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Deputies: Son of Cocoa mayor was ringleader of drug organization

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Brevard County deputies are still rounding up suspects in their second major drug sweep since May.

The arrests include the son of the mayor of Cocoa and a former Florida Department of Children and Families supervisor.

Investigators targeted the sale of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine.

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Deputies said the mayor's son was the leader of the group.

Investigators said Jake Willams III, 36, was the supplier for some of the other suspects.

Deputies said they have arrested 19 people so far and intend to arrest 23 others.

They said some of the people involved have ties to a drug bust conducted in May that included the sale of fentanyl. Almost 100 people were arrested in that sweep.

Investigators said they are two separate cases.

"(Williams) was the basic supplier for the group," said Tod Goodyear, of the Brevard County Sheriff's Office. "He had people working for him that were doing the sales. He did make sales himself."

Williams' father, Jake Williams Jr., provided Channel 9 the following statement Wednesday:

"I am still gathering all of the information related to the incident. I do not condone this type of behavior. He is my son, and I love him. But he is an adult that needs to be responsible for his actions."

The younger Williams faces a racketeering charge and drug charges. He is being held in lieu of a $2.9 million bail.

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