Etowah Drug Busts

Etowah County investigators seized a large quantity of cash and heroin during a drug sweep Tuesday and Wednesday.  Seven people face charges of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, and some are charged with additional crimes.  An eighth man has an unlawful possession of a controlled substance charge:

23 year old William Brown,  is charged with trafficking in heroin and four counts of unlawful distribution.  20 year old Deontives Coker,  is charged with two counts of unawlful distribution.  31 year old Jamel Foster,  is charged with one count of unlawful distribution.  47 year old Moaen al Hegazen,  is charged with one count of unlawful distribution and two counts of unlawful possession.

19 year old Dalvin Johnson,  is charged with two counts of unawlful distribution.

23 year old Jakob Latham,, is charged with is charged with three counts of unawlful distribution and one count of unlawful possession.

42 year old Eric Norris,  is charged with one count of unlawful distribution and resisting arrest.

28 year old Michael Taylor, is charged with unlawful possession.

Officers from Etowah County's Drug Task Force and Joint Special Operations Group worked with FBI agents for a sweep of arrests around 6:30 am Tuesday in the west Gadsden area.  They arrested Coker, Foster, Al Hegazen, Johnson, Latham, and Taylor without incident.

Investigators arrested Moaen Al Hegazen at a business on Tuscaloosa Avenue, where drug task force commander Rob Savage said deputies seized a significant quantity of narcotics and cash.

The Joint Special Operations Group (JSOG), which serves as the county's SWAT team, went to a home on  Raley Street around 1 a.m. Wednesday.  Commander Savage said someone was barricaded inside, but negotiators were not able to make contact with the person.

Savage said officers went into the house after about three hours, and found Eric Norris hiding in a bedroom.  Agents confirmed they had an arrest warrant for Norris from the Tuesday sweep.

Investigators got a tip another suspect, William Brown, was at a hotel near the interstate.  Savage said JSOG forced entry into Brown's hotel room and found the suspect, known on the streets as "G-Money", in possession of heroin and a large amount of cash.