19 from area arrested in drug round-up
Nineteen residents living in Hartselle and surrounding areas of Morgan County were arrested Thursday during a Morgan County Drug Task Force roundup of suspects mostly wanted for purchasing more than the legal limit of pseudoephedrine.
In a press release, Morgan County Sheriff Ana Franklin said this raid is to help crack down on manufacturing methamphetamine.
“This is one of the promises that I set when I came into the Sheriff’s Office to help clean up the meth problem and that is exactly what we are doing,” Franklin said in a statement. “I want the people in our county that are making meth to know that Morgan County is not the place for them.”
Officers with Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, Decatur Police Department, Hartselle Police Department, Alabama ABC Board, Morgan County revenue department and the Morgan County District Attorney’s Office all went out with a list of suspects. According to state law, it is illegal to purchase more than 3.6 grams a day or over 9 grams per 30 days of ephedrine base or pseudoephedrine base. The first offense is a misdemeanor and each subsequent offense is a felony.
“This is a new approach for the Morgan County Drug Task Force at attacking the methamphetamine problem,” Franklin said. “We are going after the suspects that have purchased over the legal amount of pseudoephedrine. This is commonly called pseudoephedrine smurfing. Smurfing is a practice of going from pharmacy to pharmacy to purchase the maximum amounts of cold medicine.”
Franklin said nine meth labs were busted in Morgan County Thursday.
“The agents have worked very hard on this detail and I appreciate the help from the local agencies,” Franklin added. “It is going to take some time to execute all of these arrest warrants.”
The following people from our coverage area were arrested during Thursday’s raid:
William Evans, 712 Bethel Rd., Hartselle. Charges: unlawful purchase/possession of pseudoephedrine, 4 counts. Bond: $100,000
Kristen Lovell, 315 Gilchrist St. SW, Hartselle. Charges: unlawful purchase/possession of pseudoephedrine, two counts. Bond: $50,000
William Lovell, 300 Gilchrist St. SW, Hartselle. Charges: unlawful purchase/possession of pseudoephedrine, 3 counts. Bond: $75,000
Debra Monk, 25 Terry Rd., Hartselle. Charges: unlawful purchase/possession of pseudoephedrine, 2 counts. Bond: $50,000
Judy Blevins, 210 Hickory St., Hartselle. Charges: resisting arrest, harassment, obstructing justice. Bond: $1,500
James Lovell, 300 Gilchrist St. SW, Hartselle. Charge: possession of methamphetamine. Bond: $1,000
Xan Marie Cameron, 627 Herman Bailey Rd., Somerville. Charges: unlawful purchase/possession of pseudoephedrine, tresspassing. Bond: $600
Ricky Murphy, 907 Lane Rd., Hartselle. Charges: unlawful purchase/possession of pseudoephedrine, 4 counts. Bond: $100,000
Linda Terry, 590 Mill Creek Rd., Falkville. Charges: unlawful purchase/possession of pseudoephedrine, 4 counts. Bond: $100,000
Cynthia Gay Burgess George, 201 Lindsey Lane SW, Hartselle. Charge: unlawful purchase/possession of pseudoephedrine. Bond: $300
Christy Faye Brown, 1300 Kyle Road NE, Hartselle. Charges: unlawful purchase/posssesion of pseudoephedrine, 2 counts. Bond: $50,000
Brian Allen Goree, 1300 Kyle Road NE, Hartselle. Charges: possession of drug paraphernalia, marijuana possession–second degree. Bond: $600.
Kenney Lamar Taylor, 1474 Highway 67 S, Priceville. Charge: unlawful purchase/possession of pseudoephedrine. Bond:$25,000.
Mary Beth Elledge, 610 Apple Grove Road, Lacey’s Spring. Charge: failure to appear. Bond: $632.
Adrianne Denise Grindle, 1000 Mitwede St. SW. Hartselle. Charges: probation violation – revoked bond, unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia.
Amy Dawn Pike, 49 Roberts Road, Danville. Charges: Unlawful purchase of pseudoephedrine, 3 counts; unlawful possession of a controlled substance, drug paraphernalia. Bond: $77,000.
Jeffrey Michael Wallace, 49 Roberts Road, Danville. Charges: possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of controlled substance - synthetic narcotics. Bond: $2,000.
David Dean Brice, 584 E Lacon Road, Falkville: Charges: unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance – second degree, unlawful purchase of pseudoephrine, two counts; drug paraphernalia. No Bond Set
Karen Jean Brice, 584 E. Lacon Road, Falkville. Charges: possession of drug paraphernalia. Bond: $500.
