Sheriff: Manatee County's 'No. 1' heroin dealer to be tried in October
BRADENTON -- Two of Manatee County's top heroin dealers are set to stand trial in October on the charges brought against them after an 18-month investigation.
Cody Lambert, 25, of Port Richey, and Cedric Houston, 35, of Bradenton, are each charged with conspiracy to traffic in heroin.
Houston also faces charges for trafficking in heroin and six counts of sale of heroin.
The two were among 15 suspects arrested after an investigation by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Bradenton Police Department and Sarasota County Sheriff's Office.
Lambert and Houston, being tried as co-defendants, remain in custody at Manatee County jail.
Lambert made a brief appearance Thursday morning before Circuit Judge Deno Economou where attorneys agreed to set the case for an October trial docket.
Houston, who was not in court Thursday, also will be tried then.
The investigation that led to Lambert and Houston's arrest along with 13 other defendants was prompted by a dramatic increase in overdose deaths in Manatee County blamed on the "cocktail of death" combination of heroin cut with fentanyl, a powerful painkiller given to cancer patients.
Houston had been targeted by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office after he bonded out following a January arrest for charges of trafficking in heroin and possession of cocaine with intent to sell while already out on bond for an arrest in April, when he was charged with four counts of sale of heroin and possession of heroin with intent to sell or deliver within 1,000 feet of a place of worship. Sheriff Brad Steube said last month he was their "No. 1 guy."
The cases of the other 13 defendants are still making their way through the court system to get onto trial dockets.
Jessica De Leon, Herald law enforcement reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7049. You can follow her on Twitter@JDeLeon1012.
This story was originally published April 7, 2016 at 11:35 PM with the headline "Sheriff: Manatee County's 'No. 1' heroin dealer to be tried in October ."