Pubdate: Fri, 17 Aug 2001
Source: Port St. Lucie News (FL)
Copyright: 2001 The E.W. Scripps Company
Contact:  http://www.tcpalm.com/portstlucie/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/973
Author: Debbie Robinson
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy)

ONE OF AREA'S LARGEST ECSTASY RINGS BUSTED

TREASURE COAST Eight Indian River County residents were arrested 
Thursday in what law enforcement officers are calling one of the 
largest Ecstasy rings operating in Indian River and St. Lucie 
counties.

"I think this put a big dent in the supply in Indian River County," 
said Special Agent Richard Piccininni of the Florida Department of 
Law Enforcement.

John W. Dyal, 29, of 2160 87th Court, Indian River County, is charged 
with racketeering, three counts of conspiracy to traffic in Ecstasy, 
21 counts of conspiracy to distribute Ecstasy and two counts of 
conspiracy to traffic in cocaine.

Christopher Rothy, 22, of 1198 Coverbrook Lane, Sebastian, is charged 
with racketeering, eight counts of conspiracy to distribute Ecstasy, 
two counts of conspiracy to traffic cocaine and trafficking in 
Ecstasy.

Lt. Pete Lenz of the Multi-Agency Crime Enforcement Unit said Dyal 
and Rothy were arrested about three weeks ago.

The other six men were arrested during a drug sweep that began at 
9:30 a.m. Thursday with law enforcement officers from Indian River 
and St. Lucie counties, the State Attorney's Office and FDLE agents, 
Piccininni said.

A Fort Pierce man, Joseph Clark, 22, was arrested in Fort Pierce and 
charged with similar charges.

He was being held without bond. Clark is considered by officers to be 
the kingpin of the organized drug operation, Piccininni said.

Lenz said Indian River County deputies began receiving information 
about the drug operation in January, about the same time that St. 
Lucie County law-enforcement officers also began working on an 
investigation.

A joint investigation, involving undercover officers and 
surveillance, was launched between the two counties that culminated 
in Thursday's arrests, Lenz said.
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