59 people charged after drug investigation in McIntosh County

DARIEN, Ga. (WTOC) - A months-long drug investigation coming to a head in McIntosh County.

The investigation was dubbed Operation Mc-In-Clean.

It started back in July of last year and the McIntosh County sheriff claims they’re still looking to arrest eight people.

The sheriff’s office says they used intelligence-gathering to charge dozens of people with drug possession and trafficking among other crimes.

“As a result, 59 persons were identified and the issuance of 272 arrest warrants were executed,” said McIntosh County Sheriff Steve Jessup.

Last Monday, the McIntosh Sheriff’s Office claims they were part of a multi-agency so called “roundup” of those involved.

“During this time, several search warrants were executed that lead to the discovery of multiple firearms and various narcotics,” said Sheriff Jessup.

Those narcotics range from marijuana to meth and fentanyl among others as sheriff Steve Jessup says the operation was a massive undertaking.

“I think this is our fifth or sixth roundup, maybe seventh since I’ve been sheriff and it’s by farthest the largest we’ve done. Since I’ve been sheriff, I know of no other larger roundup in South Georgia,” said Sheriff Jessup.

The Atlantic Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office now aiding in the prosecutions, saying in part:

The District Attorney’s Office will continue to work with the McIntosh County Office of the Sheriff to prosecute these drug-related offenses and bring those accused of such crimes to justice. The citizens of McIntosh County, the Atlantic Judicial Circuit & the State of Georgia deserve a safe, drug-free environment to live, work, and raise their children, and we will continue work toward that goal through diligent efforts to prosecute these individuals in a court of law.

Officials from the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office say the operation is part of a larger crackdown on fentanyl and opioid use in the county.

The office claiming there have been 42 reported overdoses since the investigation began.

“We’ll continue to diligently identify persons who distribute drugs illicit narcotics in McIntosh County in order to provide a safer environment to the citizens and visitors alike to this community,” said Sheriff Jessup.

Many of the accused are from the Darien and Townsend areas.

The McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office is warning that if an overdose is linked to a person responsible for distributing illegal drugs, the sheriff’s office is prepared to press felony murder charges.

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