DELAND -- A multi-agency crime suppression operation targeting gang activity and street crimes such as robbery, burglary, drugs and auto theft swept through West Volusia Friday night, resulting in 41 arrests and 90 traffic citations, said a Volusia County Sheriff's spokesman.
The arrests included eight for felony offenses and 33 for misdemeanors.
The Sheriff's Office organized Friday's operation, which targeted known crime hot spots in DeLand, Deltona and DeLeon Springs. During the operation, officers sought contacts with people who have known gang ties, had open warrants or are suspects in unsolved crimes, agency spokesman Gary Davidson said.
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The Sheriff's Office dedicated approximately 40 deputies to the operation, tapping into patrol and investigative units, narcotics
agents, gang investigators, K-9s and aviation. Officers from the DeLand Police Department, Port Orange Police Department, South Daytona Police Department, Ormond Beach Police Department, the Daytona Beach Shores Department of Public Safety and the Flagler County Sheriff's Office along with the FBI's Safe Streets Task Force also took part in the operation. Their efforts to saturate the area and disrupt criminal activity proved effective, resulting in the seizure of 300 grams of marijuana, a small amount of cocaine and 50 Oxycodone pills.
Among those arrested during the operation was 20-year-old Joseph Danlovich of San Mateo, who was charged with trafficking in Oxycodone. Louis Jeanty, Jr., 26, of Daytona Beach, was charged with possession of marijuana over 20 grams after officers seized 144 grams of the drug. And after officers seized 112 grams of marijuana along with a scale and other drug paraphernalia, both 35-year-old Venus Rosada of Daytona Beach and 36-year-old Charles Stephens of Daytona Beach were charged with possession of marijuana over 20 grams, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The Sheriff's Office declared the operation a total success and said more operations are planned in the future. "The teamwork among all of
the participating agencies really made a statement to the criminal element," said Sheriff's Captain Shane Summers, who coordinated the
operation. "Our streets and neighborhoods belong to the law-abiding citizens, and I'm confident that our presence last night prevented crime."