SIX ARRESTED IN LANCASTER COCAINE BUST OPERATION INVOLVES NEW TEAM TARGETING CITY'S RENTAL UNITS.Byline: Greg Botonis Staff Writer LANCASTER - Nearly $100,000 worth of cocaine, 2 pounds of marijuana and two loaded handguns were seized Thursday morning from two Lancaster apartments in a raid by a newly formed Lancaster sheriff's team that targets residents of rental properties, officials said. Members of the Lancaster Community Appreciation Project team also arrested six people, including a parolee pa·rol·ee n. One who is released on parole. Noun 1. parolee - someone released on probation or on parole probationer considered armed and dangerous who has been on the run for months, and another person on parole for narcotics narcotics n. 1) techinically, drugs which dull the senses. 2) a popular generic term for drugs which cannot be legally possessed, sold, or transported except for medicinal uses for which a physician or dentist's prescription is required. sales. ``It's right at the heart of what we're trying to target,'' said Deputy District Attorney David Berger David Berger may refer to:
Deputies followed up complaints from residents and nearby businesses that there was some type of illegal activity going on at the apartments in the 1300 block of Avenue J-2. Investigators also have had reports of a string of recent burglaries in the area that were traced back to residents, including some staying without the owners' knowledge, Berger said. The team watched the area for several days before obtaining a search warrant and raiding two apartments about 9:30 a.m. Thursday. When the deputies entered the homes, they immediately detained de·tain tr.v. de·tained, de·tain·ing, de·tains 1. To keep from proceeding; delay or retard. 2. To keep in custody or temporary confinement: all six residents of the two apartments. As they searched the apartments, they found two large bags of pure cocaine powder and a couple of small baggies of rock cocaine. They also found a pound bag of marijuana, another bag containing about a half-pound and several 1/8-ounce bags of marijuana for individual sale, all of which were booked into evidence at the Lancaster sheriff's station, sheriff's officials said. Investigators said that the cocaine base, because of the large quantity and small baggies found, would be ``stepped on'' before sale. That means that the dealers would mix baking powder with the cocaine and then boil it to form rock cocaine before packaging it. Two loaded 9 mm handguns were also found in the homes, along with items used in the manufacturing and sale of drugs. Neither of the guns was listed as stolen, but neither was registered to any of the six arrested, Berger said. Arrested in the raid was Wayne Ratliff C. Wayne Ratliff (born 1946, Trenton, Ohio) wrote the database program Vulcan. Raised in Ohio and Germany, he now resides in the Los Angeles area. From 1969 to 1982, Ratliff worked for the Martin Marietta Corporation in a progression of engineering and managerial positions. , 28, on suspicion of possession of cocaine base for sales, possession of marijuana for sales and possession of narcotics with a firearm, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a Sheriff's Department release. Ratliff's brother, David, 27, was also arrested on suspicion of possession of cocaine base for sales and violation of parole. Clois McClain, 33, was arrested on suspicion of possession of cocaine base for sales. David Harbin, 35, was arrested on suspicion of giving deputies a false name, being a parolee at large and possession of cocaine base for sales. Arteasha Bailey, 19, was arrested on suspicion of knowingly being in a place where controlled substances were being used. Brenda Nelson, 41, also was arrested on an outstanding warrant for misappropriation misappropriation n. the intentional, illegal use of the property or funds of another person for one's own use or other unauthorized purpose, particularly by a public official, a trustee of a trust, an executor or administrator of a dead person's estate, or by any of property and possession of narcotic narcotic, any of a number of substances that have a depressant effect on the nervous system. The chief narcotic drugs are opium, its constituents morphine and codeine, and the morphine derivative heroin. See also drug addiction and drug abuse. paraphernalia PARAPHERNALIA. The name given to all such things as a woman has a right to retain as her own property, after her husband's death; they consist generally of her clothing, jewels, and ornaments suitable to her condition, which she used personally during his life. . Greg Botonis, (661) 267-7802 gregory.botonis(at)dailynews.com |
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