Marion County, Tenn., authorities recently booked almost three dozen people on charges of sale and delivery of a controlled substance stemming from a six-month, countywide investigation and undercover operation.
The drugs involved included methamphetamine, crack cocaine, heroin, oxycodone, Opana, morphine and hydrocodone, according to Marion County Sheriff Ronnie "Bo" Burnett. Undercover operations were done all across the county, he said.
"There were charges against 33 people from some grand jury indictments," Burnett said.
"My officers made some undercover buys and took the evidence to the June 6 grand jury," he said. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and police from the Kimball, Jasper and South Pittsburg police departments assisted in the roundup.
All 33 of the people arrested were charged with sale and delivery of a controlled substance, Burnett said. Eight of the 33 also were charged with TennCare fraud, the sheriff said.
He said the drugs involved are some of the most frequently abused, and many of them could easily lead to an overdose.
Those arrested were:
- Chris Dodson, of Powells Crossroads
- Rita Wilbourn, of Whitwell
- Deb Smartt, of Whitwell
- Laura Braziel, of Jasper
- Jerry Braziel, of Jasper
- Bobby Fay Green, of Whitwell
- Kim Scott, of Whitwell
- Tracee Burnette, of Jasper
- Jennifer Warick, of Kimball
- Bonnie Rector, of Kimball
- John Melton, of Whitwell
- Thomas Holtcamp, of Whitwell
- Phillip Collins, of Sequatchie
- Terry Shell, of Whitwell
- Terra Lemons, of Whitwell
- Angela Dodson, of Whitwell
- Connie Wilson, of Whitwell
- Stacy Sims, of Whitwell
- Dale Foster, of Powells Crossroads
- Donald Turner, of Whitwell
- Deborah Alder, of Jasper
- Buddy Poe, of Jasper
- Jimmy Layne, of Whitwell
- Larry Coffelt, of Sequatchie
- Lonnie Alder, of Jasper
- Rachael Russell, of Whitwell
- April Perry, of Jasper
- Bonnie Broderick, of Whitwell
- Mattie Pittman, of Whitwell
- Charles Bunch Jr., of South Pittsburg
- David Zack Black, of South Pittsburg
- Eddie Dodson, of Whitwell
- Geno Pickett, of South Pittsburg
Most of those arrested have been released on bond, Burnett said. The defendants' court dates will vary.
Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com, on Twitter @BenBenton, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ben.benton1 or 423-757-6569.