Staly holds joint press conference on status of Operation Spring Cleaning

Palm Coast Observer
News

In conjunction with 26 other counties, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office took part in Operation Spring Cleaning, according to a news release by the FCSO.

Operation Spring Cleaning, which was hosted by the Florida Sheriff’s Association, focused on the investigation and subsequent arrest of those manufacturing, delivering and/or trafficking controlled substances. Since the start of the operation on Oct. 1, 45 drug dealers have been arrested or charged in Flagler County. Deputies also seized over 10 pounds of controlled substances, 14 firearms and $57,778 of drug proceeds.

Sheriff Rick Staly held a joint press conference with Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood and Putnam County Sheriff Gator DeLoach on Tuesday, May 1, to discuss Operation Spring Cleaning.

“Our Special Investigations Unit and Community Policing Division are working tirelessly to get this poison off the streets and the dealers behind bars,” Staly said in a release.

Notable cases related to the operation include:

Nov. 6: Joseph Colon was arrested and charged with trafficking in Hydromorphone, possession of heroin, crack cocaine and Alprazolam with intent to distribute, possession of Oxycodone and driving with a suspended license. On Feb. 21, while Colon was still in custody at the Flagler County Detention Facility, a grand jury indicted Colon on the charge of first-degree murder in the overdose death of Savannah DeAngelis under the new Florida State Statute 782.04 that allows drug dealers to be charged with murder resulting from an overdose death.
Dec. 15: Charles Eugene Rushing-Griffen was arrested and charged with robbery with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and driving with a suspended license after robbing the Shell gas station clerk at 320 Palm Coast Parkway at gunpoint. Additional charges were later added for an armed robbery of Terranova’s Pizzeria in Bunnell and an attempted robbery of a Mobil gas station in Palm Coast. On Feb. 21, Rushing-Griffen pleaded to 30 years in prison for the charges.