MORGANTOWN — Three arrested locally and facing state charges as part of Operation Lion’s Den — a multi-state investigation that targeted the Maurice Swift drug organization out of Detroit — are still in jail, while three have paid their bond.
All six are charged with conspiracy to violate possession with intent to manufacture, deliver, or possess with intent to deliver a controlled substance, a felony with a penalty of two to 10 years in prison.
- Darcia Bardella, 23, of Bruceton Mills, is out on $15,000 bond.
- Douglas Lee Butler, 41, of Morgantown, is being held in North Central Regional Jail in lieu of $10,000 bond.
- Aundrez Malik Carothers, 20, of Detroit, is being held in North Central Regional Jail in lieu of $25,000 bond.
- Joseph Arthur England, 43, of Granville, is being held in North Central Regional Jail in lieu of $15,000 bond.
- Belinda J. Ford, 46, of Morgantown, is out on $15,000 bond.
- Glen Dwain Walls III, 28, of Bruceton Mills, is out on $15,000 bond.
All were arraigned in Monongalia County Magistrate Court.
Sgt. R. Jiles, Mon Metro Drug Task Force commander, said Parris Frich and Joseph Davis were arrested Thursday morning in connection with Operation Lion’s Den. They were not arraigned as of Thursday afternoon.
Operation Lion’s Den was a multi-state investigation involving federal, local and state law enforcement agencies. The operation began in summer of 2017 following a successful prosecution of the Terry Thomas drug organization, Dewayne Haddix, with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, announced at a Wednesday press conference.
The Thomas organization is suspected of bringing more than 600,000 Oxycodone pills into north-central West Virginia and the Maurice Swift drug organization is suspected of being its supplier, Haddix said.
Monongalia County Sheriff Perry Palmer said those arrested locally are those the department receives daily calls about for dealing drugs.
“I believe this sends a message and will continue to send a message for the drug crisis that if you sell drugs in our county you will be arrested and you will be charged and prosecuted,” Palmer said.
Tweet Will Dean @WillDean_DP; wdean@domininionpost.com
