Bond

Dakota E. Jones, 20, Montross, Va., one count of possession with intent to distribute a Schedule I or II controlled substance (Marijuana). $2,500 Unsecured Bond

Bradley Kelly, 48, Hague, Va., three counts of distribution of a Schedule I or II controlled substance (Cocaine). Charges pending in Westmoreland County per Northumberland County Sheriff’s Office. No Bond. Kelly picked up ten days in the slammer on April 2, 2018, when he was nailed for repeated instances of driving while suspended and pleaded guilty in Northumberland District Court.

Isac Odell Lewis, 55, Hague, Va., one count of distribution of a Schedule I or II controlled substance. Arrested on indictment per Northumberland County Sheriff’s Office. $7,500 Secured Bond. The felony case has been transferred to Northumberland Circuit Court following a hearing on April 1, 2019.

Kevin A. Miles, 38, NNRJ, one count of possession of a Schedule I or II controlled substance (Oxycodone). No Bond

Timothy B. Seward, 35, NNRJ, two counts of distribution of a Schedule I or II controlled substance (Cocaine) being a 3rd or subsequent offense. No Bond

Keith O. Thompson, 28, Hague, one count of distribution of a Schedule I or II controlled substance (N-ethylpentylone ‘Molly’) and one count of distribution of an imitation drug (Heroin). No bond.

Vanna M. White, 32, Hague, one count of distribution of a Schedule I or II controlled substance (N-ethylpentylone ‘Molly’) and one count of distribution of a Schedule I or II controlled substance on property of public library. No Bond

CASE REPORT OF FATALITY

FROM NIH;

Synthetic cathinones represent the latest genre of new drugs of abuse, which are increasing in popularity in part because they are readily available and because they are not detected by routine drug testing. They provide a cheaper substitute to stimulants such as methamphetamine and cocaine and are sold on the internet and in retail establishments as ‘bath salts,’ ‘plant food,’ or ‘research chemicals.’ We report a case involving a 21-year-old male who suffered arrest-related death due to intoxication with N-ethylpentylone, a new cathinone derivative. He reportedly left his house to smoke marijuana and returned displaying extremely odd behavior. The patient was unresponsive upon presentation to the emergency room and was intubated after suffering cardiac arrest. Clinical laboratory values revealed elevated lactic acidosis, hyperkalemia, rhabdomyolysis, and renal injury. His condition continued to worsen despite medical management. Sudden cardiac arrest occurred again 72 hours into his hospital stay and the patient was pronounced dead. Post-mortem toxicology testing with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry determined the presence of N-ethylpentylone in the urine. This case report details the behavior effects, clinical presentation, and autopsy findings for N-ethylpentylone drug intoxication.

KEYWORDS: N-ethylpentylone, cathinones, bath salts, toxicology, cardiac arrest