Two years ago, it was Williston that got the special attention of the Levy County Multijurisdictional Drug Task Force, and 40 people faced drug-related charges.

This year, it is Chiefland's turn.

In the past week, law enforcement officers have ended a marijuana grow house operation and rounded up a dozen persons and charged them with various counts of possession, sale and trafficking in a variety of illegal and prescription drugs.

The latest roundup started late Friday afternoon when the Task Force was given a tip by a Central Florida Electric Cooperative employee that the home at 9450 N.W. 60th St., Chiefland. had a strong smell of marijuana. The employee was conducting a routine service check of the residence at the time.

Task Force officers arrested Rocky Randell Lanier, 47, on charges of cultivation and possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. At the time of his arrest, Lanier had marijuana leaves all over his clothing and smelled of marijuana.

Officers found 103 marijuana plants that had been uprooted, bagged and hidden in the woods behind the garage at Lanier's home. Inside the residence, investigators confiscated 221 grams of processed marijuana and marijuana smoking devices, including a modified gas mask to smoke marijuana, digital scales, rolling papers, and three weapons.

Inside the garage were two growing rooms plus equipment for growing, fertilizing and automatic watering of plants.

Lanier told officers that he wasn't harming anyone, and it wasn't like he was bringing the stuff across the border from Mexico.

Lanier's arrest came one day after a roundup of nine people charged in connection with undercover buys that started in January. The nine face 77 felony and 9 misdemeanor charges. 

This is only the first phase of the operation and there are many more drug dealers that will be arrested.  Sheriff's Maj. Evan Sullivan said in a press release, "We want every drug dealer in Levy County to be wondering not if, but when, they will be arrested."

    The latest arrest came on Monday evening when the Task Force conducted a "Buy Bust" operation using a confidential source in the parking lot of Walgreens in Chiefland when they purchased 60 Roxycodone tablets from Nicholas Andrew Payne, 27, of Largo for $1,200, according to a sheriff's press release.

    Payne and his passenger, John Lazaro Lopez, 25, of Bowling Green, Ohio, traveled from Pinellas County for the sole purpose of selling narcotics to undercover officers.

    When Payne's vehicle was stopped at the intersections of NW 70th Ave and NW 115th Street, the officers found the marked currency in the vehicle and they arrested Payne and Lopez.

    The persons arrested and charged include:  

    Rocky Randell Lanier, 47, of Chiefland, cultivation of marijuana, possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana, possession of morphine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

    Carlos Kentral Kerney, 31, of Newberry, seven counts of sale of cocaine within 1,000 feet  of a church; two counts of sale of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a living facility; one count of sale of cocaine within 1,000 feet of public housing; one count each of possession, trafficking and sale of  MDMA within 1,000 feet of public housing; four counts of sale of cocaine; 14 counts of possession of cocaine and one count of sale of fraudulent substance in lieu of a controlled substance. Bond is $415,000.

    Ian Renard Gardner, 44, of Chiefland, five counts each of possession and sale of cannabis within 1,000 feet of a church. Bond is $120,000.

    Karen Latron Edwards, 38, of Chiefland, 2 counts each of possession and sale of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a church. Bail is $50,000.

    Chester Williams, 71, of Chiefland,  three counts each of possession and sales of cannabis. Bond is $75,000.

    Bertina Sheffield, 36, of Chiefland, two counts each of possession, trafficking and sale of a controlled substance (Lortab) within 1,000 feet of a church. Bond is $22,000.

    Christopher A. Granger, 24, of Chiefland,  two counts each of sale and  possession, and one count of trafficking and three counts of sale within 1,000 feet of a church  of a controlled substance (Lortab); one count of a sale of a controlled substance. Bond is $75,000.

    Bertha Mae Mack, 58, of Chiefland, five counts each of possession, four counts each of trafficking and five counts of sale within 1,000 feet of a church of a controlled substance (Lortab, Vicodin). Bond is  $136,000.

    Virtron Lamar Horton, 51, of Chiefland,  one count each of possession, sale and trafficking in a controlled substance (Hydrocodone). Bond is $30,000.

    Zackery J. Walton, 33, of Chiefland, two counts each of possession and sale of cannabis. Bond is $30,000.

    Nicholas Andrew Payne, 27, of Largo, trafficking in a controlled substance, driving on a suspended driver license and an outstanding Pinella County warrant for failure to redeliver hired or leased property

    John Lazaro Lopez, 25, of Bowling Green, Ohio, trafficking in a controlled substance