Gwinnett Co. deputies nab 43 in warrant sweep

NORCROSS, Ga. — Gwinnett County sheriff's deputies said a recent warrant sweep was trying to clear up a backlog of hundreds of misdemeanor warrants.

Tuesday night, deputies arrested 43 people. But they also uncovered some things they weren't even looking for.

"You never know what you're going to find when knock on a door," Lt. John Spear with the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office told Channel 2's Kerry Kavanaugh.

When deputies knocked at a door on Arlene Court Tuesday night, they were looking for a person with an active arrest warrant.

Instead, investigators said they found marijuana plants, assorted and labeled jars of marijuana and a ventilation system connected to a small growing operation.

John Nicholas and Michale Nicholas were charged with manufacturing marijuana. Deputies said they seized grow lights, a .22-caliber handgun and more than 2 pounds of marijuana.

Neighbors said they never suspected a thing.

"It just totally shocks me; [it happened] right here in our neighborhood," said neighbor Suzanne Wahlquist.

"Instead of just letting them sit in a file drawer, we pulled those (warrants) back out and looked at them for new information," Spear said.

Spear said new information led them to apartment on Ashley Run Court in Norcross.

Deputies said after smelling marijuana, they searched inside.

They arrested Lewis Gray and Kenyanna Gray after seizing marijuana, plastic baggies, digital scales and a 9 mm TEC-9 -- a semi-automatic handgun known for working with high-capacity magazines containing dozens of rounds.

Spear said most of the warrants were less than six months old, and as long as they are active, they are working on them.

"You're going to be caught eventually, and we're going to continue to look for you," Spear said.
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