Updated: Chattanooga City Councilman John 'Duke' Franklin Jr. among several in large-scale fugitive roundup

Numerous marked and unmarked law enforcement vehicles are at Finley Stadium this morning in what appears to be a large-scale fugitive roundup.

Several suspects in handcuffs have been led into the stadium, including Chattanooga City Councilman John "Duke" Franklin Jr. He was taken into custody around 10:45 a.m. Mr. Franklin has served as a City Council representative for District 5 since 1998. A bond hearing in federal court is scheduled for 3 p.m.

Personnel from a number of local, state and federal agencies, including the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department, the Chattanooga Police Department, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, FBI, U.S. Marshals, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, are participating in the operation.

Councilman Manny Rico said he was informed by Mayor Ron Littlefield’s office earlier this morning that Mr. Franklin had been taken into custody on drug trafficking charges.

Mr. Rico, who represents District 7, said in light of the recent events surrounding former Hamilton County Sheriff Billy Long, that incidents like this make public officials look bad.

Mr. Long entered a guilty plea earlier this month on 27 counts of extortion, money laundering, gun and drug charges.

“If you do something like this, we automatically vote you out of the council,” he said. “But you’re innocent until proven guilty.”

Officials on scene are not yet answering questions about the ongoing operation.

See tomorrow’s Chattanooga Times Free Press for full coverage.