Another suspect arrested in ‘Lucky 777’s’ fentanyl trafficking sting
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – A man wanted for being part of the “Lucky 777’s” drug ring was arrested in California and returned to Clay County on Feb. 11
Kevin Stanley Adams, 37, of Victorville, was charged with trafficking fentanyl and conspiracy to traffic fentanyl as part of a nine-month operation that included large amounts of fentanyl being sent from California to Clay County.
Alvin “AJ” Mercado Jr., 37, of Fleming Island, and Jason Terril Setzer, 46, of Orange Park, were arrested on Sept. 11 following an investigation involving the Clay and Nassau County Sheriff’s Offices, Florida Highway Patrol, U.S. Postal and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office discovered large quantities of fentanyl were being shipped from California and Las Vegas to addresses in Orange Park and Fleming Island.
CCSO detectives and deputies have taken 8.35 kilos of fentanyl, 1.36 kilos of cocaine, 2.38 kilos of methamphetamine and $183,000 from the enterprise operated by Setzer and Mercado. They also recovered 30 firearms.
The amount of fentanyl seized was enough to kill everyone in Northeast Florida, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency. The arrests were part of a multi-agency, including federal, state and county agencies, investigation that started in June, Sheriff Michelle Cook said. The case started with a traffic stop by the Florida Highway Patrol in Jacksonville and quickly grew in scope. The arrests were in conjunction with large seizures of cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamine in both Jacksonville and Nassau County. Less than a week before Setzer and Mercado was taken into custody, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office confiscated more than three kilos of fentanyl, more than one kilo of cocaine and 6,000 pills containing fentanyl.
According to the affidavit for the arrest warrant, Setzer told investigators he received the drugs from Adams. Banks records showed 101 money transfers from Adams to accounts owned by Mercado and his mother. Setzer's bond was set at $17.1 million, while Mercado's was set at $10 million.
Adams, who’s scheduled to appear in front of Judge Steven Whittington on March 21, is being held without bond.

Two arrested following drug transaction at Omega Park
MIDDLEBURG – Two men were arrested after two Clay County Sheriff’s Office detectives said they watched one sell drugs to the other during a “static surveillance” at Omega Park.
Anthony Michael Boyle, 42, of Middleburg, was charged with selling fentanyl, methamphetamine and buprenorphine and possession of drug paraphernalia on Feb. 15 when the detectives saw Mark Mayerlen, 32, of Middleburg, buy fentanyl. Mayerlen was charged with possession of fentanyl and drug paraphernalia.
According to the arrest report, the detectives saw Mayerlen approach Boyle arrive on a bicycle, get into Boyle’s car and make “a hand-to-hand exchange.”
As the detectives removed Boyle from his car, a silver container containing methamphetamine and fentanyl fall from his lap.
Boyle’s bond was set at $56,011, while Mayerlen’s bond is $11,005.

Woman hospitalized after plunging from second floor at jail
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – An inmate at the Clay County Jail was hospitalized after survellience showed she walked up the stairs in one of the dormitories and “intentionally” dove head-first from a second-floor mezzanine.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office said detention personnel responded to the woman’s fall on Feb. 15. She was treated at HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital for head and facial injuries.
CCSO didn’t identify the woman.

Local man arrested for possessing child sex abuse materials
JACKSONVILLE – U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced James Allen Randall, 70, of Orange Park, was been arrested and charged by federal criminal complaint with receiving child sex abuse materials and accessing with the intent to view child sex abuse materials.
Randall faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five years, up to 30 years, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release.
According to the complaint, an investigation was initiated by law enforcement after they had received a CyberTip from an internet service provider indicating a user had uploaded child sex abuse materials. Further investigation determined the upload was tied to an IP address for Randall’s residence.
On Feb. 16, agents and task force officers from Homeland Security Investigations executed a search warrant at Randall’s residence and located a computer that was being used by Randall that had the search results for child sex abuse materials displayed on the screen. A preliminary review of the computer showed Randall had previously downloaded a file containing child sex abuse material.
A criminal complaint is only an allegation and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by HSI. It will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Washington.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.