Between May 1 and May 6, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Law Enforcement and Investigations division conducted criminal interdiction operations in Berkeley and Charleston counties in South Carolina, Stephens and Habersham counties in Georgia, and Burke County in North Carolina.
The goal of Operation Southern Forest Trident was to deter and investigate criminal activities taking place on national forest lands. During the operation, multiple safety checks were conducted on roads entering and leaving forest service lands as well as concentrated patrols in and around the same areas.
When all was said and done, the USFS agents along state and local, state and other federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had recorded 164 arrests, warnings, citations, etc. Those arrested included 25 individuals in Stephens County who were residing illegally in the country, 14 of whom had prior felony convictions and one confirmed cartel member.
The USFS issued 33 federal citations for offenses ranging from traffic-related offenses to possession of drug related objects and possession of illicit controlled substances. The state Department of Natural Resources issued four warnings and six citations related to hunting and fishing violations. Georgia State Patrol (GSP) issued 58 warnings and 36 traffic-related citations.
The Stephens County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) also made five felony drug arrests and three warrant services during the operation:
On Sunday, May 3, Christian Villagomez, 29 of Clarkesville, was arrested during a traffic stop for an outstanding warrant for multiple fishing violations by DNR.
Victor Pena, 42 of Cornelia, and Kristen Sloan, 33 of Maysville, were arrested during a traffic stop and found to be in possession of approximately 3.2 grams of suspected methamphetamine and a glass smoking pipe. Both individuals were charged with Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Drug Related Objects.
On Monday, May 4, Mark Justice, 48 of Eastanollee, and Rebecca Wood, 30 of Toccoa, were arrested during a traffic stop and found to be in possession of 2.9 grams of suspected methamphetamine, a glass smoking pipe, and 4.2 grams of suspected marijuana. Both individuals were arrested and federally cited for possession of marijuana by USFS. Wood was charged with Possession of Methamphetamine, and Justice was arrested on an outstanding warrant out of Stephens County.
Dakoda Ponder, 29 of Toccoa, was arrested during a traffic stop and found to be in possession of 2.1 grams of suspected cocaine, as well as a suspected Oxycodone pill. Ponder was arrested and charged with Possession of Cocaine and Possession of Schedule II Controlled Substance. He was also charged by GSP for Driving Under the Influence.
During the operation on Tuesday afternoon, May 5, two individuals fled on foot from a traffic stop from USFS officers on Highway 365 near Rock Road. SCSO, GA DNR, and Habersham County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) assisted USFS in searching the surrounding area for the individuals, including utilizing a USFS K-9, HCSO K-9 Bane, and SCSO K-9 Taz. That evening, one male who was determined to be the driver of the vehicle was captured on Highway 365 near Trestle Ridge Road. The male, identified as Minton Carreto, 31, was found to be wanted out of the metro-Atlanta area and illegally residing in the U.S. The other individual is believed to have fled the area entirely.