Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight during a news conference Thursday announced the results of a long-term undercover investigation that yielded significant quantities of methamphetamine, two firearms, and various illicit drugs.  

 

Detectives launched their investigation in October 2018 after connecting 44-year-old Jennifer Lambert to the sale and distribution of methamphetamine in the Nokomis area. Known within her network as “Mama Jen,” Lambert has drug arrests dating back to 2013 and has been a person of interest related to drug trafficking for more than a decade. In April, detectives connected Lambert to seven individual drug transactions in which she conspired to traffic in methamphetamine. Over the course of approximately eight months, Special Investigation Section detectives worked to identify Lambert’s associates and others who may be involved in her network.

 

Through continued investigation, detectives identified three of Lambert’s counterparts, all mid-level dealers in Sarasota County including 48-year-old Randy Greene of Nokomis, 38-year-old Erik Walker of Venice and 35-year-old Robert Cain of Sarasota. Cain is known to detectives for his past criminal behavior including his heavy involvement in metal thefts in 2011. Cain was charged with Grand Theft, Vehicle Theft and Burglary as part of Operation Meltdown. He was also charged in 2016 in connection with the death of Jason Head and is currently awaiting trial. Cain has 29 prior arrests in Sarasota County alone.

 

Combined, the 16 people arrested during Operation Ice Mama have 156 prior felony charges with 49 convictions and 149 prior misdemeanor charges with 72 convictions. Significant prior charges include Murder, Aggravated Battery and Burglary. The following individuals were charged:

• Jennifer Lambert, DOB 12/17/74, of 401 Pinewood Avenue in Nokomis, is charged with one count of Trafficking in Methamphetamine and seven counts of Conspiracy to Traffic in Methamphetamine.
• Randy Greene, DOB 12/26/70, of 203 N. Aquila Street in Nokomis, is charged with one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, one count of Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon, one count of Possession of a Controlled Substance, one count of Destruction of Evidence, one count of Trafficking in Methamphetamine, and seven counts of Conspiracy to Traffic in Methamphetamine.
• Robert Cain, DOB 10/03/83, of 325 Myakka Road in Sarasota, is charged with one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, one count of Trafficking in Methamphetamine, two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance, and four counts of Conspiracy to Traffic in Methamphetamine.
• Robert McMullen, DOB 03/12/63, of 5144 Oxford Drive in Sarasota, is charged with one count of Purchase of Methamphetamine.
• Scott Hill, DOB 11/12/60, of 306 S. Ravenna Street in Nokomis, is charged with one count of Trafficking in Methamphetamine and one count of Conspiracy to Traffic in Methamphetamine.
• Patricia Greene, DOB 10/05/65, of 203 N. Aquila Street in Nokomis, is charged with one count of Principal to Trafficking in Methamphetamine.
• Erik Walker, DOB 10/07/80, of 434 Argus Road in Venice, is charged with one count of Fleeing to Elude, one count of Possession of Marijuana, one count of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and three counts of Conspiracy to Traffic in Methamphetamine.
• Jimalee Willis, DOB 10/17/79, of 102 Jessica Street in Nokomis, is charged with one count of Sale of Methamphetamine.
• Joseph Hochberg, DOB 11/16/91, of 1100 Coleman Avenue in Sarasota, is charged with one count of Conspiracy to Traffic in Methamphetamine.
• Walter "Ricky" Lint Jr., DOB 08/11/66, of 201 N. Sierra Street in Nokomis, is charged with two counts of Conspiracy to Traffic in Methamphetamine.
• William Williams, DOB 11/03/75, of 6625 Terri Drive in Bokeelia, is charged with one count of Conspiracy to Traffic in Methamphetamine.
• Bobbi Jo Whiting, DOB 11/21/68, of 100 S. Sierra Street in Nokomis, is charged with two counts of Conspiracy to Traffic in Methamphetamine.
• Casey Ross, DOB 05/16/87, of 1240 Dustin Road in North Port, is charged with one count of Conspiracy to Traffic in Methamphetamine.
• Drew Tilson, DOB 01/31/90, of 601 Bristol Lane in Nokomis, is charged with two counts of Sale of Methamphetamine and one count of Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device.
• Heather Johnson, DOB 10/24/85, of 5061 Banyan Drive in Venice, is charged with two counts of Sale of Methamphetamine and one count of Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device.
• Ronda Gibson, DOB 02/09/62, of 42 W. Oak Street, Lot D10 in Osprey, is charged with one count of Trafficking in Methamphetamine, one count of Possession of a Vehicle Known to Traffic Drugs, and five counts of Drug Possession.

During this operation, a total of 287.82 grams of methamphetamine, two firearms and various illicit drugs were seized. According to Sheriff Tom Knight, this is another one of the agency’s most significant methamphetamine seizures to date. During a news conference Thursday, Knight commented, “…as for the dealers and suppliers, let Operation Ice Mama serve as a reminder that we don’t tolerate drug operations, dealer networks, or guns in the wrong hands. To that end, if you are in the business of dealing or supplying methamphetamine, know that we will identify you, we will disrupt your network and we will make sure you end up behind bars.”