STEPHENS COUNTY, Ga. — A multi-agency operation in the north Georgia mountains led to the arrests of 32 people and dozens of citations issued as part of Operation Southern Forest Trident.
The Department of Homeland Security arrested 25 people in Stephens County who were in the country illegally, 14 of whom had previous felony convictions and one who agents say is a confirmed cartel member.
According to the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, the agency partnered with federal agents, state officers and law enforcement from South Carolina to enter the woods and “deter and investigate criminal activities taking place on national forest lands.”
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From May 1 to May 6, members of various agencies performed safety checks on roads in and out of forest service lands and added extra patrols in the areas.
Over the course of Operation Southern Forest Trident, the U.S. Forestry Service issued 33 federal citations for a variety of crimes, including drug trafficking and possession.
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On the state end, members of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources issued four warnings and six citations for hunting and fishing violations.
The Georgia State Patrol also tagged in on the operation, issuing 58 warnings and 36 traffic citations.
Stephens County deputies arrested five people for drug felony charges and performed three warrant services.
According to the sheriff’s office, the following people were arrested by deputies:
- Christian Villagomez: arrested for multiple DNR fishing violations
- Victor Pena and Kristen Sloan: arrested for possession of about 3.2 grams of suspected methamphetamine and a glass pipe
- Mark Justice and Rebecca Wood: arrested for possession of 2.9 grams of suspected meth, a glass pipe, 4.2 grams of suspected marijuana
- Dakoda Ponder: arrested for possession of 2.1 grams of suspected cocaine and suspected oxycodone, driving under the influence
Deputies said during the May 5 operation, two people ran from a federal traffic stop. One, Minton Carreto, was found wanted out of the metro Atlanta area and was said to be in the U.S. illegally.
While Carreto was captured, the other individual, who has not been identified, is still on the run and believed to have left the area.
“We are proud to work with our federal and state partners to curb the flow of illegal drugs and other crime in Stephens County. Many of these areas aren’t frequently patrolled in most counties, and crime can go unnoticed. This behavior affects our families, as well as our social and physical environments. We want people to enjoy nature, but please do it responsibly,” Sheriff Rusty Fulbright said in a statement.
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