Wicked City No More

Like every other community in and around Galveston County the City of Dickinson is no different and has experienced a long standing problem with drugs and narcotic trafficking. The use of illegal drugs has led to the deterioration of our social structure overall. Police have seen a trend which links the commission of crimes as the sole source of monetary support for this addiction. Drug addicts in need of money turn to crimes which can furnish them with the fast money they need to continue their habits. (Robbery, Burglary, Theft and Prostitution).

Areas in Dickinson have gained a reputation for the ease and availability of certain kinds of drugs. Although some locations of street sales are located just outside of our city limits, the crime and stigma of the trafficking gives our community a black eye never the less.

Small agencies like ours cannot combat drug trafficking alone.

Since 1999 through 2004, our department participated in the Galveston County Narcotics Task Force. Unfortunately, after State restructuring, the Task Force lost its funding that forced its dissolution in early 2004.

The City of Dickinson Police Department wasn’t about to give up.

Intelligence existed that linked the relationships between many of the local area narcotic dealers. Some of these dealers even dubbed Dickinson the “Wicked City” and had shirts made with this slogan. The Dickinson Police Department teamed up with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administrations- Mobile Enforcement Team (M.E.T) to assist us in combating this problem. The mission was to attack these violators in a variety of ways using both the powers of State and Federal governments.

An eight month investigation ensued. The results of the investigation culminated with a bust out on the first phase of this operation that took place on Wednesday, January 12, 2005. During operation “Wicked City NO More” 44 individuals had been indicted, twelve federally and the remainder State for various narcotic related charges. The operation was carried out with the support of several other public safety agencies that included: Galveston County Sheriff’s Department, Galveston Police Department S.W.A.T, Texas City Police Department S.W.A.T, League City Police Department S.W.A.T, U.S. Drug Enforcement- D.E.A, U.S. Marshall’s service, A.T.F, DPS narcotics, the Dickinson Volunteer Fire Department, Gold Star ambulance service, Hermann Life-Flight and the Dickinson Police Citizen's Academy Alumni Association..

Dickinson Police Chief Ron Morales said, “This has been a blessing for the community of Dickinson. We are a small city with big city issues. Our budget could not support an operation such as this. Our narcotics officers along with the D.E.A.- M. E. T. team have worked extremely hard together to help rid our community of narcotics. This is a problem that has plagued this community for many years. Now it is up to all of us to continue this drive and to do our part to help keep the narcotics and the violence associated with trafficking drugs out of our community.”

Federal indictments have been filed in the Galveston Division of the Southern District of Texas:

Christopher Caldwell, 27, of the 2800 block of Arkansas, Dickinson, Texas; Tyrone Peterson, 29, of the 2800 block of Timber, Dickinson, Texas; Raymond Goffney, 28, of the 3300 block of Hughes Lane, Dickinson, Texas; Frederick Simmons, 56, of the 400 block of Deats Road, Dickinson, Texas; Bryant Williams, 28, of the 2000 block of Avenue G, Dickinson; Texas; Josephine Taylor, 21, of the 3600 block of Dawson Lane, Houston, Texas; Kelvin Roberts, 32, of the 2700 block of West Bay Area Blvd., Friendswood, Texas; and Tyrus George, 31, Nelson Stephens, 29, and Ronald Lymuel, 20, all of the 2900 block of Avenue H., Dickinson, Texas. A federal indictment has been filed in the Houston Division naming both Sidney Hobbs, 34, last known address on the 200 block of Green Cedar, League City, Texas; and Staci Mitchell, 26, last known address on the 11800 block of Gulf Point Dr.; Houston, Texas.

Caldwell is charged with five counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, commonly known as ‘crack cocaine' arising from five separate instances in which he is alleged to have sold crack between April and July 2004. If convicted of any of the charges, Caldwell faces a maximum statutory a statutory penalty of no less than 5 years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison without parole.

Peterson is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine base arising from one instance in which he is alleged to have sold crack cocaine in April 2004, and faces a statutory of no less than 5 years and a maximum of 40 years imprisonment upon conviction.

Goffney and Simmons are charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base arising from the recovery of crack cocaine upon the execution of a state search warrant on the apartment they were both allegedly staying in April 2004. If convicted of the conspiracy charge, they each face a statutory penalty of no less than 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment. The substantive possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine charge carries a statutory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life imprisonment.

Williams is charged with two counts of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine base arising from two separate instances in which he is alleged to have sold crack cocaine between April 2004 and May 2004. Williams faces a statutory of no less than 5 years and a maximum of 40 years imprisonment upon conviction.

Taylor is accused of two counts of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and four counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, all alleged to have occurred between July 2004 and December 2004. Each of the six counts, upon conviction, carries a penalty of no less than 10 years to life in prison.

Roberts, who is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and three counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base; George, charged with a conspiracy count and two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base; Stephens also charged with conspiracy and two substantive possession with intent to distribute crack; and Lymuel, who faces a conspiracy charge and one count of possession with intent to distribute crack, all also face the same 10 year minimum and life imprisonment maximum statutory penalty on each count charged upon conviction. According to allegations contained in the indictments the alleged unlawful conduct involving these defendants occurred between July 2004 and December 2004.

Hobbs and Mitchell are charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine (powder) and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, each of which carries a statutory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years in prison. The indictment alleges the unlawful conduct occurred in June 2004.

The following were indicted by the State grand jury:

Tony Eugene Allen, 40; Derris Lacantice Bradley, 26; Moses Joseph Butler Jr,. 40; Harvey Lee Chapman, 24; Jason Gerald Cooper, 27; Michael Louis Davis, 19; Ennis Eldridge Franklin, 30; Gaines, Demetris Rondale 29; Kenneth Dewayne Hayes, 34; Ronnie Holmes Sr, 47; Walter Lee Holt, 30; Yvette Diona Jackson, 46; Chester Jenkins Jr, 49; Cynthia Michelle Jones, 20; Chad Jerod Joseph, 22; Maximo Martinez; Morris McCall, 20; Barbara Moore, 43; Joseph Edward Moore, 21; Jeremy Jerome Nealy, 18; Donald Norman III, 19; Kennth Ray, 32; Rocky Rocha; Stanley Samuels,39; Junis June Sereal, 29; Howard Simmons 30; Sonya Renee Sims, 28; Timothy Spells, 21; Terrance Alan Walker, 33; Marvin White, 33; Leonard Young, 49

All the suspect have now been arrested.