Six people have been arrested after the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant at a suspected drug house in St. Augustine.
Deputies say they received several complaints about the home on Tanager Road. Neighbors said they found needles in the yard, and there was a lot of people going in and out of the home.
A judge signed a search warrant, finding probable cause drugs were being sold or possessed in the house, deputies said.
A SWAT team raided the home Tuesday night.
The owner of the home, according to deputies, is 66-year-old Patricia Ryan. She was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and possession of narcotics paraphernalia.
The arrest report says they found two glass pipes with meth residue, a small plastic baggie with meth residue, and a cut straw commonly used for narcotics all in her bedroom.
A woman who lives in the home, 53-year-old Deborah Green, was arrested on four charges in connection to items found in what appeared to be her room.
Deputies say they located a pill bottle in her name with various pills, a pill bottle in her name with an unknown crystal substance, a tin can with paraphernalia like hypodermic needles, a plastic bag with white residue, a digital scale, a glass pipe with white residue, three clear plastic baggies with white residue that tested positive for meth, and a box with firearm ammunition.
She’s been charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of narcotics paraphernalia, and violation of probation.
Four other people whose addresses are not listed as the home were also arrested.
Joseph Barta, 48, is charged with possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. His arrest report says he was found in front of the home with 25 Alprazolam pills in his pocket. Barta reportedly told investigators that he found the pills on the street.
Stephanie Edenfield, 44, was arrested for tampering with evidence and resisting arrest without violence. Her arrest report says she tried to kick over some evidence that a deputy had taken from a co-defendant and placed on the ground. Edenfield also allegedly had to be physically restrained by a SWAT member and then was screaming and grabbing a chair, which inhibited efforts to get her in to a transport van.
James Green, 56, faces charges of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription and possession of narcotics paraphernalia. His arrest report says he had a hypodermic needle in his pocket, and was trying to also hide seven Alprazolam pills.
Additionally, 35-year-old Joseph Vespucci was arrested for possession of narcotics paraphernalia.
SJSO says he had two hypodermic needles on him and he admitted to being an opiate user.
SJSO says while the arrests were welcome in the community, they know there is more work to do to cut back on incidents like this.
Cox Media Group
