Narcotics operation leads to 27 arrests in Whitfield County, Ga.

Arrest tile; handcuff tile; handcuffs tile
Arrest tile; handcuff tile; handcuffs tile

More than two dozen people are being held without bond in the Whitfield County (Ga.) Jail on drug charges after a four-month operation targeting prescription drug abuse.

The Whitfield County Sheriff's Office narcotics unit focused on several suspects selling prescription drugs they obtained from physicians, according to a news release. Investigators and agents started making arrests on Wednesday and charged 27 people.

Whitfield County Sheriff Scott Chitwood praised the efforts made during the narcotics operation.

"We are very pleased with the work of our narcotics unit. Abuse of prescription drugs is an ongoing problem across the country. Once again, we have just hit the tip of the iceberg," Chitwood wrote in an emailed statement.

Sixteen of those arrested were directly involved in the sale of medications, eight were involved with the distribution or possession of methamphetamine, and three more had violated their parole. Warrants are outstanding on another nine suspects who will be arrested when located.

People arrested and charges

Marcia Lee Petty, 60, Rocky Face, GA Charged; Sale of Schedule 1 or 2 drugs Timothy Wayne Campbell, 49, Dalton, GA Charged; Sale of Schedule 2 drug, possession of marijuana (during his arrest) Bridgett Loren Elswick, 33, Dalton, GA Charged; Sale of Schedule 1 or 2 drugs Michael David Hagan, 59, Dalton, GA Charged; Parole Violation Ray Bowen Jr, 45, Dalton, GA Charged; Sale of Schedule 1 or 2 drugs Kenneth Dale Coker, 56, Dalton, GA Charged; Sale of Schedule 1 or 2 drugs Wendi Lynn Pedigo, 50, Dalton, GA Charged; Sale of Schedule 1 or 2 drugs Uwe Joseph Munzel, 55, Dalton, GA Charged; Sale of Schedule 1 or 2 drugs Anthony James Clark, 26, Dalton, GA Charged; Parole Violation Rickey Herrera, 57, Dalton, GA Charged; Sale of Schedule 1 or 2 drugs Carla Ruth Herrera, 53, Dalton, GA Charged; Possession of Methamphetamine (in possession of additional Methamphetamine at the time of arrest) Edwin Voneric Wilson, 47, Dalton, GA Charged; Parole Violation Kevin Gene Defriece, 42, Chatsworth, GA Charged; Sale of Schedule 2 drugs (in possession of Methamphetamine at the time of arrest) Sicillio David Charo, 56, Dalton, GA Charged; Sale of Schedule 3/4/5 drugs Thomas Williams, 58, Dalton, GA Charged; Sale of Schedule 1 or 2 drug (in possession of Methamphetamine at the time of arrest) Tony Lamar Cleary, 54, Dalton, GA Charged; Sale of Schedule 1 or 2 drugs Matthew Thomas Watson, 33, Dalton, GA Charged; Probation Violation, Failure to Appear warrants (in possession of Methamphetamine at the time of arrest) Allen Lee Brown, 56, Tunnel Hill, GA Charged; Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of drug-related objects Amanda Nicole Smith, 32, Dalton, GA Charged; Sale of Schedule 1 or 2 drugs Kenneth Lamar Saunders, 54, Dalton, GA Charged; Sale of Schedule 1 or 2 drugs Christina Yvonne Eure, 53, Dalton, GA Charged; Sale of Schedule 1 or 2 drugs Tina Michelle Thomison, 44, Dalton, GA Charged; Possession of Methamphetamine, possession of Schedule IV (2 counts) Gregory Lee Ratcliff, 47, Dalton, GA Charged; Possession of Methamphetamine, possession of tolls for commission of a crime, 2 outstanding felony warrants (Probation and Failure to Appear) Erica Gwen Caudill, 30, Chatsworth, GA Charged; Possession of Methamphetamine, on felony banishment sentence for Methamphetamine Joseph Lynn Patterson, 47, Dalton, GA Charged; Possession with intent to distribute Methamphetamine Bruce Edward Gazaway, 47, Dalton, GA Charged; Possession of Methamphetamine Hector Lorenzo Hernandez, 22, Dalton, GA Charged; Possession of Schedule 2 drugs

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