9 people jailed in Flagler County's largest-ever drug trafficking investigation

FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. — Nine people, including six Flagler County residents, have pleaded guilty to transporting methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico to the U.S. West Coast and central Florida.

The investigation lasted two years and was a joint effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Daytona Beach Resident Agency, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Flagler County Sheriff's Office, the County Sheriff's Office of Volusia, the Daytona Beach Police Department and the Deland Police Department. Department.

The indictments were returned in 2023, and the following nine suspects have since pleaded guilty or been convicted of drug trafficking:

• Zara Mascarella, 20, of Palm Coast, Florida. Sentenced to 5 years in prison.
• Camarie Shavers, 23, of Bunnell, Florida. Sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison.
• Alfred Shavers, Jr., 26, of Bunnell, Florida. Sentenced to 5 years in prison.
• Alfred Shavers, Sr., 50, of Bunnell, Florida. Sentenced to 16 years in prison.
• Jimmie Lee Bizzell, 53, of Bunnell, Florida. Sentenced to 6 years in prison.
• Tyrone Jones, 56, of Palm Coast, Florida. Sentenced to 10 years in prison.
• Wendell Ferreira, 42, of Berlin, Connecticut. Sentenced to 2 years and 9 months in prison.
• Luis Miguel Hernandez, 36, of Phoenix, Arizona. Sentenced to 9 years and 1 month in prison.
• Saul Sandoval, 41, of Phoenix, Arizona. Sentenced to 10 years in prison.

“This case was the largest Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) investigation that the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has ever been involved in,” said Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly. “I want to congratulate everyone who participated in dismantling this drug trafficking operation that had ties to a Mexican cartel.

Investigators called the joint investigation “Operation Ice Man,” which began on Halloween 2022, with search warrants executed at six locations in Palm Coast, Bunnell and Daytona Beach.

Search warrants uncovered 45 kilograms of methamphetamine, 2.7 kilograms of cocaine, nine firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

Jones, Mascarella, Alfred Shavers Sr., Alfred Shavers Jr. and Camarie Shavers were identified as the drug distributors in central Florida.

They allegedly received the drugs via a commercial truck operated by Bizzell, delivering from Phoenix and Los Angeles.

Sandoval and Hernandez were identified as the sources of the methamphetamine and cocaine delivered from Phoenix and Los Angeles. Investigators said Sandoval and Hernández negotiated deals with Mexican traffickers who sent the drugs across the border to sell them.

Officials believe Sandoval and Hernandez have sent more than 300 kilograms of drugs to Central Florida since 2021.

Sandoval was arrested in Phoenix and Hernandez in Los Angeles.