Thirty-eight pounds of marijuana nabbed Nov. 29 at a vacant house in north Fayette County was part of a larger joint effort that included Tri-Cities Narcotics Task Force. Drug agents were stationed at two locations in Fairburn with more than 80 additional pounds of marijuana waiting for the pickup attempt. Three south metro men stopped in Fayette first and were arrested for drug trafficking.

Lauro Santana, 29, of Hampton, Carlos Sandoval-Lara, 20, of Jonesboro and Donald Florentino, 22 of Forest Park, were arrested at 514 Westbridge Drive in north Fayette, according to Fayette Sheriff’s spokesperson Lt. Belinda McCastle. All three men were charged with drug trafficking and Florentino was also charged with burglary, she said. Pending investigation, the three may face trafficking charges in Fulton County, according to Tri-Cities Commander J. Midkiff.

The Nov. 29 bust was one of a three-part controlled pickup operation in Fayette and South Fulton counties coordinated between Tri-Cities and Fayette County Sheriff’s Drug Task Force. Fayette drug agents were dug in at the Westbridge Drive residence while Tri-Cities agents were waiting in two Fairburn locations with approximately 80 pounds of suspected marijuana, said Midkiff.

The drugs awaiting Florentino, Santana and Sandoval-Lara were transferred for holding after the three were arrested in Fayette County. The three men confessed that they were due make the pick ups at the two Fairburn addresses, said Fayette County Sheriff’s Drug Task Force Capt. Mike Pruitt.

Referencing the Fayette arrests, Pruitt said drug agents picked up a suspicious package containing the suspected marijuana from UPS, delivering it to its assigned destination, a vacant house at 514 Westbridge Drive at approximately 9 a.m. Agents and SWAT teams had previously set up surveillance at the location, said Pruitt. Shortly after placing the package on the front porch, the front door opened and the package was moved inside the house, he said. A description of the person handing the package could not be determined.

A few minutes later, a man later identified as Florentino was seen walking toward the street from an area to the rear of the house. It was not known at the time if the man had exited the house. He eventually entered an automobile with Santana and Sandoval-Lara and the three proceeded to drive around the subdivision. A short time later Florentino was dropped off at the house and went to a wood pile in the back yard, apparently searching for something. Florentino was unaware that, during the minutes after he had temporarily left the area, drug agents had executed a search warrant and had located the delivery package containing suspected marijuana in a wood pile in the back yard, Pruitt said.

Apparently unable to find what he was searching for, Florentino waved to the driver of the vehicle to come pick him up. Once inside, the vehicle attempted to exit the subdivision but was stopped by drug agents, said Pruitt.

Upon questioning, said Pruitt, the men confessed to having been at the location to pick up the marijuana. Florentino also confessed to having broken into the house to secure the marijuana prior to the delivery.

Fayette Sheriff’s Lt. Tray Powell said Monday that the substance had been tested and confirmed as marijuana. Midkiff said the marijuana had been shipped from McAllen, Tex., to the vacant house on Westbrige Drive.

Midkiff said the use of vacant houses as delivery addresses is an increasing concern nationwide.

login to post comments