Drug Sweep Nets Arrests
Key West Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit has been conducting undercover drug operations that have resulted in 26 recent arrests, and several more arrest warrants. The unit was assisted by Homeland Security Investigations, the DEA, the Monroe County Sherriff’s Office and Customs and Border Protection.
The joint operations combine undercover detectives, special agents and confidential informants making narcotics purchases on the streets of Key West. Most of the resulting charges were for the sale of cocaine, however a few were for the sale of controlled substances like Oxycodone and for the sale of marijuana.
Those arrested so far are:
Bobby Allen Jr., 25
Anthony Banaski, 54
Marvin Smith, 41
Frank Jones, 37
Andrew Perez, 57
Shimika Clark, 30
Elio Ortega, 49
Mark Watchinsky, 65
Robert McGuire, 49
Alondo Bacon, 21
Alexi Olive, 34
Harold Martin Jr., 24
Erne Delva, 32
Wisler Jean, 32
Darren Mayfield, 42
Jerome Sanders, 37
Rodney Atkinson, 41
Brittany Baptiste, 28
Benjamin Lawrence, 30
Lonnie Artigue, 43
Darron Barber, 51
Robert Frost, 55
John Getro, 20
Thomas Dixon, 42
Elroy Dixon, 29
Juvenile male, 17
The goal of these operations is to not only eliminate drug trafficking in Key West, but to curb many of the crimes associated with drugs, such as burglaries, robberies and crimes of violence.