Franklin County Sheriff Steve Thomas has released details of several drug arrests made in that county this week.
On Wednesday, Franklin County deputies, Lavonia Police Chief Bruce Carlisle and his officers, the North Georgia Drug Task Force and Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents conducted a search warrant and served arrest warrants at a home in Lavonia.
During that search warrant, officers recovered 2.6 ounces of powder cocaine, 9.4 grams of crack cocaine, 6.6 grams of marijuana, and Schedule II narcotics.
"In addition to the narcotics, officers located approximately $14,000 worth of cash proceeds from narcotics transactions as well as a Dodge pickup truck which was used to traffick the narcotics," Thomas said. "Five subjects were arrested."
Those arrested include:
• Charles Barnes, 50, of Lavonia, charged with possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of less than one ounce of marijuana;
• Rashad Genesis Beasley, 41, of Lavonia, charged under the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Orginazation Act;
• Ke'lotrea Blackwell, 19, of Lavonia, charged with possession of a Schedule 2 controlled substance and a felony probation violation;
• Karessa S. Butler, 22, of Bowman, charged under the RICO Act; and
• Willie Rucker, 54, of Lavonia, charged with possession of drug-related objects.
"These arrests were part of a large-scale, multi-million-dollar narcotics investigation that spanned across Atlanta, Northern Georgia and Upstate South Carolina," Thomas said.
