17 arrested in Wake Forest-area raid; two charged with marijuana offences
DEA agents and Wake County deputies raided a home on Hartsfield Drive near Wake Forest on 26 February 2025 and, with partner agencies, arrested 17 people for what the county sheriff called a large-scale operation against drug traffickers. Two of those charged face possession-with-intent and felony possession marijuana counts among the cocaine and other drug charges.
🇺🇸 Hartsfield Drive, near Wake Forest, Wake County, North Carolina · North Carolina, United States
Federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents and Wake County Sheriff’s Office
deputies raided a home on Hartsfield Drive near Wake Forest on the morning of
Wednesday 26 February 2025.[1]The Wake County Sheriff’s Office said it and
partner agencies had “conducted a large-scale operation targeting drug
traffickers operating in our county”, and that the operation resulted in the
arrests of 17 men and women.[1]Agents carried multiple guns and evidence bags
out of the house.[1]
Two of the 16 people charged in the raid face marijuana counts alongside cocaine
charges: Aleshia Walker, 52, and Aaron Walker, 54, each with possession with
intent to manufacture, sell or deliver marijuana and felony possession of
marijuana.[1]A 17th person, 30-year-old Juwan Clifton, was arrested earlier
in February and charged withpossession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana
among other counts.[1]
Charges were brought with the DEA and a group of local, state and federal
agencies, including the US Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives, the State Bureau of Investigation, the Wake County
District Attorney’s Office, Raleigh, Wake Forest and Henderson police and the
Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.[1]
Most suspects appeared virtually in court on Thursday; Aaron and Aleshia Walker
had already posted bond and most had a next hearing set for 18 March 2025.[2]
Photos and video
Law enforcement vehicles outside the home near Wake Forest during the raid, in the still ABC11 published with the report. Photo: WTVD/ABC11Photo details
Every number and detail the sources state, with the sources that state it.
Arrested
17
Agencies
🇺🇸Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Wake County Sheriff's Office; US Marshals Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; State Bureau of Investigation; Wake County District Attorney's Office; Raleigh Police Department; Wake Forest Police Department; Franklin County Sheriff's Office; Henderson Police Department
Agency type
Anti-narcotics agency, Police, Prosecutor
Activity
Possession, Sale, Trafficking
Setting
Home
Charges
possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver marijuana; felony possession of marijuana
Case stage
Charged
Force
No force reported
Region
North Carolina
Sources
ABC11 Raleigh-Durhamabc11.comDEA, Wake County deputies conduct drug investigation at house near Wake Forest; 17 arrested
WRALwral.com17 people arrested as part of Wake County drug operation targeting opioid and cocaine trafficking
Open questions the AI reported
Neither accessible account gives a weight of marijuana or a plant count, so the amount of cannabis involved is unknown.
ABC11 says 17 people were arrested in the operation and separately lists 16 people, plus Juwan Clifton arrested earlier in February; the report treats Clifton as the 17th arrest but the sources do not say so explicitly.
The sources give no plea, trial date beyond 18 March 2025, or court outcome for the marijuana charges.
CBS17 material on the operation, including the sheriff's photos, could not be opened because the site refused access.
Left out, as its quotation was not found in WRAL: Major Cameron Lilyquist of the Wake County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday was "the conclusion of a year-long investigation into a criminal organization that's responsible for the distribution of illegal narcotics to Wake and surrounding counties".
Left out, as its quotation was not found in WRAL: Franklin County Sheriff Kevin White called it "one of the largest drug bust operations in the history of our state".
Left out, as its quotation was not found in The Wake Weekly: The operation was publicly named Operation Exploding Kilo and, alongside cocaine and fentanyl, officers seized cash and 55 firearms, according to the Franklin County sheriff.
A man was arrested at the Sierra Blanca checkpoint in Texas after a K-9 alert led to the discovery of marijuana and three firearms, one reported stolen. The driver, held on an active warrant, was turned over to local authorities for extradition.
Passenger Jamaal Parker was arrested on November 10, 2026, after a wrong-way vehicle pursuit ended in a crash in Hamilton County, Tennessee. Sheriff's deputies reported finding 4 pounds (1.81 kilograms) of concentrated marijuana (THC) valued at over $13,000 and two loaded handguns in his backpack.
Patrick Wayne Gaylor, 40, was arrested on Maple Avenue near East 6th Street in Rome, Georgia, after police stopped his vehicle over an improperly restrained five-year-old child and found marijuana. He was charged with marijuana possession, a child safety restraint violation, and a parole violation.
Palo Alto County sheriff's deputies arrested 37-year-old Baley Dietrich and 18-year-old Landen Dietrich, both of Graettinger, after a disturbance call on the morning of 9 November 2026. Both were charged with first-offense marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia and were booked into the Palo Alto County Jail to await initial appearances.
