Hayes Tobacco Stores Raided for Alleged Sale of Spice & Bath Salts

Gloucester Sheriff’s Office deputies and other law enforcement officers today executed three federal search warrants and took seven Gloucester residents into custody in connection with the alleged sale of synthetic narcotics such as spice and bath salts. Gloucester Sheriff Darrell Warren said the searches were conducted at Lutie’s Lair in the Hayes Plaza Shopping Center, High Tyde Trading and Tobacco in the Tidemill Shopping Center and a home in the 6700 block of Honeycutt Lane. Warren said arrested were Lutgarda “Lutie” Mueller, 61, of the 6700 block of Honeycutt Lane on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute analogues of a controlled substance, distribution of drug paraphernalia, maintaining a drug involved premises and conspiracy to launder money. Also arrested was Brian Street, 39, of the 3400 block of Cappahosic Road who was charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute analogues of a controlled substance, distribution of drug paraphernalia and maintaining a drug involved premises. Additionally arrested were James “Randy” Belvin, 37, of the 2600 block of Woodford Avenue; Thomas “Cory” Rainer, 24, of the 6400 block of Glenside Court; Martice “Marty” Wise III, 20, of the 6100 block of Virginia Drive; Ashley Summerfield, 23, of the 6000 block of Coke Lane, and Joshua Burleson, 19, of the 7400 block of Camp Okee Drive. Belvin, Rainer, Wise, Summerfield and Burleson were each charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute analogues of a controlled substance and distribution of drug paraphernalia. A similar synthetic drug investigation last year shut down local businesses Hazy Dayz and A Lil of This and That and resulted in the arrest of 13 Gloucester residents on federal charges. Warren said members of the Tri-Rivers Drug Task Force and the Virginia State Police participated with the Gloucester Sheriff’s Office in the lengthy investigation that culminated with today’s searches and arrests. They also helped to execute the search warrants and take the six suspects into custody. The task force is comprised of narcotics investigators from Gloucester, York-Poquoson, Mathews, Middlesex, James City County, Poquoson and the state police. reprinted from February 20, 2014 with permission from Gloucester-Mathews Gazette-Journal