Building owner: Atlantic Beach, police conspired on drug, gang allegations
The owner of an Atlantic Beach apartment building accused of housing gang activity and drug sales, says nobody that participated in illegal activity lives in the complex.
The owner also claims the attacks against the complex are part of a conspiracy by town officials to lower the property value.
Earlier this year, the county filed a complaint against Atlantic Beach’s Ocean Apartments on 31st Avenue. The suit called the facility a nuisance that housed gang activity and the selling of drugs and guns.
Horry County police and the area’s Drug Enforcement Unit began an investigation in the fall. In November, officers conducted a raid and found 2.6 pounds of marijuana, 50 grams of crack cocaine, 18 grams of cocaine, 20 Hydrocodone pills and three handguns, according to court records. Police charged several people in connection to the incident.
The county seeks a court order so it can take possession and close the complex.
Last week, the owner of the apartment, Dean Mabie, filed a response to the suit. In the filing, he states that none of the people mentioned in the original filing that purchased or sold drugs live at the complex.
The filing also states there have been no arrests for illegal drug sales at the complex since the end of last year.
Mabie says the complex has taken steps to remove people who were involved with drug arrests and implement security measures to curtail criminal activity.
Finally, the response claims the allegations are part of a conspiracy by the Atlantic Beach police and the town’s mayor Jake Evans’ family. The filing states Evans’ family owns the adjacent property and the conspiracy is to diminish the property value of the apartment complex.
Evans did not return a phone call in time for this report.
