Multiple suspects nabbed in Christmas weekend drug bust; several had kids with them

Editor's note: On March 16, Brookside police confirmed two of the suspects arrested were misidentified after using other people's identification. This article has been updated to remove the inaccurate names.   

Multiple people are under arrest and facing various felony charges after a drug sweep in Brookside.

Brookside police on Friday night charged a group of men and women, as well as a juvenile, in what Chief Jason Springfield described as law enforcement's "ongoing war to stop the poison from flooding the streets of our neighborhoods."

"The difference last night is that the offenders chose to bring their children with them to peddle and purchase their drugs of choice,'' Springfield said. "It is not only sad, but tragic and selfish when parents place their infants/children in harms' way to 'get their fix' or 're-up.'''

All of those arrested were at one location, following an undercover operation. Because the investigation is ongoing, few details are being released.

Among those arrested were: Catherine Sanders, 19; Christopher Knight, 39; and Tanisha Jennings, 31. Springfield said those arrested are facing charges of chemical endangerment of a child, trafficking cocaine, trafficking heroin, conspiracy to commit controlled substance crimes, possession of drug paraphernalia, second-degree possession of marijuana, unlawful possession of firearms and various other charges.

Two of the suspects brought infants with them to the undisclosed location, and another brought an 8-year-old and a 9-year old. The children were released to other family members.

Just last month, Brookside police arrested a 28-year-old pregnant woman after lawmen found her passed out from a heroin overdose. Leslie Michele McCleney was charged with child endangerment and several other crimes. In that case, police responded to the corner of Cherry Avenue and Old Cherry Avenue on a report of drug activity. As officers were en route to the scene, they spotted a vehicle speeding away and then run a stop sign.

Police conducted a traffic stop and observed that the driver - 36-year-old William Donald Cossey - appeared to be under the influence of an unknown substance. The passenger - McCleney - appeared to be dead, the chief said. Both are from Mt. Olive.

McCleney, however, was alive and removed from the vehicle. Springfield said she was eight months pregnant and had overdosed on heroin. Cossey, he said, was under the influence of methamphetamine.

McCleney was taken by paramedics to the hospital. Cossey was taken into custody and released. In addition to child endangerment, McCleney was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and public intoxication. Cossey is charged with DUI, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance.

Both instances, Springfield said, show just how powerful addictions are. "It's not only tragic and sad, but incredibly selfish when a parent chooses their addiction over their child,'' Springfield said. "Opiate addiction is a true epidemic in our community."