Five arrested in alleged meth operation
ROSEVILLE — Five people were arrested and booked into Placer County Jail Tuesday for illegally purchasing large amounts of Sudafed, allegedly with the intent to manufacture and sell methamphetamine out of the popular nasal decongestant.
Purchases of pseudoephedrine, whose brand name is Sudafed, are restricted by law because the drug is a main ingredient in meth.
The five suspects bought up Sudafed from stores in Sacramento County and Roseville before a loss prevention agent in a Roseville grocery store watched the group of suspects enter together, and then buy a Sudafed box each from the in-store pharmacy. A check of the pharmacy’s log revealed that one member of the group, 32-year-old Domenick Lacurt Bryant of Sacramento, had made other pseudoephedrine purchases recently.
Domenick Lacurt Bryant
Under federal law, customers must purchase the drug from the pharmacy counter, and must sign a statement acknowledging they have not purchased more than the legal amounts for a day or a 30-day period.
“I don’t believe there is a requirement that the clerks screen their Sudafed-purchasing logs for past history before selling product,” said Dee Dee Gunther, public information officer and analyst for the Roseville Police Department. “The log provides documentation of purchases, and also contains a printed warning to purchasers of the law’s requirement, so it also serves to put the responsibility on the buyers.”
Gunther added that she was grateful to the loss prevention agent who contacted local police, which conducted a traffic stop on the suspects’ van and arrested those inside without incident.
Arrested with Bryant was his friend Khia Danielle Urans, 24, of Sacramento, and three men Bryant reportedly recruited Tuesday outside of Sacramento Loaves & Fishes: Clifton Eugene Sorrell, 54, Micheal Lauvon McCune, 55, and Quincy Lamar Pierson, 32, all of Sacramento.
Khia Danielle Urans
Clifton Eugene Sorrell
Michael Lauvon McCune
Quincy Lamar Pierson
While it is unclear whether the men are homeless, it is believed Bryant offered each a day’s pay for participating in the illegal purchases.
All five were arrested on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine ingredients for sale, burglary and conspiracy, and booked into the Placer County Jail.
Gunther explained that entering a building with the intent to commit a theft or any felony is a burglary in California. “This is why many shoplifters and fraudsters are charged with burglary, if it can be shown that they had the intent to commit their crime when they entered,” she said.”
Urans provided a false name to police when she was picked up, and also faces additional charges on a Solano County warrant for aggravated assault and a Sacramento County warrant for embezzlement. Sorrell had five Sacramento County warrants for drug-related charges. Bryant, who was also booked on violation of parole, is being held without bail.
