Forty indicted in connection with drug ring

kriner@sunmulti.com

A Houston County grand jury indicted 40 people on Tuesday in

connection with what Sheriff Cullen Talton called a major drug ring in Houston

County.

Three of the 40 people are accused of conspiracy to possess

with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

The alleged head of the drug ring is Andrew Martin Holiday,

41, of Kathleen.

The two others indicted on conspiracy charges are David

Benjamin Baker, 31, of Kathleen and Brittany Marie Baldwin, 22, of Centerville.

The indictment stems from a three-month long investigation

conducted by police revealing that Holiday, the man believed to be the ring

leader of the drug trafficking organization, was allegedly trafficking

methamphetamine – among other drugs – and involved in dog fighting.

Seven simultaneous search warrants were served in January at

seven different locations. In addition to the arrests, authorities seized

nearly $62,000 in cash, 28 marijuana plants (approximate street value $56,000),

six ounces of methamphetamine (approximate $16,800 street value), one-fourth

ounce cocaine (approximate street value $840) 11 vehicles, 14 four-wheelers,

eight dirt bikes, 18 guns and 13 pit bulldogs.

Among those arrested was Frank James Fountain Jr., 37, who,

according to police, is a corrections officer at the youth detention center in

Eastman.

Capt. Jon Holland with the sheriff’s office said that during

the execution of the search warrants police found marijuana plants growing in

Fountain’s residence.

Others arrested in the raids were: Heather Michelle Moore,

22; Eric Dewayne McIntyre, 36; Jonathan Richard Whiddon, 24, and Alonzo Laverne

Wheeler, 40.

Talton said they believe the Holiday drug trafficking

organization has been involved in the distribution of methamphetamine, cocaine,

marijuana and prescription drugs in the Middle Georgia area.

They also found that some of the subjects involved in the

drug ring were also part of an elaborate network of pit bull dog fighting and

gambling.

The locations that the search warrants were served at were:

103 Christopher Lane, Centerville; 105 Enlish Dr., Bonaire;

300 Milton Court, Kathleen; 303 W. Houston Dr., Kathleen; 201 Milton Court,

Kathleen; 256 Holiday Circle, Kathleen, and 302 W. Houston Dr., Kathleen.

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