First, narcotics agents went to a suspect's residence. Then a couple more suspects came to them.
Three people were arrested and a huge cache of deadly drugs, firearms and ammunition were seized along with cash totaling $86,000 after the Jones County Sheriff's Department executed a search warrant at 133 Magnolia Road early Thursday.
They discovered a labyrinth of "false walls" and "hidden compartments" and electronic locks inside the house that contained large amounts of anabolic steroids, counterfeit pills that were believed to be laced with fentanyl, MDMA (ecstasy), methamphetamine and vials of "vape juice" that likely contain illegal substances, among other things, said Lt. Jake Driskell of the JCSD's Narcotics Division.
While JCSD personnel were on the scene, 34-year-old Megan Jim pulled up at the residence and agents discovered at least 145 more vials of substances in her vehicle and charged her with trafficking a controlled substance, Driskell said. Hunter Dearmon, 25, also pulled up and had drugs, too, and was charged with possession of a controlled substance, he added.
JCSD personnel seized 15 firearms - pistols, rifles and shotguns - along with "several thousand rounds" of ammo.
The bust was the result of "complaints from the community" and information that was gathered about the goings-on at the residence, Driskell said.
"We had information that there were hiding spots," he said, and without that, "we might not have found them because everything looked normal."
Doherty was at the residence with an unidentified woman when narcotics agents, SWAT Team members and patrol deputies executed the warrant. He reportedly tossed a couple of pill bottles off the back porch and shut the door, but JCSD personnel were already inside.
"I've never seen it on that scale, not that much at one time," Driskell said. "We definitely hurt some people in that market. This definitely wasn't for personal use."
Driskell said he appreciates the tips that led to the bust, and the tipsters, in turn, appreciate the JCSD.
"We've been getting text messages from people telling us, 'Thank you,'" he said.
That's because most Jones County residents want to live in a drug-free community, Sheriff Joe Berlin said.
"Our team is working extremely hard to locate, investigate and build illegal narcotics cases," he said. "Once these steps are done, then we arrest suspects and shut down their illegal narcotics operations. If you are dealing illegal narcotics in Jones County, you should sleep with one eye open because you never know when we are coming."
The suspects had their initial appearances in Jones County Justice Court on Friday where Judge Travis Haynes set Doherty's bond at $55,000, but it was subsequently revoked. The judge set bond at $10,000 for Jim and xxx for Dearmon.