Crack, cash seized in drug investigation
Trinity Standard - December 2007

TRINITY – Eleven “rocks” of crack cocaine, a quantity of marijuana and $4,300 in cash were seized late Friday during a drug investigation at a residence off South Oak Street in Trinity.

According to Trinity County Sheriff Steven Jones, the tenant at the residence, Johnny Ray Lewis, 57, was arrested on a felony charge of possession of a controlled substance.

Lewis was free on bond early this week.

Jones said the investigation into drug activity at the residence began as the result of information obtained by Pct. 1 Constable Woody Wallace.

“His office obtained the information as the result of a traffic stop and then passed on the information to me,” the sheriff said.

Jones, together with Deputy Sheriff Thomas Park, went to the South Oak Street residence at about 11:30 p.m. to talk to Lewis.

During the visit, they discovered what was believed to be crack cocaine in Lewis’ pockets. Two baggies containing marijuana cigarettes were subsequently found in an ice box inside the residence.

“We also found a small amount of prescription medication and approximately $4,300 in cash,” Jones said.

In addition to Lewis, Jones said there was one other man, four young women and a baby present at the residence at the time of the arrest. With the exception of Lewis, none of the others were charged in connection with the drugs.

The women ranged in age from 16 to 18 and were either released into their own custody or into the custody of a person designated by their parents.

During the course of the investigation, Jones said that Deputy Sheriff Jay Robinson as well as Trinity Police officers Stephen Hodges and Brian Perkins arrived to assist.

The sheriff said he will ask District Attorney Joe Ned Dean to begin seizure proceedings in district court for the cash. If approved by the county, a portion of the money will go into a fund to help the sheriff’s department purchase equipment.

“That part of Oak Street is in an area commonly referred to as ‘The Tree.’ We’ve managed to get the drug pushers off the street corners in that area, but we know that drugs are still being sold out of a number of residences there,” Jones said.

Located near the Trinity Community Center, “The Tree” has been known as an area where drug dealers have been very active.