Summerville Police Arrest 23 in Text-Sting

Police officers in Summerville, Ga. score a big sting using technology and cleverness.

There are 23 people in Chattooga County facing charges after they got stung in a texting sting by Summerville Police.

This afternoon we spoke to Captain Harold Tucker who says it started with a routine traffic stop for loud music.

"The three people inside the vehicle, they jumped out and fled on foot. We caught up with all three of them," said Captain Tucker.

he driver was Justin Silmon, 18. Captain Tucker says he's a known drug dealer and during the arrest, people were text messaging him for marijuana.

"It was people wanting to buy a nickle or dime bag what's known as 5-10 dollars and such worth in drugs," says Tucker.

When the officers realized the texts were asking for drugs, they decided to respond and set up bogus deals all over the city.

"It was very surprising for a lot of people. We caught one guy on a bridge he was sitting there with the money in his hand," says Tucker.

Most of the people arrested have been charged with criminal attempt to purchase drugs and use of their phone to commit a crime.

"It was part of an arrest and turned out we got a lot of people off the streets," says Tucker.

Captain Tucker says this isn't the first time the department has made drug busts by texts. They've done it once before, and says since both times were successful they are not opposed to it happening again.