Police arrested more than two dozen people in a drug bust in Southern Vermont.

The operation started last fall and ran for months.

Police searched four homes and seized 14 guns, including AR-style rifles. They also seized 148 grams of fentanyl and heroin, 260 grams of crack cocaine and 50 grams of cocaine.

Twenty people face federal guns or drug charges. Some live in Rutland, Fair Haven and Shoreham. Others live out of state.

And seven more from Rutland also face state charges.

U.S. Attorney for Vermont Christina Nolan says preliminary numbers show drug overdose deaths dropped to 96 in Vermont in 2019. In 2018, there were 110 drug overdose deaths.

"That would be an encouraging reduction if the numbers hold, and we've got to see if they hold, but any reduction is due to enforcement, treatment, prevention and recovery workforce's working harder than ever and collaborating more closely than ever in Vermont," Nolan said.

Nolan says while opioids are a focus of law enforcement efforts, she says crack cocaine use is also on the rise.

Those charged in federal court include:

- Wilnelia Martinez-Machuca, 42, of Springfield, Massachusetts, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base.

- Joel Cruz, 27, of Union City, New Jersey, for possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base.

- Shaqueille Jones, 25, of Jersey City, New Jersey, for possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base.

- David Hodges, 42, of Rutland, Vermont, for possession of a firearm after having been previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, and distribution of cocaine.

- Maynard Davis, 43, of Rutland, Vermont, for distribution of cocaine base.

- Rodney Carroll, 40, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for distribution of cocaine base.

- Tyberius Mitchell, 30, of Rutland, Vermont, for distribution of cocaine base.

- Cheryl Barber, 34, of Rutland,Vermont, for distribution of heroin.

- Todd Popovitch, 38, of Rutland, Vermont, for distribution of fentanyl, possession of a firearm as an unlawful user of controlled substances, and making false statements in connection with the attempted acquisition of a firearm from a licensed dealer.

Raymond Phillips, 55, of Fair Haven, Vermont, for distribution of cocaine base.  Travis Norris, 31, of Shoreham, Vermont, for making false statements in connection with the attempted acquisition of a firearm from a licensed dealer.  Edward Everett, 54, of Rutland, Vermont, for distribution of cocaine base and maintaining a drug-involved premises.

- John Harrell, 48, of Rutland, Vermont, for distribution of cocaine base. - Quadeim Mack, 19, of Brooklyn, New York, for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, 28 grams or more of cocaine base, and cocaine.

- Steven Ciccone, 35, of Rutland, Vermont, for distribution of cocaine base.

- Naquan Brown, 30, of Brooklyn, New York, for possession of a firearm after having previously convicted of a felony, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base.

- Richard Keefe, 56, of Rutland, Vermont, for possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine base.

- Noah Penn, 27, of New York City, New York, for possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine base.

- Mark Badie, 33, of Rutland, Vermont, for distribution of cocaine base. - Thomas DePalo, 60, of Rutland, Vermont, for distribution of cocaine base

Those arrested on state warrants and violations include:

- Antonio Sousa, 25, of Rutland, Vermont, for false information to a law enforcement officer and fugitive from justice.

- Mark Archer, 60, from Rutland, Vermont, for possession of cocaine.

- Darleen Palmer, 52, from Rutland, Vermont, for possession of heroin.

- Greg Shaw, 36, from Rutland, Vermont, for escape from custody.

- Roger Kittredge, 51, from Rutland, Vermont, for distribution of cocaine. - Stacy Jones, 38, from Rutland, Vermont, for criminal driving while license suspended.

- Nickoletta Hathaway, 19, of Rutland, VT, for failure to appear.