-from macon.com-

By Ashley Tusan Joyner

Seven people are behind bars after Macon police and Jones County sheriff’s deputies dismantled what authorities are calling one of the largest cocaine distribution rings in Middle Georgia.

Officials seized about 2 kilograms of cocaine with an approximate street value of $208,000; $108,706 in cash; a quantity of marijuana with an approximate street value of $800; eight vehicles with an approximate value of $90,895; five firearms including a 9 mm pistol, a Glock 45, a Glock 40, a shotgun and an SKS assault rifle; and about $150,000 in personal property.

One of the weapons was stolen from Kentucky, police said.

Eleven other regional law enforcement agencies assisted in the bust.

The seizure marks the peak of an ongoing police investigation, which has included various arrests and drug busts since Dec. 30.

Arrested on trafficking cocaine charges were:

Ivan Lamont Oglesby, 31, Macon; Leroy Thomas Foster II, 32, Macon; John Franklin Ragin, 29, Macon; James Louis Avery, 28, Jacksonville, Fla.; Willie James Rogers, 31, Macon, also charged with eluding police; Draton Amour Floyd, 25, Macon; and Deidra Shundrell Brown, 30, Macon.

Brown was released from custody on $16,600 bond.

Derek Wayne Gainey, 30, of Macon, was charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

“Our investigation reveals that this organization was importing powder cocaine from the Atlanta area at the rate of approximately 1 to 2 kilograms per week and distributing it in this community, both in the form of powder and crack cocaine, primarily from locations in the downtown Macon area and Pleasant Hills community,” Macon Police Chief Mike Burns said at a news conference Tuesday.

Burns would not elaborate on the nature of the continuing investigation or how arrests were made.

Bibb County assistant district attorney Kim Schwartz said the bust represents a high level break in the local drug chain.

“The problem with focusing entirely on street-level drug activity is that whenever you make those arrests there’s a whole group of other people waiting to move in and fill their spots,” she said. “It’s been a number of years since the Macon Police Department initiated and followed through on an investigation of this magnitude. But we cannot obtain these kind of results without the cooperation of local law enforcement agencies.”

Assisting in the investigation are: the Narcotics and Financial Crimes Divisions of the District’s Attorney’s Office of the Macon Judicial Circuit, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office Drug and Vice Unit, the Clayton County Police Department, the Atlanta Police Department, the Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, the Butts County Sheriff’s Office, the Warner Robins Police Department, the Byron Police Department, the Georgia State Patrol, the Tri-City Drug Task Force and the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office.

“The drugs are somewhat mobile. We can’t build a fence around our communities,” Jones County Sheriff Butch Reese said. “For a while, we’ve put a little dent in the drugs in the area.”

Keith Moffett, director of internal affairs for Mayor Robert Reichert, thanked police for working toward “safety at the end of the day for our families.”

Individuals convicted of trafficking 400 grams of cocaine or more face a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison and a mandatory fine of $1 million, according to officials.

The investigation continues.

There are warrants outstanding for a number of other individuals.

Police expect additional arrests and additional charges.