Pubdate: Tue, 25 Apr 2006
Source: St. Petersburg Times (FL)
23_bitten_in_reverse_
Copyright: 2006 St. Petersburg Times
Contact: http://www.sptimes.com/letters/
Website: http://www.sptimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/419
Author: Jonathan Abel
Note: MAP archives published articles exactly as written, except for  
names and addresses of people charged with a crime who have not been  
convicted and who are neither public officials or figures.

23 BITTEN IN REVERSE STING OPERATION

Police And Deputies Pose As Drug Dealers In South Brooksville In  
Order To Catch Those Looking For Illegal Substances

BROOKSVILLE -- Twenty-three people, including a taxi driver who  
allegedly brought a customer to south Brooksville to buy drugs, were  
arrested Friday night and Saturday morning in a reverse sting.

The action took place as part of the Hernando County Drug Task Force,  
which is a partnership between the Hernando Sheriff's Office and the  
Brooksville Police Department.

The reverse sting targeted Twigg Street.

An undercover agent stood on the street, posing as a drug dealer. One  
after another, customers pulled up and tried to buy drugs.

Of the 23, two were arrested for warning off potential buyers by  
"telling people that those were cops," said sheriff's spokeswoman  
Deputy Donna L. Black.

Those arrested came from all over. They included seven from  
Brooksville, four from Spring Hill, three from Homosassa and others  
from Weeki Wachee, Floral City, New Port Richey, Hudson and the state  
of Arkansas.

The drug task force ran a large sting in October, which netted 19  
people, and has promised to run similar ones over the course of the  
year.

The arrests include charges of possession of crack, solicitation to  
purchase crack, providing false information to an officer and  
resisting an officer without violence.

Here are the names of those arrested:

[REDACTED]
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MAP posted-by: Jackl