Families are praising a multi-agency narcotics task force for removing various drugs from an apartment in their neighborhood.
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The Marietta, Cobb, Smyrna Narcotics & Intelligence Unit conducted a week-long investigation after receiving an anonymous tip about drug sales near a playground.
“The suspect was selling and conducting these transactions near the playground of the apartment complex where kids are known to gather and play. Whether it’s in a neighborhood or an apartment complex or anywhere, it’s important to get these illegal drugs out of these areas to keep all of the citizens of Cobb County safe,” Colonel Ryan Mehling of the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office said.
The weeks-long investigation led agents to an apartment right next door to the leasing office at the Cobblestone Apartments on Pat Mell Road.
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“They were able to observe several hand-to-hand sales occur between the seller of the narcotics and customers who are coming to purchase those,” Mehling said.
Neighbors who saw agents surround the apartment after securing a search warrant told Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Michele Newell they feel safer now.
“Relieved, relieved, I feel safer,” Olin Brown said.
“The SWAT team came in and a whole bunch of police,” Francis Kampy said.
Investigators said agents seized various drugs and $783 in cash, 13 grams of MDMA, 169.1 grams of marijuana, 7.4 grams of crack, 2.2 grams of cocaine, and two handguns.
The suspected drug dealer is Jerome Pierce, a convicted felon who is now facing seven felonies and other charges.
Investigators said some of the drugs were found in an unlikely place.
“7.4 grams of the crack was actually hidden in his buttocks and while he was being placed in the back of the patrol car, while in handcuffs the agent noticed that he was rustling around with himself and he had removed the crack from his buttocks and was attempted to stash it behind the seat of the police cruiser to hide that evidence,” Mehling said.
A neighbor said she saw SWAT at the apartment complex a couple of months ago, for a separate incident.
“It’s pretty common over here, unfortunately. We see the police a lot,” Kampy said.
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According to Cobb County 911, police were called to the apartment complex 131 times in 2024, 119 times in 2025, and 33 times this year for a variety of incidents that weren’t specified.
The MCS Narcotics Unit itself said it has conducted search warrants in the past at the complex.
“For MCS narcotics, this is not the first time that we have been conducting business in that apartment complex.
There have been other search warrants within the past couple of months, unrelated to this one that have been executed in that area.
The MCS Narcotics units credit much of their investigations to anonymous tips from the community. Investigators encourage citizens who may have concerns about drug activity to contact the drug tipline at 770-590-5554. You could also contact the unit via email at drugs@cobbsheriff.org.
“We also have the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office app, you can go on the app and submit an anonymous tip,” Mehling said.
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