Police arrests helped get multiple pounds of drugs, weapons, ammunition and drug paraphernalia off the streets by the first of September. Two particular cases were broken open because of citizen tips to CrimeStoppers.
Memphis Police got a tip at the end of July that someone was dealing in drugs out of a house on Hugenot Street in the Orange Mound neighborhood. After some surveillance, officers did a "knock and talk" visit to the house and were invited in by a resident. Inside they found marijuana, fentanyl patches, digital scales for weighing drugs, guns and nine live rounds of ammunition. They also uncovered $17,115 in
cash.
The suspect volunteered proudly that he made $150 per day selling Percocet alone. Hollis Wilson, who had been convicted in the past, was arrested, handcuffed and taken downtown. He was charged with possession of controlled substances with the intent to sell, and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. The cash was seized.
Another tip about drugs came to CrimeStoppers on August 31, 2018.
This caller said drugs were being sold from two rooms at a Motel 8 facility on Illinois Street near E. H. Crump Park on the bluff above the Mississippi River. The caller's information suggested a sophisticated operation was under way.
That same day Organized Crime Unit officers knocked on the doors at the motel and quickly detained three suspects - Tony Alexander, Favian Busby and Deandra Bailio.
What they found at the motel showed they had uncovered a major crime scene: 24.7 grams of methamphetamine, .2 grams LSD, 120 Ecstacy pills, 73 Oxycodones, 32 amphetamines, 10 grams of bath salts, 61.4 grams of marijuana, 25 Subozone pills and 21 Alprazolam pills. Along with the drugs were $4,380 in cash, a set of digital scales and two handguns.
The three were arrested and charged with possession of controlled substances with the intent to manufacture, deliver and sell. Busby was further charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun and with evading arrest.
Paid to the tipsters in those cases were $600 and $700, respectively.