Published: January 06, 2009 11:01 am      

39 indicted on drug trafficking charges

Monticello — An undercover investigation by Operation UNITE into illegal drug

trafficking in and around Wayne County has led to the indictment of 39

people on nearly 90 charges.

Officers gathered on Tuesday, December 30 at the ASPIRE Center to serve

the sealed warrants during UNITE's 119th roundup in the 29-county Fifth

Congressional District.

A variety of drugs were purchased during the six-month investigation

leading up to Tuesday's enforcement effort, said Dan Smoot, law enforcement

director for UNITE. He added that a majority of those wanted in the roundup

live within a two to three mile radius of each other within the city limits.

"We purchased everything from Hydrocodone and Oxycodone pills to cocaine

and methamphetamine," said Smoot. "We had everything from parents selling

their children's medicine to individuals who actually manufactured meth. On

more than one occasion young children were present at the time the drugs

were purchased and several of the suspects are repeat offenders."

Because of this, representatives from the Office of Probation and Parole

rode with uniformed officers to assist in the arrests.

Also assisting UNITE detectives with the roundup were: Monticello Police

Chief Ralph Miniard and other officers from the Monticello Police

Department; troopers from the Kentucky State Police; the Wayne County

Sheriff's Office; Commonwealth Attorney Matthew Leveridge; and Wayne County

Jailer Ray Upchurch and his staff.

This was the first organized roundup in Wayne County since late 2004,

when 85 suspects were sought in Wayne, Pulaski, and McCreary counties.

"We've done a lot of undercover investigations in Wayne County, but most

of the time we'd arrest one or two individuals at a time," Smoot noted.

"During this particular investigation, we kept locating new suspects and saw

an opportunity to change our tactics and arrest them all at once."

Once back at the ASPIRE Center, prisoners were given a chance to speak

with one of three local ministers from the UNITE Defensive Action Against

Drugs (DAAD) Coalition.

Pastors Mike Wells from Steubenville Baptist Church, Stan Stevenson from

Elk Spring Valley Baptist Church and Keith McKim from Mt. Zion Baptist

Church offered prisoners both spiritual support and assistance they might

need in notifying family members or attending to personal needs.

"Participation is completely voluntary," noted Smoot. "Although these

suspects are facing legal difficulties, we want to do everything possible to

assist the family and hopefully, eventually get them the care they need to

put this lifestyle choice in their past."

Once processed, those who were arrested were lodged in the Wayne County

Detention Center.

At 3:30 that afternoon, 26 of those with indictment warrants had been

arrested.

One additional person was arrested after drug paraphernalia was found in

her possession at the home of one of the suspects.

Those arrested were:

€ Ricky W. Bell, 48, Rt. 6, Monticello, first degree trafficking in a

controlled substance and second degree persistent felony offender

€ Daniel D. Bodnar, age 24, West Evelyn Avenue, Monticello, three counts

first degree trafficking in a controlled substance and one count second

degree trafficking in a controlled substance

€ Edwin M. Borden Jr., age 35, Ridgewood Avenue, Monticello, first

degree trafficking in a controlled substance and second degree persistent

felony offender

€ Heather E. Boston, age 25, Jim Boston Road, Monticello, second degree

trafficking in a controlled substance

€ Bethany B. Burnette, age 22, Route 1, Monticello, one count first

degree trafficking in a controlled substance and two counts second degree

trafficking in a controlled substance

€ Kaytrina L. Cobb, age 27, West Evelyn Avenue, Monticello, trafficking

in a controlled substance within 1,000 yards of a school

€ Russell D. Cobb Sr., age 59, West Evelyn Avenue, Monticello,

trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 yards of a school

€ Darrell H. "Mutt" Daniels Jr., age 21, Stokes Street, Monticello,

second degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

€ David A. Dixson II, age 42, Route 4, Monticello, two counts second

degree trafficking in a controlled substance and one count trafficking in a

controlled substance within 1,000 yards of a school

€ Toni A. Fisher, age 19, Monticello, possession of drug paraphernalia

€ Bobby Lee Foster, age 27, Thornton Street, Monticello, second degree

trafficking in a controlled substance, trafficking in a simulated controlled

substance and first degree persistent felony offender

  € Phillip M. Gentry, age 36, Second Street, Monticello, trafficking in

a controlled substance within 1,000 yards of a school, four counts second

degree trafficking in a controlled substance and second degree persistent

felony offender

€ Laura B. Goodman, age 20, HC-74, Monticello, two counts second degree

trafficking in a controlled substance and one count trafficking in a

simulated controlled substance

  € Marcie Lynn Hughes, age 29, Winna Drive, Monticello, three counts

second degree trafficking in a controlled substance and one count

trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 yards of a school

€ Donald J. Humble, age 33, Route 5, Monticello, second degree

trafficking in a controlled substance

  € Jarel Jenkins, age 38, Monticello, first degree trafficking in a

controlled substance

  € James H. Melton, age 25, Ridgewood Avenue, Monticello, trafficking in

a controlled substance within 1,000 yards of a school

€ Marvin G. Meredith, age 39, Ridgewood Avenue, Monticello, first degree

trafficking in a controlled substance and second degree trafficking in a

controlled substance

  € William F. "Bill" Norris, age 25, Second Street, Monticello, first

degree trafficking in a controlled substance

€ Tristan E. Parris, age 22, Virginia Avenue, Monticello, first degree

trafficking in a controlled substance and second degree persistent felony

offender

€ Jason R. Piercy, age 22, Lincoln Street, Monticello, one count first

degree trafficking in a controlled substance and three counts second degree

trafficking in a controlled substance

€ Teresa Moreno Roberts, age 26, Monticello, second degree trafficking

in a controlled substance and second degree persistent felony offender

€ Harold Dean Ross, age 41, Ridgewood Trailer Court, Monticello, second

degree trafficking in a controlled substance

€ Jeffrey W. Ross, North Second Street, Monticello, two counts second

degree trafficking in a controlled substance and trafficking in a controlled

substance within 1,000 yards of a school

€ David A. Terry, age 33, Bertram Street, Monticello, first degree

trafficking in a controlled substance and second degree trafficking in a

controlled substance

€ Shanna Denise Tompkins, age 30, Trails End Drive, Monticello, four

counts second degree trafficking in a controlled substance

€ Melinda S. Tucker, age 28, Webster Drive, Monticello, three counts

first degree trafficking in a controlled substance