Months Long Investigation Leads to Massive Drug Sweep Across North Georgia

A months long investigation leads to a day of dozens of arrests across multiple Northeast Georgia counties and the Upstate of South Carolina, including the arrest of a Lavonia man and a Hartwell woman.

On Wednesday, a multi-agency drug task force dismantled a multi-million dollar drug trafficking operation based out of Stephens County.

Some 200 local, state, and federal law enforcement officers served more than 20 search warrants and raided properties in Stephens County, North Georgia, Metro Atlanta, And South Carolina.

The warrants were the culmination of a 10-month investigation by the Appalachian regional drug enforcement office, with the cooperation of the FBI, Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, And Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office.

Mitchell Posey is the GBI Special Agent In Charge Of The Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office. He identifies the ringleader of this trafficking operation as a Horace Mayfield.

Posey says Mayfield lives in Barrow County now, but is from Stephens County and based his drug operation out of Stephens County.

“He would distribute them from Stephens County to surrounding counties,” said Posey. “He would purchase his drugs in the Atlanta area.”

Posey said Mayfield and his organization have operated in Stephens County and areas stretching from Atlanta to South Carolina for many years and have been trafficking large amounts of drugs.

“I can only speak to essentially historically what we have put on him over the last year,” said Posey. “Keep in mind he has been operating in this manner for years up here, but historically we can put about 72 kilograms of cocaine on him, about 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, and about 50 pounds of marijuana.”

Those amounts of drugs over the last year has a total street value of $9.5 million. Mayfield was taken into custody Wednesday in Barrow County.

Posey says he and all of the 27 people facing arrest warrants from this investigation will face numerous charges.

“The defendants were charged under the RICO act,” said Posey. “Trafficking of

methamphetamine, cocaine, and use of a telecommunication device.”

Late Wednesday, the GBI released the names of the the 27 suspects arrested in yesterday’s operation.

They include 41-year old Rashad Beasley of Maple St. in Lavonia and 39-year old Sherry Evans of Mt. Olivet Road in Hartwell.

Also arrested were 38-year old Avero Howard, 31-year old Quincy Jones, 23-year old Brittany Prather, 38-year old Leonardo Steeple, 38-year old Marvin Teasley, and 26-year old Chanin Mayfield, all of Toccoa.

Additionally, 38-year old Stephen Ivester and 30-year old Bobby Smith both of Eastanollee were arrested Wednesday.

Speaking on behalf of Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley, Chief Deputy Andy Myers says the sheriff’s office is very happy with the outcome.

“I think this is something where the people of Stephens County will feel an immediate impact,” said Myers. “It is going to impact not just the drug trade, but gang-related activity in the area. This is going to make a difference with that. It is just all around a good operation, a successful operation, and a good example of what happens when a whole bunch of agencies work together.”

Meanwhile, Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney George Christian says this investigation was a great example of inter-agency cooperation.

“The three sheriffs in the Mountain Judicial Circuit have put resources and people with the GBI drug task force and it allows us to do these types of operations and it will certainly put a dent in the methamphetamine and cocaine trade in the Mountain Judicial Circuit,” said Christian.

A host of agencies were present or assisted in today’s operation, including Toccoa Police, along with agencies from across Metro Atlanta, North Georgia, And Upstate South Carolina.

Those arrested were:
Rashad Beasley (41), 27 Maple Street Lavonia, GA
Sherry Evans (39), 820 Mount Olivet Road, Hartwell, GA
Henry Harris (61), 146 Sitton Mill Road, Seneca, SC
Malissa Holden (43), 313 Zion Hill Road, Seneca, SC
Nate Howard (30), 1995 Carithers Way Marietta, GA
Avero Howard (38), 317 Skyview Lane, Toccoa, GA
Joy Hunter (32), 413 Butler Street, Westminster, SC
Stephens Ivester (38), 1971 Wolfpit Road, Eastonallee, GA
Quincy Jones (33), 118 Poplar Trail, Toccoa, GA
Jack Mark (63), 106 Oak Ridge Circle, Seneca, SC
Horace Mayfield III (31), 714 Baskins Circle, Winder GA
Deltorious McClendon (27), 170 Hanover Place Apt. 4, Athens, GA
Gustavo Melendez (38), 1531 Druid Valley Drive Apt. B, Atlanta, GA
Brittany Prather (23), 130 Persimmon Street, Toccoa, GA
Megan Sanders (28), 111 Cabin Lake Court Athens, GA
Audreona Scott (24), 714 Baskins Circle, Winder, GA
Bobby J. Smith (30), 195 Forest Brook Drive, Eastanollee, GA
Leonardo Steeple (38), 196 Tabitha Page Lane, Toccoa, GA
Mario Stowers (36), 1725 Presidents Street Apt. A, Westminster, SC
Marvin Teasley (38), 269 Country Club Drive, Toccoa, GA
Dwayanego Poole (38), 310 Pine Street, Seneca, SC
Chanin Mayfield (26), 317 Skyview Lane, Toccoa, GA
Carlos Torres, (26), 317 Ard Place, Atlanta, GA
Wilfredo Otero, (24), 317 Ard Place, Atlanta, GA