Undercover operation reveals more than chicken being sold at Arkansas KFC
HOPE, Ark. (KMSS) — One of the five managers of a Hope, Arkansas, KFC was offering more choices than crispy and original to customers of his store at the Bypass and Hazel Street.
Over the past several months, undercover agents purchased methamphetamine at the restaurant from manager Edward Barzar, as part of an investigation that resulted in four simultaneous raids that went off like a well-choregraphed ballet late Wednesday afternoon.
The raid was orchestrated by officers from the 8th North Task Force, the Arkansas State Police, the Hope Police Department, the Hempstead County Sheriff’s Office, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, the Prescott Police Department and FBI Agents.
Armed with both search and arrest warrants, the multi-agency task force came a’callin’ on the KFC Restaurant, as well as three apartments in Hope.
The warrants were a culmination of an approximate year-long investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine and other illegal substances in Hempstead County.
Barzar was taken into custody at the restaurant without incident by Hope Police Officers.
The restaurant was temporally closed while agents executed a search warrant for illegal narcotics. Though the search resulted in no illegal drugs being found inside the KFC, an employee, Tierra Green, 23, of Hope, was arrested for obstructing governmental operations.
Outside, a K-9 alerted agents to a vehicle containing marijuana that turned out to be Green’s, causing her to be charged with possession of marijuana.
After being closed approximately two-and-a-half hours, the restaurant was released to the District Manager of KFC.
Meanwhile, other agents were executed two search warrants at the Imperial Apartments on South Main Street and another at an apartment in the San-Fernando apartment complex located off the old Lewisville Highway.
In these raids, agents confiscated more than 100 grams of methamphetamine, over a pound of marijuana, more than $16,000.00 in cash, along with several vehicles.
While at the Imperial Apartments, officers obtained a search warrant for another apartment that resulted in recovery of a stolen motorcycle.
Others arrested in the KFC caper were Dale Wayne Sullivan, 53, and Deidra Johnson, 24, both of Hope.
All four were transported to the Hempstead County Detention Center where they are awaiting a first court appearance.