GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Ana Jimenez has lived at her home in Norcross for 21 years. She was not there around 6 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, when members of the Gwinnett Metro Task Force entered her home. They damaged her door, shattered her front window and broke into the attic. Jimenez's 13-year-old dog, Jalapeño, went missing for four days after police arrived.
11Alive obtained a search warrant from the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office, which states officers believed there were illegal drugs in the home. Police said they found a total of three prescription pills and a THC pen inside the home, as well as a pipe, bags with what they say was meth residue and a suspected sale ledger during the search. Jimenez claims none of those items were hers and no one was arrested.
"I just feel like if I call 911 they're supposed to help me," Jimenez said. "They didn't do that this time. I just feel discriminated. How they came and broke into my house. I don't know why they accused me like that. I just feel like unsafe in this place."
Jimenez's attorney, Suri Jimenez, said the task force's investigation is based on misleading and false information from an unreliable source. Now, he wants to hold the officers who conducted the search accountable.
"We fear it is fabricated evidence," Suri said. "It's fabricated information. We're not talking about simple mistakes. We're talking about people's liberty being taken away."
The Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office sent 11Alive a statement, saying:
We are aware of the citizen’s complaint regarding the allegations that the Gwinnett Metro Taskforce wrongfully targeted the residence. As with all active investigations, specific details will not be released at this time.
The public has the right to expect efficient, fair, and impartial law enforcement services. Therefore, any alleged or suspected misconduct by the Sheriff’s Office personnel and/or Gwinnett County Metro Taskforce will be thoroughly investigated, and properly adjudicated to assure the maintenance of these qualities.
Officials said this search was part of a larger drug trafficking investigation but would not give any more details. 11Alive has reached out to each police department comprising the task force for more information. The Lawrenceville Police Department said the search warrant was conducted at the proper home, and the other police departments deferred to the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office to comment.
Meantime, Jimenez's attorney said his client was looking into moving because she felt unsafe and he is considering exploring legal action against the officers who conducted the search warrant and their police departments.
"I don’t care about the damage, but my feelings, how we feel, how many days we spent trying to find my dog," Ana said. "They’re not going to repair that.”