Chesterfield County police are still searching for 52-year-old Jerrard Pleasants, the final suspect in a years-long Central Virginia drug trafficking investigation. Detectives asked the public for help on Facebook on Wednesday, May 13, saying the case remains unfinished for now.
Police say the operation stretched across several Central Virginia localities and was linked to at least nine other drug investigations, including a deadly overdose involving a woman pregnant with twins. Seizures included fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, guns, and more than $1 million in cash.
In December 2019, detectives said Jorge Fernandez-Hernandes, Fernando Alacazar, and Irvin Shury met to pick up a duffel bag containing more than 10 kilograms of cocaine and 10,000 fentanyl pills. That meeting gave investigators a major break.
After arresting the three men, detectives executed search warrants in Chesterfield County, Henrico County, and Richmond. Those searches uncovered additional drugs and evidence, expanding the case from one planned pickup into a wider trafficking investigation across Central Virginia.
Chesterfield’s Vice and Narcotics division then spent years tying the organization to other cases. Police said the operation was linked to at least nine drug investigations, including a deadly overdose involving a woman who was pregnant with twins.
Detectives said the investigation led to the seizure of 11 kilograms of cocaine, 5 kilograms of fentanyl, 1 kilogram of heroin, and 14 pounds of marijuana. They also recovered three guns and just over $1 million in cash.
Police said the 10,000 fentanyl pills were disguised as legitimate hydrocodone pills. They warned that, if not seized, those pills could have caused thousands of overdoses or supplied one person with one pill daily for about 27 years.
The remaining fentanyl made the numbers even more serious. Police said the combined fentanyl could supply an addict for 164 years, while the 11 kilograms of cocaine could provide well over 11,000 doses after being diluted.
Jerrard Pleasants, 52, is the last suspect still wanted in the case. Police said he faces charges including conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin, with allegations related to second or subsequent offenses allegations.
Pleasants’ last known address was in the 5000 block of Almond Tree Terrace in Henrico County. Police said he also has ties to Florida and New York, and may be living under an assumed identity while avoiding contact with law enforcement.
Anyone with information can contact Chesterfield County and Colonial Heights Crime Solvers at 804-748-0060, text “Tip699” to 738477, use the p3Tips app, or contact U.S. Marshals. A tip leading to arrest could bring up to $5,000.
This Chesterfield case keeps the debate focused on whether long investigations and major seizures can meaningfully weaken drug supply across Central Virginia. Police say several suspects have been convicted, but the search for Jerrard Pleasants shows the case is not finished.
What comes next depends on public tips, continued police work, and whether Pleasants is located after years of investigation. With fentanyl pills, cocaine, heroin, guns, and more than $1 million already seized, authorities will likely keep pressure on remaining links.