Staff at Shenanigan’s Bar arrested after drug investigation

Several staff members of the Shenanigan's Bar, which is adjacent to the Georgia Southern Campus, have been arrested on drug charges.

Since the beginning of 2021, officers with the joint Statesboro Police Department (SPD) and the Georgia Southern University Police Impact Team had received reports that cocaine was being distributed by patrons, and in one case staff, of bars located near Georgia Southern University’s campus.

The information specifically indicated that staff at Shenanigan’s Bar (1 University Plaza) were participating in these illegal sales.

The Impact Team is tasked not only with citywide drug enforcement but also with conducting alcohol and bouncer compliance checks at licensed bars. Impact Team officers began a monthslong undercover investigation to determine if the information was in fact correct.

The undercover purchases of cocaine were successful, with multiple defendants identified as having sold the substance on multiple occasions.

Most of the defendants were patrons of the various establishments, however the involvement of staff at Shenanigan’s Bar allowed officers to develop probable cause for a search warrant at that location.

On August 20, 2021, that search warrant was served at Shenanigan's Bar and Ian Liddy (30, S. Walnut St, Statesboro), Kyler Deason (22, Mistywood Dr, Waynesboro, Ga), and Elizabeth Nguyen (23, Greentree Ct., Statesboro) were taken into custody. Cocaine and firearms were recovered during the search in “staff access only” area of Shenanigan’s Bar.

Impact Team members continued the search for the other defendants into the night, some of whom were arrested at other area bars with the cooperation of staff at those locations.

Jaythan Hendrix (23, S. College St, Statesboro), Destiny Ngezem (22, White Dove Dr, McDonough), and Joseph Keith Bragg Jr. (29, Highway 80 W, Portal) were all taken into custody in this manner.

On August 21, 2021, Impact officers arrested Reginal Calles (54, Westbrooke Dr, Statesboro) at his residence with the assistance of the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office. Officers were able to obtain a search warrant for that residence and found additional cocaine, firearms, and Schedule I substances inside the home.

On August 23, 2021, Kim Maurice Hunter Jr., who had been at large, was arrested and charged with 3 counts of Sale of Cocaine, 3 counts of Unlawful Use of Communications Facility

Nicolas Sparacia (24, Statesboro) has not been apprehended and remains wanted. Sparacia is encouraged to surrender immediately.

This operation is one of the many examples of efforts by SPD and Georgia Southern University’s Department of Public Safety to keep drug dealers from setting up shop near entertainment venues and preying on the students and residents patronizing those venues.

Anyone with information regarding drug activity is encouraged to contact the Impact Team at 912-764-9911 or submit an anonymous tip to [email protected].

Offenders who were arrested

Joseph Keith Bragg Jr

Charges: 4 counts of Sale of Cocaine, 4 counts of Unlawful Use of Communication Facility, 1 count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon

Reginal Jose Calles

Charges: 3 counts of Sale of Cocaine, 3 counts of Unlawful Use of Communication Facility, 1 count of Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, 1 count of Possession of Schedule I Controlled Substance with the Intent to Distribute, 1 count of Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Crime

Kyler Zane Deason

Charges: 2 counts of Sale of Cocaine, 2 counts of Sale of Cocaine (Party to the Crime), 1 count of Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, 1 count of Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Crime, 3 counts of Unlawful Use of Communication Facility