January 22nd, 2024
Operation Central Supply seizes huge haul of illegal narcotics: 23 pounds of meth, 224 grams of cocaine, 140 grams of fentanyl.
During the fall of 2023, the Special Investigation Division began an investigation of a local, Bay County armed drug trafficking organization, this case was later known as operation “Central Supply”. Investigators received information that the individuals involved were trafficking and distributing Fentanyl and Methamphetamine, along with other illegal substances. Through the course of this investigation two subjects were identified as the suspects.
The main suspect, Marcus Lorenzo Jones, BM 03/28/1981, of Panama City was learned to be a source of supply and has been importing large amounts of narcotics to the Bay County area. Jones is a registered felon with an extensive arrest history in Bay County. The other suspect, Branden Gywayne Givens, BM 01/22/1984, of Panama City was identified as a dealer working with Jones. Givens also a registered felon with an extensive arrest history in Bay County.
In January 2024, investigators were made aware that the Panama City Police Department had also conducted a separate narcotics investigations involving Givens as a suspect. This case led officers to applying for arrest warrants for Givens. Those charges were for conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine and unlawful use of a two-way communications device. The arrest warrants were later granted on Givens.
On January 20th, 2024, the Special Investigations Division located and arrested Givens. Following the arrest, investigators executed a search warrant on his residence, 12223 Raintree Drive Panama City, Florida. Upon searching, investigators were able to recover a trafficking amount of narcotics. After the search concluded, investigators had Givens transported to the Bay County Jail, where he was booked in.
Investigators then shifted into executing another residential search warrant. This address, 5233 Collins Drive Panama City, Florida, was known to investigators as a “stash house” in which Jones and Givens would utilize to further aid them in their drug trafficking efforts. Once inside the residence, investigators located a large gun safe. The safe was opened and found to contain a large supply of narcotics.
During the operation, BCSO recovered 23.7lbs of methamphetamine, 224 grams of cocaine, 140 grams of fentanyl, 66 grams of Oxycodone, 21 grams of Hydrocodone, 4.7 grams of MDMA, and a firearm. This led to another search warrant of Jones’s home, 1808 Foster Ave. Panama City. At this time, Jones was not present. Jones is wanted at this time and anyone with information regarding his whereabouts are asked to please contact the Bay County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 747-4700.
