Task Force Conducted Operation Throughout The City
SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Anti-Crime Team and the Narcotic and Gang Task Force conducted an undercover drug solicitation operation throughout the City of Santa Cruz. They arrested three individuals for solicitation of narcotics, 49-year-old Watsonville resident Terry Spann, 58-year-old Watsonville resident Thomas Kehler and 39-year-old transient Eric Cash.
Last Friday, April 4, both the Santa Cruz County Anti-Crime Team and the Narcotics Gang Task Force conducted an undercover drug solicitation operation throughout the City of Santa Cruz because they received numerous complaints of drug dealings in the city.
“Undercover officers were sent out to various areas of the city.” Gang Task Force Supervisor Sergeant Stefan Fish wrote, “Their job was to solicit people for the controlled substances.”
The footbridge where the drug deal took place. Gateway Plaza is to the right.
Within minutes of the operation start, authorities met a transient at the Pacific Garden mall, who set up a drug buy for the purchase of methamphetamine from another man. The dealer was identified as “Mr. Spann” An undercover officer met Terry Spann on the footbridge from Felker Street to Gateway Plaza.
The transient that facilitated the drug buy left the area before the deal occurred. Spann and an accomplice, Thomas Kehler, were arrested for possession of a controlled substance for sale.
In all, Spann, had in his possession 18 grams of suspected methamphetamine.
Later that day, undercover officers solicited Eric Cash in the CVS store parking lot on Front Street. Cash was arrested for selling suspected methamphetamine to undercover officers.
All three suspects, Cash, Spann and Kehler were transported and booked into Santa Cruz County Jail. Both Spann and Kehler were charged with possession of a controlled substance for sale, but Kehler received that added charge of transporting a control substance. Both of them had their bail set at $25,000.00 dollars a piece.
Cash was charged with possession of a controlled substance. His bail has been set at $10,000.00 dollars. A warrant has been issued for the facilitator of the first drug buy.
Terry Spann from his Facebook page. Friends have offered their support to him.
Terry Spann had been arrested on far different circumstances in February this year. He was arrested by Watsonville Police on February 17 on charges of assault with force likely to cause great bodily harm. He posted this message on his Facebook page regading that incident.
“Oh yeah, for those of you that don’t know, last week I stabbed a guy that attacked me at the apt. Complex. At first I was reported to be the assailant that was found hiding under a blanket in a garage. The truth is I was assaulted twice in one day by this guy. I beat him up and threw him out of the house, BUT in the process due to socks in a tile floor I broke two ribs, so when he came back. Later he got the best of me and was punching me in the temple with my head pinned against the Spanish tile floor over and over. Someone pulled him off me and I went into The house grabbed a knife and stabbed him a few times. Then I walked back to .my place, rinsed the knife off and went to my friends down the street To. Call the police. She wasn’t there and her roommate told me to Lie on the couch In back until she got there. I fell asleep and the next thing I Knew I was getting the crap kicked out of me while they were yelling for me to Stop resisting. Anyway I was charged with attempted Murder o.r something, held me for two days, and released me without filing any charges…”
