Carteret County Sheriff’s deputies say they conducted a drug round-up of suspected drug dealers in the eastern part of the county Thursday night.

Officials say the round-up was conducted after Sheriff’s narcotics detectives conducted undercover operations making numerous controlled purchases of illegal drugs from suspects over the last several months.

Seventeen suspects were arrested Thursday night. The Sheriff’s Office expects to arrest several other suspects in the coming days.

Sheriff Buck commends the efforts of his deputies.

“Our Deputies and Detectives are out working hard every day, especially in our battle against drugs and drug dealers. The Narcotics unit works daily conducting undercover operations making controlled purchases all throughout Carteret County. There are a lot of drug dealers in the County who will receive a visit from the Sheriff’s Office, they just don’t know it yet,” said Buck.

Following is a list of arrested suspects and their charges:

John Grover Willis: PWIMSD Marijuana, Sell Marijuana, PWIMSD Schedule II (3 counts), Sell and Deliver Schedule II (3 counts), Trafficking in Opium (3 counts), Maintaining a Dwelling

Rodney Paul Gillikin Jr: Trafficking in Opium (12 counts), Maintaining a Dwelling

Tyler David Lewis: PWIMSD Marijuana (2 counts), Sell and Deliver Marijuana (2 counts)

William Carroll Lupton: PWIMSD Marijuana (2 counts), Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Johnny Warren Haye: Simple Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Robert Michael Lupton: Trafficking in Opium (2 counts)

Glenn Wendell Fonseca: PWIMSD Marijuana, Sell and Deliver Marijuana

Gary Lester: Trafficking in Opium (3 counts), PWIMSD Schedule II,
Sell and Deliver Schedule II

Joshua Wade Lester: Trafficking in Opium (3 counts)

Daniel Keith Lester: PWIMSD Cocaine (2 counts), Sell and Deliver Cocaine (2 counts), Maintaining a Vehicle

Jessica M. Smith: Trafficking in Opium (6 counts), Maintaining a Dwelling

Shaun Allen Willis: PWIMSD Schedule II, Sell and Deliver Schedule II, Maintaining a Dwelling

Shondre Darrell Reels: PWIMSD Cocaine, Sell and Deliver Cocaine

Susan Gillikin Styron: Trafficking in Opium (3 counts)

Joseph Salter: PWIMSD MDMA (ecstasy) (2 counts)

Charles Gregory Taylor: Trafficking in Opium (2 counts), Sell and Deliver Schedule II, PWIMSD Schedule II, Maintaining a Dwelling

Krystal Pate: Misdemeanor Possession of Schedule II