Nearly 20 police officers from two different departments took to the streets before dawn Tuesday morning in an effort to round-up 34 suspected drug dealers.
The arrests came following a nearly four-month undercover drug investigation by Williamsburg Police and a six-month investigation by Kentucky State Police where confidential informants made controlled drug buys.
"The Williamsburg Police Department and Kentucky State Police have teamed up once again sharing Intel and information to work together to get these drug dealers off the streets," said Williamsburg Public Affairs Officer Shawn Jackson.
"We are going to continue our good working relationship with the Kentucky State Police to continue to fight the drug problem in Whitley County."
Jackson said that a big majority of the undercover drug buys in all 34 cases were made either in the Williamsburg city limits or adjacent to the city limits.
"Our main focus this time around was the city limits of Williamsburg and anything close to the city. The state police did several in the city as well," Jackson said.
Kentucky State Police obtained 23 sealed indictments and Williamsburg police obtained 11 sealed indictments that officers were attempting to serve warrants for starting about 5 a.m. Tuesday.
Eight teams composed of two officers each located 27 of the 34 wanted suspects by 9 a.m. Tuesday.
All the suspects were taken to the Williamsburg Tourism and Convention Center where they were processed before being transported by van to the Whitley County Detention Center.
The charges range in severity from first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, which is a class ‘C’ felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison, to trafficking in marijuana, which is a misdemeanor.
Most of the charges deal with prescription drugs.
Jackson said that the most popular drug on the streets in Whitley County remains Oxycodone.
"I believe several of these are probably related to Oxycodone, especially the first-degree trafficking offenses," he said.
Jackson is the first to admit that there is a major drug problem in Williamsburg.
He cited the Pride spring clean up where about 400 hypodermic needles were located in Williamsburg.
"The City of Williamsburg has a drug problem and we are fighting that problem tooth and nail doing everything we can do along with the Kentucky State Police," Jackson said.
All suspects were arrested without incident and lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center.
Williamsburg Police Detective Bobby Freeman was the lead investigator for his department. Kentucky State Police Detective
David Lassiter and Senior Trooper Les Moses were lead investigators for their department.
"The Kentucky State Police and Williamsburg Police Department are on the same page and we see eye to eye," Jackson said. "We know we have a problem and we are fighting that problem together."
He said more joint investigations are planned in the future.
Those charged by Williamsburg police included:
¥ Billy K. Jones, 35, of Williamsburg – second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
¥ Harold W. Hill, 61, of Williamsburg – first and second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
¥ Jamie Powers, 40, of Williamsburg – first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
¥ Michelle D. Adkins, 36, of Williamsburg – first and second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
¥ Penny Lynn Croley, 41 – trafficking in marijuana less than eight ounces.
¥ Ronnie E. Dees, 40, of Williamsburg – second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
¥ Anna L. Johnson, 72 – first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
Marjorie Beth Claxton, 40, has agreed to turn herself in to police on a second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, Jackson said.
Williamsburg police are still looking for three other suspects.
Terry Manus, 48, is facing a trafficking in marijuana less than eight ounces charge.
William B. Huffman, 40, is facing a third-degree trafficking in a controlled substance charge.
Jodi Lynn Randle, 36, is facing a first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance charge.
According to a Kentucky State Police press release, those charged by state police included:
¥ Tonya Roark, 37, of Williamsburg – one count of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, two counts of second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, and with being a persistent felony offender.
¥ Ronnie Johnson, 46, of Williamsburg – one count of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, two counts of second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, and with being a persistent felony offender.
¥ Dusten K. Powers, 26, of Williamsburg – two counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, and one count of second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
¥ Kimberly Powers, 22, of Williamsburg – first and second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
¥ Donna Marie Patrick Moore, 44, of Williamsburg – first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
¥ Wayne King, 52, of Williamsburg – second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, and third-degree possession of a controlled substance.
¥ Sandra J. King, 39, of Williamsburg – three counts of second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
¥ Danelle Brittain, 30 of Williamsburg – first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
¥ Larry O’Neal Sears Jr., 26, of Williamsburg – first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
¥ Roy Lee Carr Jr., 36, of Williamsburg – two counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, and one count of second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
¥ Curtis Lawson Jr., 47, of Williamsburg – three counts of trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 yards of a school.
¥ Glenda K. Stephens, 65, of Williamsburg – second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
¥ Sena Marie Teska, 36, of Williamsburg – second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
¥ Michael Ray Allen, 52, of Williamsburg – three counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
¥ Evelyn C. McKiddy, 35, of Williamsburg – two counts of second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
¥ Chester Joe McKiddy, 33, of Williamsburg – two counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and one count of second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
¥ Daniel W. Melton, 19, of Williamsburg – first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
¥ Charles Austin, 40, of Williamsburg – three counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
Additional arrests are expected.
