Drug sting results in 17 indictments

November 23, 2006

By BEN GARRETT
Independent Herald Editor

HUNTSVILLE — A grand jury has returned 17 indictments charging local residents with a variety of drug charges.

Last week, the Independent Herald reported that the Grand Jury had returned 37 indictments during its November term, 17 of which remained sealed due to the accused not being in arrest. Shortly after last week’s press deadline, it was announced that 13 of the 17 indictments had been unsealed as subjects had been taken into arrest. Four of the indictments remain sealed. As it turned out, all 17 of the indictments are in connection to a lengthy undercover drug operation involving multiple jurisdictions.

The drug sting was undertaken by the Oneida Police Department in November 2005, but soon expanded outside the Town of Oneida’s municipal limits. When Scott County Sheriff Anthony Lay took office on September 1, he was made aware of the drug sting by OPD, and the Sheriff’s Department worked with Oneida officers to conduct the ongoing investigation. The sting also involved the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department and the 8th Judicial District Drug Task Force.

In all, the operation — which began in November 2005 — required 11 months of work and resulted in the arrest of nearly two dozen suspects, ultimately ending with the return of 17 indictments by the Grand Jury.

According to law enforcement involved in the operation, a multi-jurisdictional task force began rounding up and arresting the individuals indicted by the Grand Jury on November 10. Over the course of the next several hours, 13 of the 17 persons indicted by the Grand Jury were arrested.

Among those indicted and later arrested were:

• Roger Darryl Bowling, age 48, of Robbins. Bowling was indicted for distributing marijuana and the sale of methamphetamine;

• Willard Elvin Bowling, age 37, of Oneida. Bowling was indicted for the sale of a Schedule IV controlled substance in excess of 0.5 ounce and the sale of a Schedule II controlled substance;

• Marshall Sexton Crabtree, age 54, of Oneida. Crabtree was indicted for the sale of a Schedule III controlled substance;

• Michael E. Gross, age 31, of Oneida. Gross was indicted on two counts of distributing marijuana and the sale of methamphetamine;

• Scott Allen Jeffers, age 33, of Oneida. Jeffers was indicted for the sale of a Schedule IV controlled substance and the sale of methamphetamine;

• George H. Lackey, age 30, of Robbins. Lackey was indicted for the sale of a Schedule III controlled substance, the sale of a Schedule IV controlled substance and the sale of methamphetamine;

• Jason Edward Laxton, age 26, of Oneida. Laxton was indicted for the sale of a Schedule II controlled substance;

• Joshua Lee Orick, age 24, of Oneida. Orick was indicted for distributing marijuana and the sale of a Schedule III controlled substance;

• Ledford Sexton, age 43, of Morgan County. Sexton was indicted for attempt to sell a Schedule II controlled substance and the sale of counterfeit controlled substance;

• Ashley Kay Strunk, age 20, of Oneida. Strunk was indicted on two counts of sale of methamphetamine;

• Russell Lynn Terry, age 50, of Winfield. Terry was indicted on two counts of sale of marijuana and the sale of a Schedule IV controlled substance;

• Kenny Cecil Vanhook, age 24, of Oneida. Vanhook was indicted on two counts of the sale of a Schedule II controlled substance and the sale of a Schedule III controlled substance; and,

• Jackie Doyle Webb, II, age 20. Webb was indicted for the sale of a Schedule II controlled substance.

Several of the suspects were charged with additional offenses as a result of the drug sting.

An indictment is a written charge presented to the Grand Jury by a prosecuting attorney. The Grand Jury returns a “true bill” when it finds sufficient evidence exists to send the matter to criminal court, and a “no true bill” when it finds that such evidence does not exist. All persons indicted remain innocent until proven guilty in court.

It is believed that each of the suspects arrested will be arraigned in criminal court on Monday.

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