6 arrested on drug charges

The Labor Day weekend turned sour for six people caught up in three separate drug stings by local and state authorities working together.
One woman was arrested Saturday, when she went to a prison in Graceville to visit her boyfriend. A group of friends in a green Cadillac were arrested Friday, and a man traveling alone with a cache of hypodermic needles was arrested earlier that day.
The holiday weekend operation was conducted by the Jackson County Task Force and the Florida Highway Patrol Contraband Interdiction Unit. The Marianna Police Department’s canine unit and the canine unit from Jackson Correctional Institute also assisted.
The team’s first case on Friday began with a traffic stop on Twins Lane near Highway 71 in Jackson County.
The driver of the vehicle was identified as Donnie Melvin, 38, of Marianna.
The Marianna police canine sniffed the exterior of Melvin’s vehicle and alerted to the odor of narcotics, authorities reported in a press release. When the vehicle was searched, officers allegedly found a gram of methamphetamine, some hypodermic needles, and a straw that had allegedly been used to ingest the drug.
Donnie Melvin also had a suspended driver’s license at the time of the traffic stop, authorities said.
Melvin was arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving while license suspended. Melvin was housed in the Jackson County jail to await first appearance on his charges.
The next case also occurred on Friday, at the Pilot Truck Stop on Highway 71 South near Interstate 10.
Investigators encountered an illegally parked green Cadillac in the parking lot and confronted the occupants. They were identified as 45-year-old Dothan, Ala. resident Donavan W. Sillings, who was the driver. The passengers were identified as Theresa Taylor, 37, Shane Taylor, 28, both of Graceville, and Johnathin Curry, 20, of Bonifay.
A Jackson County Sheriff’s Office narcotics canine sniffed the vehicle and alerted to the odor of narcotics. When the vehicle was searched, investigators found a glass smoking pipe allegedly used to ingest methamphetamine, along with four boxes of pseudoephedrine cold medication. Also located was a medical cold pack that had been cut open to retrieve the ammonia nitrate from inside, authorities said.
Ammonia nitrate is an ingredient in the manufacture of methamphetamine using the “shake ‘n’ bake” method, the press release stated. All four occupants were arrested and charged with possession of listed chemicals and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The third arrest was made on Saturday, at the privately run GEO Prison in Graceville.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office canine alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from a vehicle driven by Sarina Ann Hunt, 36, of Panama City. Authorities say she was at the prison to visit her inmate fiance.
When confronted about the canine alert on her vehicle, officials allege Hunt ran. The Jackson Correctional Institute canine tracking team was summoned to the prison to help find Hunt. She was found in a wooded area near the prison.
Upon searching Hunt’s vehicle, authorities allege officers found about two grams of cocaine, along with a hypodermic needle and straw allegedly used to ingest the drug.
Officers also learned that an active warrant existed for Hunt, on a charge of failure to pay child support.
In addition to the warrant, Hunt was arrested and charged with possession of controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and introduction of contraband into a secure facility.
The Jackson County Drug Task Force is a combined effort of the Cottondale, Graceville and Marianna police departments, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.