2 suspected dealers arrested after early morning drug bust near Highland Elementary school
Two suspected heroin dealers are in custody after an early morning drug bust by the Salem Police Department SWAT team.
At the home in the 2200 block of Maple Avenue NE, officers found 404.2 grams — almost a pound — of black tar and brown powder heroin, 10.8 grams of cocaine and methamphetamine.
Jeffrey Bledsoe, 48, of Salem, and Adrianne Santrizos, 44, of Carlton, were arrested on dozens of drug charges, including delivering and manufacturing heroin with 1,000 feet of a school.
The drug house where Bledsoe and Santrizos were arrested is only a few blocks away from Highland Elementary School.
Another man at the home, Brian Bledsoe, was arrested on a heroin possession charge.
The SWAT team served a warrant based a month-long investigation by the Polk Inter-Agency Narcotics Team. Members of the Salem Police Street Crimes Unit assisted the narcotics team in their investigation.
During their investigation, detectives identified Jeffrey Bledsoe and Santrizos as heroin distributors in both Marion and Polk counties.
Both were taken to Polk County jail. Each were held on $735,000 pending the charges of unlawful manufacture of heroin within 1,000 feet of a school, unlawful manufacture of heroin, two counts of unlawful delivery of heroin with 1,000 feet of a school, two counts of unlawful delivery of a substantial quantity of heroin, three counts of unlawful delivery of heroin, two counts of unlawful possession of a substantial quantity of heroin, unlawful possession of methamphetamine, unlawful possession of a substantial quantity of cocaine, unlawful possession of cocaine, unlawful delivery of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school and unlawful delivery of cocaine.
Santrizos has a long history of theft, assault and drug charges tracing back to 1998. In 2016, she was convicted of possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine possession, and third-degree theft. She was also convicted of heroin possession in 2014 and possession of as controlled substance and second-degree theft in 2013.
Jeffrey Bledsoe was convicted of delivery of methamphetamine, methamphetamine possession, marijuana possession, resisting arrest and two counts of assaulting an officer in 2010 and sentenced to prison. In 2004, he was convicted of possession of a controlled substance, one year after he was convicted of manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance.
The Polk County drug team that investigated the drug ring was resurrected in 2016 using funding from the county's public safety levy, which also helped reinstate 24-hour patrols.
For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodwort@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-399-6884 or follow on Twitter @wmwoodworth
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