THOMASVILLE — Three brothers and their sister are behind bars in a family enterprise a lawman said was among the biggest cocaine ventures in a five-county area.

The investigation into the operation began almost three years ago. After federal indictments were returned on the suspects, federal and local authorities spent much of Friday looking for — and finding — the individuals. They did not have to look far for several who are incarcerated in state prisons or locked up in the Thomas County Jail on other offenses.

About 20 acres, firearms and thousands of dollars are being seized in the case.

For close to three years, undercover agents have made many cocaine buys from the suspects, said Kevin Lee, Thomas County/Thomasville Narcotics/Vice Division commander.

About 9:30 a.m. Friday, local narcotics agents, federal Drug Enforcement Agency officers and the local Special Response Team closed in on 1320 and 1368 Hodges Road in Dixie on the western edge of neighboring Brooks County with assistance from Quitman Police Department and Brooks County Sheriff’s Office.

Thomas Gosier, 28, and Valerie Gosier, 27, live at the Hodges Road addresses. Another brother, Daniel Gosier, 31, 2576 Forest Wood Drive, Valdosta, also is charged. Bobby Sneed, 42, an inmate at the Thomas County Jail, is a sibling of the Gosiers.

The siblings have been indicted on charges of conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine.

When a search warrant was executed at Thomas Gosier’s residence Friday morning, lawmen found him in the kitchen converting powder cocaine to crack cocaine. Both forms of the contraband were seized at the house.

Two wraps for packaging cocaine by the kilo, or 2.1 pounds, also were found at the dwelling.

Officers seized Thomas Gosier’s bank statements. His assets will be frozen.

In a barn behind the house, Lee found an ounce of cocaine buried in the ground. More than $10,000 in cash was found at the residence.

“We found numerous rifles and shotguns and one 9 mm pistol,” Lee said.

Officers found about two ounces of cocaine at the Thomas Gosier residence. “We gained information that they hide their cocaine down the road from the residence. We’re talking thousands of acres. It would be hard to find,” Lee explained.

“Big-time dope dealers never keep large quantities of contraband at their residences,” the commander added.

Lee said that not only did undercover agents purchase cocaine from the main players indicted in recent days, but from others in various levels of the conspiracy.

Others arrested are:

– Eric Davis, 29, 810 N. Washington St., Quitman.

– Keith Merrill, also known as Keith Stewart, 32, 228 Kennedy Hill Road, Pavo.

– Richard Hunter, also known as Sly, 43, state prison system.

– Willie Charles Johnson, also know as Bo, Coolidge, state prison system.

– Charles Cooper, state prison system.

“Each is charged with individual counts of distribution,” Lee said Saturday. ” … We’re also are looking to arrest their suppliers and people they were supplying.”

Lee said the operation was a major component of a cocaine supply for Thomas, Grady, Brooks, Lowndes and Lanier counties.

“This is a very significant ring we have taken out,” Lee added. “They supplied most of Thomas County.”

The Gosiers, Davis and Merrill are in the Thomas County Jail awaiting transfer to Albany to be formally arraigned in federal court.



Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 220.