CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — Four employees at a local Wendy's are facing drug charges after authorities accused them of dealing meth from the restaurant.
Cherokee County's Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad executed a search warrant Thursday at the restaurant on 102 Riverstone Parkway in Canton.
Authorities interviewed the restaurant's manager, cook and two other employees and later took them into custody.
Investigators believe the suspects were dealing drugs from the restaurant for months.
Zachary Jerome Donley, 27, Kristal Dawn Hogan, 32, Amanda Jean McCartney, 36 and Jeffery Levi Justus, 26, were arrested.
Investigators say they got a tip on the alleged drug dealing several weeks ago and followed up with undercover buys of meth.
“What we realized then it was routine for people to be doing drug transactions on site, in the restaurant and outside the restaurant,” Phil Price, Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad, said.
Price says the shift manager was also the manager of the drug operation.
“There were five people there that didn't have a part of this operation and they couldn't do anything about it, because the person they answered to was part of it,” Price said.
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He said the workers hid the meth in drink cups.
“(They) put them in a to-go cup so when you walked out it looked like you were just taking out an order,” Price said.
Officials say agents with warrants showed up at the restaurant Thursday and seized cellphones and drugs before arresting the workers.
“One of the employees we had an arrest warrant for was actually asleep in a booth,” Price said.
Channel 2's Tom Regan asked another manager at the store for comment, but was told no comment.
In a statement, Wendy’s said the workers have been fired and they are cooperating with the investigation.
"The safety of our employees and customers is our top priority. We do not condone any sort of illegal activity in our restaurants, and we will continue to fully cooperate with law enforcement on their investigation. The individuals involved in this situation are no longer employed by our company."