Deputies arrest 15 people in Florence, Williamsburg County heroin roundup

Law enforcement agents arrested 15 people Wednesday morning and shut down one meth lab as part of an enforcement effort against heroin in the Johnsonville/Hemingway area.

The operation was conducted by Florence and Williamsburg County deputies, Johnsonville police officers, deputy U.S. marshals and SLED agents, according to a media advisory.

"Operation Clean Sweep was the result of an undercover narcotics investigation which has been ongoing for almost a year,” Maj. Mike Nunn of the Florence County Sheriff’s Office wrote in the advisory. “Deputies and investigators began the operation this morning by executing search warrants and arrest warrants at approximately 5 AM in the Johnsonville area. By approximately 8:30 a.m. nearly 13 suspects were in custody."

Florence County Sheriff Kenney Boone said: “This area of our county has been plagued by heroin distribution and marked by instances of heroin overdoses, some resulting in death. Undercover operations like Clean Sweep take a great deal of effort, time and patience to develop, and our narcotics division has done a tremendous amount of work in executing this highly successful operation.”

Eleven arrests were made on Florence County charges, four on Williamsburg County charges.

Those arrested in Florence County and the charges against them were:

• Erion Dephuon Black, 23, of 934 Millbranch Road, Johnsonville, distribution of heroin.

• Robert Bryant Burgess, 43, of 642 Maple Street, Johnsonville, distribution of heroin.

• Adonis Labradford Doctor, 22, of 60 Azalea Street, Johnsonville, distribution of heroin.

• Tushai Shakur Edwards, 22, of 942 Millbranch Road, Johnsonville, two counts of distribution of heroin.

• Rico Antony Linen, 41, of 244 Azalea Street, Johnsonville, distribution of heroin and distribution of crack cocaine.

• Christopher Melvin, 27, of 432 Dorchester Court Road, Lake City, four counts of distribution of heroin.

• Justin Jamal Lewis, 26, of 215 Byrnes Circle, Johnsonville, distribution of heroin.

• Kayshawn Daron Linen, 25, of 311 Liberty Street Apartments, Johnsonville, distribution of heroin.

• Dwayne Edwado Marquis Wilson, 36, of 135 Brook St., Johnsonville, two counts of distribution of heroin.

• Victor Antoine Grant, 29, of 1410 Bearoak Lane, Johnsonville, two counts of distribution of heroin and possession of controlled substances.

• Eric Joseph Miles, 27, of 2453 Hanna Lake Road, Johnsonville, distribution of heroin.

This story was originally published February 9, 2017 at 12:37 AM.