Authorities in Habersham County arrested five people last week at the home of a suspected drug dealer — among them was the uncle of "Baby Bou Bou," the toddler injured last May during the execution of a controversial no-knock warrant.
According to a news release issued by the Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office, members of that team, the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Department of Corrections were acting on resident complaints about “illegal narcotic activity” when they visited the Demorest home of 41-year-old Bruce Reaves. Once inside, authorities seized half an ounce of methamphetamine and additional quantities of marijuana, oxycodone and dilaudid, the news release said.
A total of five people were arrested, including Reaves and 31-year-old Wanis Thonetheva.
Thonetheva, charged in the April 18 incident with possession of methamphetamine, was the intended target in the May 2014 raid that left 19-month-old Bounkham "Bou Bou" Phonesavanh in intensive care. Habersham County deputies threw a flashbang grenade into the toddler's crib while executing a no-knock warrant in search of Thonetheva, who had reportedly sold methamphetamine to an undercover agent at the home earlier that day.
Thonetheva was not at the house at the time and was later arrested elsewhere.
As of Wednesday morning, Thonetheva remained incarcerated in connection with last week’s arrest. Habersham County jail records showed he was being held in lieu of $5,600 bond.
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