Operation Dry Ice in DeFuniak Springs results in 40 arrests

WALTON COUNTY, Fla. — Operation Dry Ice, a 14-mong-long investigation by the DeFuniak Springs City Marshal’s Office into the distribution of methamphetamine and other illegal narcotics, resulted in the arrest of 40 individuals, City Marshal James Hurley has announced.

“As the City Marshal, I gave you my word we were going to take a tough stance on the illegal narcotics distribution in DeFuniak Springs and take our community in a new direction,” said Hurley.

“This investigation, although complicated, paid dividends in starting us in that direction. I say started because there is much more work to do for us to be truly successful.”

According to Hurley, the City of DeFuniak Springs Office of the City Marshal embarked on a lengthy narcotics distribution investigation beginning in March 2020 and lasting 14 months when the identified defendants were arrested.

As a result of the investigation, there were 40 defendants arrested, encompassing 58 cases against those defendants, Hurley said.

Hurley said it had taken almost another year to meet all depositions, trials, and sentencing hearings so the case would come to full fruition.

In all, Hurley said the court levied a combined total of 133 years in the Department of Corrections, a combined 17 years of probation, and $178,103 in fines for the 40 defendants arrested that plead guilty or were found guilty at trial,

“My team of officers will continue to be proactive in their pursuit of those distributing drugs in our community as we have zero tolerance for drug dealers,” Hurley said.

“They are predators to our community and society, and it will not be tolerated in DeFuniak Springs.”

Hurley acknowledged the State Attorney’s Office for the work it did to bring the cases to successful prosecution.