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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

City of Duluth - Police Department

Mike Ceynowa, Chief of Police
2030 North Arlington Avenue • Duluth, Minnesota 55811 • www.duluthmn.gov

For more information contact:
Public Information Officer, Mattie Hjelseth at (218) 730-5434 or mhjelseth@duluthmn.gov

DATE: 6/7/2012
SUBJECT: Police Arrest 24 in "Operation Brownstone"
BY: DPD Public Information Officer Jim Hansen (218) 390-2232

NATURE OF INCIDENT: "Operation Brownstone" Narcotics Arrests
CASE NO.:
INCIDENT DATE: 6/6/2012
INCIDENT TIME:
INCIDENT LOCATION: Duluth, MN

On Wednesday, June 6^th, 2012, the Lake Superior Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service and Duluth Police Department commenced “Operation Brownstone.” This operation was a concentrated effort to combat the recent increase in heroin trafficking and abuse and was named after brown powder heroin, the type most seen in the Twin Ports. Heroin, along with prescription opiate abuse, has quickly become one of the most serious drug concerns statewide. Heroin overdoses, to include deaths, have become increasingly common.

Task Force Investigators observed an increase in the availability and trafficking of heroin as a result of their recent success in combating the prescription opiate flow into the Twin Ports. That investigation, tagged as operation “Pills in a Box,” primarily targeted the prescription opiates Opana and Oxycontin. Twenty-seven defendants were indicted in Federal Court upon completion of that operation and to date; twenty-six of those defendants have pled guilty to various trafficking, possession and weapons charges.

On Thursday, June 7^th, 2012, the Task Force is reporting 14 arrests of the over 25 subjects of the “Operation Brownstone” investigation. Also, 2 more were already in custody before the operation started. Additionally, 8 others were arrested for unrelated warrants during the operation, for a total of 24 arrests made related to this operation.

The Lake Superior Drug & Violent Crime Task Force is a multi-jurisdictional unit comprised of members of the Duluth Police Department, Superior Police Department, St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office, Lake County Sheriff’s Office as well as its newest members, the Cloquet Police Department and Carlton County Sheriff’s Office.

The following subjects of “Operation Brownstone” have been arrested:

Christopher BERG, 39 years old, 3rd Degree Sale of Controlled Substance
Dylan BERG, 24 years old, 3^rd Degree Sale of Controlled Substance
Jerry BERRY, 35 years old, 3^rd Degree Sale of Controlled Substance; 2 Counts
Demetrius BOWEN, 21years old, 3^rd Degree Sale of Controlled Substance
Jeremy Michael BUTTERFIELD, 23 years old, 3^rd Degree Sale of Controlled Substance
Leroy CALVIN, 28 years old, 3^rd Degree Sale of Controlled Substance,
Danielle DEFOE, 21 years old, 3rd Degree Sale of Opana
Rebecca DENZLER, 56 years old, 3rd Deg Sale of Synthetic Narcotic
Thomas GARZA Jr., 25 years old, 3rd Degree Sale of Controlled Substance & 5th Degree Possession of Controlled Substance
Anthony HOLLOWAY, 25 years old, 3^rd Degree Sale of Controlled Substance
Edwin JOHNSON, 27 years old, 3rd Degree Sale of Controlled Substance
Shannon LEE, 37 years old, 1st Degree Sale of Methamphetamine
(JUVENILE- 16 year old) 3rd Degree Sale of Controlled Substance & 5th Degree Possession of Controlled Substance
Ametrius ROBINSON, 20 years old, 2nd Degree Sale of Controlled Substance
Timothy SANDSTROM, 26 years old, 3rd Deg Sale of Heroin; Felony Carlton County Warrant
Joanne SMITH, 38 years old, 3rd Deg Sale of Heroin
Tyrone ST. GERMAINE, 24 years old, 3^rd Degree Sale of Controlled Substance

All arrested were lodged at the Saint Louis County Jail except the Juvenile who was lodged at the Arrowhead Juvenile Center. Organized Crimes Lieutenant Steve Stracek will be available for questions today at 3:30PM in the Public Safety Building Training Room.