4 alleged meth rings busted in Cherokee

Cherokee County authorities have broken four alleged methamphetamine rings in the area within the past month.

The Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad, or CMANS, is a task force composed of several area police departments investigating the origin of drug-related violations.

The first bust resulted in the arrests of Joshua Lyons of Cartersville and Marci Vaughn of Waleska for sale of methamphetamine, authorities said. Vaughn is a former employee of the Georgia Department of Corrections at the Canton probation office.

In another bust, four people were arrested and charged with multiple counts of trafficking meth. Luis Alberto Vega-Arzate of Atlanta, Cristina Pineda-Gutierrez of Atlanta, Samuel Santos-Palacios of Roswell and Julber Antiago-Yanez of Alpharetta were arrested by CMANS and GBI agents after attempting to sell a pound of meth in Woodstock, authorities said.

Also in Woodstock, a separate investigation found Wendy Amada Elias of Norcross, Marin Vezquez Penaloza of Norcross and Jesus Penaloza of Woodstock in possession of more than four grams of methamphetamine, officials said. During the arrest, Jesus Penaloza attempted to elude officers, ran a short distance and jumped over a retaining wall, fracturing his femur, authorities said. CMANS agents charged all the suspects with trafficking methamphetamine.

A fourth bust left four suspects charged with trafficking methamphetamine. The alleged ring was broken with the arrests of Paul Mansueto of Holly Springs, Pedro Damian Camacho-Solorio of Roswell, Randall Hamby of Woodstock and Stayci Xristine Parham of Acworth.