News Release [print friendly page]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 15, 2005

Major Sweep of Alleged Methamphetamine
Traffickers in Volusia County Area

Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Miami Field Division, U.S. Attorney Paul I. Perez for the Middle District of Florida and Sheriff Ben F. Johnson, Volusia County Sheriff's Office, announced the arrests of 17 individuals named in a criminal complaint charging 23 individuals with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendants each face a minimum mandatory ten years' imprisonment up to life imprisonment.

In the early hours of August 11, over 200 federal, state and local law enforcement officers throughout Volusia County, Florida and surrounding areas began arresting these individuals. This investigation, "Operation Speedway II," began in October 2004 and is a spin-off from "Operation Speedway I." Operation Speedway I resulted in the arrest of fourteen individuals on federal drug charges in November 2003. The goal of Operation Speedway II was to investigate a second group of individuals who were identified as distributing crystal methamphetamine - commonly referred to as "ice" - in the Volusia County area.

The criminal complaint alleges that William Frank Orourke is the leader and organizer of a drug trafficking organization operating in Volusia County. That Orourke's organization primarily distributes methamphetamine obtained from a source of supply in Arizona. According to the affidavit, Orourke pays Mervin Taylor Allen and others to drive vans loaded with money to Arizona, where the money is exchanged for methamphetamine, which Allen and others then drive back to Volusia County. Orourke allegedly distributes methamphetamine to Shannon Delaine Marrs and others, who in turn redistribute the drugs to others. Orourke was one of the 17 arrested this date.

This investigation is a joint effort of the DEA Miami Field Division Orlando District Office and the Volusia County Sheriff's Office. Also assisting was the Volusia Bureau of Investigations (VBI), which is comprised of the Volusia County Sheriff's Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Daytona Beach Police Department, the New Smyrna Police Department, the Port Orange Police Department and the Daytona Beach Shores Department of Public Safety. The VBI is a member of the Central Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force.