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Hamilton County a distribution center for cocaine

By: Jacqueline Koch
(Contact)

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Ben Scott

In the wake of Wednesday’s large-scale, drug-related roundup, law enforcement officials say they’ve declared war on drug trafficking in Hamilton County, a distribution hub for cocaine.

“Drugs breed violence. Violence breeds, unfortunately, gang activity,” said U.S. District Attorney Russ Dedrick during a news conference Thursday. “We’re simply not going to tolerate that.”

Hamilton County has become a central location for trafficking cocaine, especially since it’s close to Atlanta, a source city for the drug, and other major cities such as Knoxville and Nashville, said Lt. Van Hinton, commander of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department narcotics division.

“Strategically, Chattanooga is the next key point for distribution,” he said.

The roundup at Finley Stadium netted 42 people named on five separate indictments on charges including possessing and distributing cocaine. According to federal indictments, at least $1.2 million in proceeds was generated from the cocaine trade by seven of those charged in the roundup.

One of those charged was Gerald Cunningham, the director of the Washington Hills Recreation Center.

Mr. Cunningham has been suspended without pay per city policy for any employee who is charged with a felony, said Bob Saylors, director of the recreation division for the Chattanooga Parks and Recreation Department.

“When someone is charged with a felony, then suspension is pretty much automatic,” said Mr. Saylors, adding that reinstatement or termination is contingent upon the outcome in court.

Also charged in the roundup was Chattanooga City Councilman John “Duke” Franklin Jr. He was not charged with possessing or distributing drugs, but with helping to launder drug proceeds, among other charges.

Local law enforcement agencies began aggressively working last fall with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and federal officials, sharing information about people they believed were involved in cocaine activity. The trafficking crossed state lines, and several of those arrested Wednesday were apprehended in Georgia, said Ben Scott, resident agent in charge for the DEA.

The agencies involved — including the Chattanooga Police Department, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department, FBI, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives — will continue to collaborate, he said.

“It’s not a one-and-done deal,” Mr. Scott said. “Our investigations will not stop, our cooperative investigations will not stop. If we can pursue this investigation any further, we will do that as well.”

While law enforcement officials devoted time and resources to curbing the methamphetamine outbreak, the cocaine trade flourished under the radar, Lt. Van Hinton added.

Tennessee saw nearly 834 pounds of cocaine seized in 2007, down from the almost 1,410 pounds seized in 2006, according to the DEA. Because Tennessee shares borders with eight states, it’s a prime location for trafficking, availability and abuse, DEA officials said.

Wednesday’s operation targeted people who lived in various parts of the Hamilton County not simply one section, Lt. Hinton said.

“Cocaine has woven itself into the fabric of the community,” he said.

Officials remained tight-lipped about specific details of Wednesday’s roundup, including how they received information about the people involved and what the exact relationships were among the 42 people arrested. They also declined to say whether any part of the activities were gang-related.

They did, however, emphasize the effects of removing known drug traffickers from the streets.

“Hopefully, it’ll affect the thought patterns of those that are considering being involved in this kind of thing,” Hamilton County Sheriff Allen Branum said.

Some defendants appeared Thursday in U.S. District Court, while others had initial appearances Wednesday afternoon. Mr. Franklin, who was in court Wednesday, was charged with helping to launder drug proceeds, conspiring to obstruct justice and providing false statements to federal officials. He is accused of having a false loan document notarized before presenting it to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department.

The allegations are in connection with a March 5 traffic stop by sheriff’s deputies, who found $69,500 in the vehicle of Michael Kelley, who also was arrested Wednesday. Indictments against Mr. Kelley state that he intended to use the money to pay for cocaine.

To cover up that the money was being used for drugs, Mr. Kelley asked another co-defendant, Perry Lawrence, to falsely provide a document saying that Mr. Lawrence loaned Mr. Kelley the money, according to the indictment. Mr. Franklin had someone notarize the false loan document and then lied about it when he was contacted by federal agents, according to the indictment.

Many of those indicted were released on a $20,000 promise to appear and are expected to enter pleas in U.S. Magistrate Bill Carter’s court May 27.

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