5 Arrested In Jefferson County Drug Operations: Sheriff

BIRMINGHAM, AL - Jefferson County Sheriff Mike Hale announced Monday the arrests of five men and the seizure of a variety of drugs and guns.

The seizures in the four drug operations included cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, opioids, guns and thousands in cash, according to the sheriff.

"There's always a little bit of cash, a little bit of product, but always, always, always firearms," the sheriff said. "Firearms in the hands of law-abiding citizens I don't have a problem with. Love it. Firearms in the hands of drug dealers is terrible and we're going to ensure ... they pay a big price in prison."

Hale said it's important for people to know the danger involved in dealing with drug dealers. "A lot of folks on the front end of addiction don't think it's a big deal to interface with drug dealers. It is a big deal,'' he said.

The sheriff displayed the firearms seized during the drug operations. (Watch the video)

"I want them to see this firepower and the cash they're giving up. Who really benefits? The drug dealers."

Hale provided details of a series of operations conducted in recent weeks.

On May 21, investigators stopped a man in Hueytown and a search of his car turned up a plastic bag containing heroin.

Johnny Lee Smith, 35, of Hueytown man, was charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

A subsequent search of his home led to the confiscation of 14 more bags of heroin, two rifles, two handguns and a 12-gauge shotgun.

On May 22, investigators were conducting a drug surveillance in the Center Point area when they spotted a suspicious vehicle occupied by two men. They stopped the vehicle and discovered 6 pounds of marijuana and 100 hydrocodone tablets. Chandler Logan Nichols, 23, and Gabriel Lopez Mathews, 24, both of Pinson were charged with trafficking marijuana and trafficking hydrocodone.

On May 31, Hale said deputies arrested Darius Brown, 29, at his Grayson Valley area home for an outstanding warrant charging him with unlawful possession of a controlled substance. A search of the residence turned up 51 grams of marijuana and 44 vials of THC. Brown was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

On June 6, deputies received information about a stolen GMC truck. Investigators tracked down the truck along Oporto-Madrid Boulevard and found the vehicle in the driveway. When deputies approached the truck, they found it running with Erik Malone, 34, of Birmingham inside. He was arrested.

A search of the truck found 8 pounds of marijuana, a handgun, a shotgun, 163 Xanax tablets, 108 hydrocodone tablets, 13 grams of cocaine, 6 grams of methamphetamine and 86 Oxycontin tablets.

Malone was charged with trafficking opioids, trafficking marijuana, unlawful possession of cocaine and unlawful possession of methamphetamine.

Video via Jefferson County Sheriff; image via Shutterstock