Newark Man Wanted In Connection To Peninsula Drug Bust

A Newark resident is being sought by federal agents in connection to drug trafficking and gang activity, officials confirmed Thursday.

Authorities identified the man as Joey Earl Williams, 48, according to Jack Gillund, a U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesman. Gillund said Williams also had a listed address in Redwood City.

Williams is one of six fugitives wanted after a raid in which 900 FBI agents, along with officers from local agencies, arrested 27 people on suspicion of selling crack cocaine and methamphetamine.

The other five suspects being sought are:

• Tony Giovanni Joseph, 30, of San Mateo
• Derrick Lane, 39, of East Palo Alto
• Shawn Curtis McKnight, 49, of East Palo Alto, San Mateo and Sunnyvale
• Charles Edward Menifee, III, 20, of Menlo Park
• Jesus Segura, 31, of San Jose

U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag said the arrests  were the result of a two-year investigation that focused on "an associated group of individuals who supplied drugs, which included cocaine and methamphetamine, to multiple gangs in the area of East Palo Alto and Menlo Park,” according to a press release.

"This operation resulted in a significant blow against the scourge of gangs, drugs and violence in our communities," said East Palo Alto Police Chief Ronald Davis at a Wednesday news conference at the Federal Building in San Francisco.

Residents told Patch that FBI agents raided a home on the 7100 block of Arbeau Drive shortly after 6 a.m. Tuesday but Gillund could not confirm whether it was related to the drug bust.

Newark police did not release details about that raid, and an FBI spokesperson was not immediately available at the time of this report.

to read the original report regarding the 27 arrests.

Bay City News contributed to this report.

Editor's note: This report was updated 3:10 p.m. to add details about the fugitives listed addresses.