By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Salisbury police have charged 17 people in connection with a number of drug sales in the city, closing out an eight-month investigation that included multiple drug buys from undercover officers and confidential informants.

According to a police narcotics officer, this was not an operation to target large-scale drug deals. “This operation was targeted at street-level drug dealers,” the officer said.

Those arrested are not connected to each other, but most were arrested on the same day at about the same time, Police Capt. Shelia Lingle said.

The narcotics officer said the arrests and subsequent charges come after police received numerous complaints from residents about drug sales in their neighborhoods.

“This shows it was a criminal enterprise,” the narcotics officer said.

The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, State Bureau of Investigation and N.C. Department of Public Safety were all involved in the investigation. Police say 12 of the 17 were arrested and one person turned herself in Thursday morning.

The arrests were an effort to clean up the streets, the narcotics officer said.

Police charged the following:

• Dennis Miller, 422 Grady St., was charged with two counts of selling Schedule II (cocaine) and possession of drug paraphernalia and was issued a $20,000 bond. He remains in jail.
• Tracey Heffner, 421 S. Craige St., was charged with three counts of selling Schedule II (cocaine) and possession with intent to sell and deliver Schedule II. She was issued a $30,000 bond and remains in the Rowan County jail.
• James Price Jr., 517 E. Fisher St., was charged with selling Schedule II (cocaine) and two counts of possession with intent to sell and deliver Schedule II. He was released on a $20,000 bond.
• Eugene Oliver of Salisbury was charged with selling Schedule II (cocaine) and possession with intent to sell and deliver Schedule II. He was issued a $10,000 bond and remains in jail.
• Angela Fisher, 201 N. Long St., was charged with selling Schedule II (cocaine), possession with intent to sell and deliver Schedule II. She remains jailed under a $10,000 bond.
• Darrell Phillips, 825 W. Horah St., was charged with two counts of conspiracy to sell and deliver Schedule II (cocaine) and was released on a $10,000 bond.
• Patrick Evans, 316 S. Shaver St., was charged with two counts of selling Schedule VI (marijuana) possession with intent to sell and deliver Schedule VI and maintaining a dwelling to sell drugs. He remains jailed under a $10,000 bond.
• Mary Ann Beason, 519 N. Shaver St., was charged with selling Schedule II (cocaine) and possession with intent to sell and deliver Schedule II. She remains in jail under a $5,000 bond.
• Shawn Jones, 216 S. Craige St., was charged with two counts of selling Schedule II (cocaine) and possession with intent to sell and deliver Schedule II. He remains in jail under a $25,000 bond.
• Robert Jaron Price, 33 Kesler St., was charged with two counts of selling Schedule II, possession with intent to sell and deliver Schedule II, conspiracy to traffic in opium/heroin, conspiracy to sell or deliver Schedule II, and maintaining a vehicle for drug sales. He remains in jail under a $60,000 bond.
• Albert Shaver, 121 Lily Ave., was charged with three counts of selling Schedule VI (marijuana), possession with intent to sell and deliver Schedule VI, and maintaining a dwelling for drug sales. He was released on a $3,000 bond.
• Ritchie Simpson, 807 Shaver St., East Spencer, was charged with trafficking in opium by selling and trafficking in opium by possession. He was in jail under a $40,000 bond.

Police officials say they are still searching for four people on outstanding warrants.

• Sara Jordan, 211 Ridge Ave., Apartment 117, is charged with four counts of selling Schedule II (cocaine) and maintaining a vehicle for drug sales.
• Damarco Oglesby, 1020 W. Monroe St., is charged with four counts of selling Schedule II, possession with intent to sell and deliver Schedule II, and two counts of maintaining a dwelling for drug sales.
• Gaston Crosby of South Carolina is charged with two counts of selling Schedule II and possession with intent to sell and deliver Schedule II.
• Spencer Earl Vaughters, 305 Academy Drive, Cleveland, is charged with selling Schedule II, possession of Schedule II and maintaining a vehicle for drug sales.

Police said Lakeesha Dereena Skipper, 700 S. Fulton St., turned herself in to authorities. She will be charged with two counts of selling Schedule II (cocaine) and maintaining a dwelling for drug sales.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the suspects is asked to call the Salisbury Police Department at 704-638-5333 or Crime Stoppers at 866-639-5245.

Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.