Five people were arrested after the Statesboro Police Department raided a local home on Greenbriar Trail. According to Stan York, Statesboro Chief of Police, multiple types of illegal drugs were found at the residence, including chocolate covered psilocybin mushrooms, ecstasy, and LSD.
The drug bust occurred after a two-month investigation surrounding the property. The catalyst for the initial investigation was due to a concerned citizen’s complaint in the area.
Those arrested in the August 21 raid at the Greenbriar Trail residence were Danielle Johnson, Danielle Maskery, Matthew Keller, Rhama Neisler and William Elliott.
“We actually [conducted the investigation] through two means—through citizens and buy bust,” said York.
According to York, a “buy bust” occurs when officers have a “hand to hand transaction” with the individuals that were allegedly involved in dealing illegal drugs. Initially, the Statesboro Police Department did not arrest the individuals after the first transactions; however they did obtain several different drugs through undercover means prior to making arrests.
According to reports, the individuals arrested had over $50,000 worth of illegal drugs present in the residence on Greenbriar Trail. The operation was being housed in the residence of two of the women arrested as a result of the investigation. Those involved in the case could serve up to ten years if convicted, as drug related cases of this nature are classified as felonies.
However, according to York, many of those involved have had multiple offences in the past, so they could potentially serve much more time. Many of these investigations occur as a result of civilian complaints, and the Statesboro Police Department takes all of these complaints seriously, according to York.
The police department has been working on various drug-related cases and other cases in the area.
“We’ve got multiple leads that we work, and once we’ve done one case we go on to the next. We get a tip or complaint and then we follow up on those complaints or tips. The officers actually make contact themselves. It’s always a continuing cycle. We’ve always got something to do,” said York.
York also stressed the importance of everyday safety. “Lock your doors. A lot of people leave their vehicles unlocked and they leave items of value and have personal items taken. They are very easy targets and it’s invasive. Crimes can get personal very quickly,” said York.
