15 Arrests Conclude Anaheim ‘Sting’ Operation

The arrests of 15 persons capped a five-week undercover “sting” operation designed to end the sale of stolen goods and drugs from an Anaheim apartment complex, police said Wednesday.

Ten men, three women and two juveniles, most of whom either lived in or frequented the Casa Cordova apartments on Lincoln Avenue, were in custody Wednesday charged with the sale of stolen property, narcotics, cocaine and marijuana, Police Sgt. James Flammini said.

The suspects are being held on bail ranging from $10,000 to $25,000.

Flammini, who headed the investigation, said the operation began in June after police received numerous complaints that some residents of the apartments were selling drugs. Three undercover officers moved into the complex and struck up acquantances with suspected dealers, he said.

Made Purchases

The three, who at no time visited police headquarters during the five weeks, soon began making purchases of drugs and also purchased a stolen gun and television set, Flammini said.

He called the suspects “first-plateau” dealers who sold primarily in small quantities.

“This had been a continual problem for many months,” he said, adding that exceptionally large caches of drugs were neither expected nor found. He said he could not yet place a figure on the value of drugs and property seized in Tuesday’s raid.

Arrested were John Simpson, 29; Thomas Allen McPherson, 40; Michelle Rene Nunez, 26; Jesse James Ferguson, 42; Bill Chilcott, 28; Edward Paul Hyler, 29; Cynthia Ann Saul, 26; Harry Ryman, 35; Lovie Bean, 40; Fredrick Robert Caspersen, 40; Owen Kishabah, 20; Janet Lynn Blankenship, 25; John Thomas Henry, 20, and one male and one female juvenile, each 17.