About The Islander. (St. Simons Island, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 16, 2023)
theislanderonline.com Published by Permar Publications ssislander@bellsouth.net 76 indicted in massive drug operation By Pamela Permar-Shierling Established in 1972 Operation Ghost Busted Flanked by local, state and federal law enforcement officials, U.S. Southern District of Georgia Attorney David Estes (center, at podium) addressed the media in regard to a major drug bust last week during a press conference at Glynn County’s Carl Alexander Public Safety Complex. January 16, 2023 New RV park okayed by MPC By Matthew J. Permar It seems the 1-95 corridor through Glynn County is be coming a haven for RV parks. Last week (Tuesday, Jan. 10) Glynn County’s Mainland Planning Commission (MPC) voted unanimously to approve an amendment to the Golden Isles Gateway Exit 42 Parcel Planned Development District in order to allow an RV park on a 267 acre tract of property. The tract is located at 7156 Highway 99. It is south of Hwy. 99 and adjacent to the east side of the proposed Buc’ees travel center at 1-95 Exit 42. The long, narrow tract basically runs parallel to the interstate, and is west of Shell Rd. In December the MPC ap proved another RV park on the Smith Seafood property, Turn to Page 6 RV park IPC to consider Sea Island Co. employee housing By Matthew J. Permar On Tuesday, January 17, Glynn County’s Island Plan ning Commission will con sider a site plan application for ‘Sea Island Team Member Housing.’ The site plan is for a new 84-unit, four story, multi-fam ily development and associ ated infrastructure at 651 Sea Island Road, on St. Simons Island. The property, listed in the report as “over 6 acres,” is on the north side of Sea Island Rd. just past the shopping cen ter. The entrance is across Sea Island Rd. from the entrance into the Island Cinemas. The multi-family develop ment will serve as employ ee housing for Sea Island Company. Turn to Page 9 Employee housing At a press conference last Wednesday (Jan. 11) the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, David Es tes, announced 76 defendants named in a newly unsealed federal indictment which de scribed a massive drug traf ficking investigation tied to the Ghost Face Gangsters criminal street gang. The 118 count indictment includes allegations of mul tiple deaths from illegal drug overdoses. Operation Ghost Busted charges 76 defendants with involvement in a drug traffick ing conspiracy that distribut ed large amounts of metham- phetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and alprazolam in the greater Glynn County area Estes said. The primary Conspiracy charge in the indictment car ries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, up to life, along with substan tial financial penalties and a period of supervised release following any prison term. In addition to the primary conspiracy charge naming all 76 defendants, the indictment charges two of the defendants with distribution of illegal drugs - fentanyl and metham- phetamine - that resulted in the deaths of three individuals from drug overdoses. Counts 23 and 33 charge John D. Screen with Distribu tion of a Controlled Substance (Fentanyl) resulting in the deaths of Rebecca Elizabeth Cain and Michael Logue. Count 40 charges Eric S. Ogden (aka Scotty) with Dis tribution of a Controlled Sub stance (Methamphetamine) resulting in the death of Dylan Jones. Islander Staff Photo - Permar The 118-count, 133-page indictment, believed to be the largest ever in the Southern District of Georgia, includes the forfeiture of 43 seized fire arms, one vehicle, and more than $53,000 in cash. More than three dozen additional defendants face prosecution for state charges as a result of the investigation. Operation Ghost Busted is an Organized Crime Drug En forcement Task Forces inves tigation, led by the FBI Coast al Georgia Violent Gang Task Force, the Glynn County Po lice Department, the Bruns wick Police Department, and the Glynn and Camden Coun ty Sheriffs Offices. For more than two years, investigators from multiple Turn to Page 5 Ghost Busted Surfin the News County-Wide News - Read County-Wide Page 4 - D.A. King Page 5 - Names of 76 indicted Page 12 - Back Talk Vol 51 Issue 3 Sea Island hosts Kemp's DNR fundraiser By Pamela Permar- Shierling Governor Brian Kemp will host the annual “Weekend for Wildlife” at the Cloister Re sort on Sea Island on January 27 and 28. The event is an annual fun draiser for the Georgia De partment of Natural Resourc es (DNR) Foundation that is billed as “a one-of-a kind es cape to one of the world’s most prestigious resorts on Geor gia’s Sea Island.” The DNR website states “for 34 years, this annual charity event on the Georgia coast has been one of the most successful conservation fund raising events in the nation.” The event brochure assures donors that “as you bask in the luxurious comforts of Sea Turn to Page 11 DNR fundraiser URA to meet twice a month, forms task groups By Pamela Permar- Shierling At their special called meet ing last Wednesday (Jan. 11) Brunswick’s Urban Redevel opment Agency (URA) decided to hold two meetings a month. The first meeting will be more of a work session and meet virtually from noon to 1:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month. The second meeting will be the fourth Tuesday of each month at His toric City Hall from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Task force groups or teams were created to focus on com munication, the Oglethorpe block and the boardwalk slated for the City’s Overlook Turn to Page 8 URA 0 9492229970 3 Page 2 - New Director of Sales at Kint & Prince Page 3 - MCP concerned about church height ~ Downtown Brunswick business update
