ROANOKE, Va. – The combined efforts of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies have resulted in the arrests of 13 individuals over the past weeks connected to a variety of drug distribution charges.
“Today the Roanoke community witnessed a significant, coordinated law enforcement effort undertaken by the FBI and our partners with the Roanoke City and Roanoke County Police Departments, and the Virginia State Police,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division Stanley Meador. “Care and caution for these communities, have been pivotal in our planning to address the increase in crime occurring in the Roanoke area; and with today’s effort and concerted efforts in the last few months we have been able to remove a number of offenders from your streets.”
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Authorities arrested 10 people over two weeks and three others in recent weeks on similar charges as part of the same effort, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia.
The following people were arrested over the last two weeks:
- Thomas Mauney, 31, of Roanoke, is charged with distribution of heroin and fentanyl
- Destiny Jones, 29, of Roanoke, is charged with distribution of fentanyl
- Shaewon Leon Smith, 33, of Roanoke, is charged with distribution of fentanyl and possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute
- Shakeem Malik Hunt, 27, of Roanoke, is charged with distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine
- Isiah Surles, 26, of Roanoke, is charged with distribution of cocaine
- Richard “Bugatti” Brown, of Roanoke, is charged with distribution of cocaine
- Travon Hardy, 28, of Roanoke, is charged with distribution of heroin and fentanyl
- Anthony Haynes, 32, of Roanoke, is charged with distribution of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine
- Richard Leon Cotton, 43, of Roanoke, is charged with distribution of heroin and fentanyl
- Robert Wright, 28, of Vinton, is charged with possession of explosives by a felon and illegal storage of explosives
Authorities arrested the following individuals in recent weeks on similar federal charges as part of the same effort:
- Daunte Rashad Lamonde, 28, of Roanoke, is charged with possession of heroin with the intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
- Torrence Lamont Smith, 41, of Roanoke, is charged with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon
- Anthony Dwayne Banks, 31, of Roanoke, is charged with distribution of methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute
“We are grateful that our department can partner with these agencies at every level of the criminal justice system to hold these individuals accountable,” said Roanoke Police Chief Sam Roman. “These are individuals who wish to cause harm through organized crime in our community, and this shows them and others like them that we will not stand for their behavior in Roanoke. We will do all we can with all the resources we have available to hold them responsible for their destructive, violent actions.”
“The suspects arrested and indicted today are responsible for bringing dangerous drugs into the Roanoke Valley that poison our citizens,” Roanoke County Police Chief Howard Hall said today. “Removing them from our community makes us all safer.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the City of Roanoke Police Department, the Roanoke County Police Department, the Salem Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Virginia State Police are investigating the case.