Albany Drug agents charge three in marijuana bust

ALBANY — Two men and a woman are charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute after drug agents confiscated more than two pounds of illegal marijuana Wednesday.

Major Prurince Dice, commander of the Albany-Dougherty Drug Unit, said on Friday that when agents made a stop on a black 2010 Dodge Challenger on 7th Avenue around 10 p.m. Wednesday, the single passenger, John Albert Zackery II, exited the vehicle and ran about 100 yards before being apprehended by agents. According to Dice, the suspect was throwing away illegal marijuana as he attempted to escape.

Following the arrest of Zachery and the driver of the car, Dexter Markiea Carter, 31, agents traveled to Carter’s residence at 629 16th Ave., Dice said, where a search uncovered a book bag filled with “high-quality” marijuana. According to Dice, Carter’s girlfriend, 24-year-old Erica Charlese Spann, was arrested at the residence.

“Although this was over two pounds of marijuana, these are still just street level dealers,” Dice said. “We’re concerned where they got this from. There’s a bigger fish out there and we’re doing everything we can to catch that big fish.”

According to Dice, the volume of marijuana sales sometimes tends to increase after the first of the year when some people are receiving income tax refunds.

“When it’s tax time there’s more revenue,” Dice said. “With more revenue there’s more drugs. This marijuana is high-grade and we’ll be seeing a lot more of that.”

Dice said illegal marijuana is often given unique names including “purp,” “cush,” “loud,” or even “popcorn” by drug dealers in an attempt to classify its potency. According to officials, that potency is derived mostly through it’s concentration of a chemical known as tetrahydrocannabinol or THC.

“A high level of THC is what makes marijuana expensive,” Dice said. “You get more ‘bang for the buck,’ so to speak.”

The 2.25 pounds of marijuana confiscated would have an estimated street value of around $30,000, Dice said.

“I think that because of it’s legalization in (some) other states, marijuana is becoming a known and coming thing,” Dice said, “and in in that way it’s causing it to increase. Some people think it should be made legal (in Georgia), but until it is we’ll continue to enforce the law in Georgia.”

Carter and Spann are each charged with one count each of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, Dougherty County jail officials say, and on Thursday were released on $3,000 each. Zackery is charged with one count of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and one count of obstruction of law enforcement officers. On Friday, Zachery remained in jail pending payment of a $6,000 bond, jail officials say.

John Albert Zachery II (Special Photo)