The Smithville Police Department recently conducted an undercover drug investigation as well as a joint operation with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department which has resulted in several grand jury sealed indictments and arrests.
Evidence from the undercover operations were presented to the DeKalb County Grand Jury Monday resulting in sealed indictments against fourteen defendants.
Smithville Police Chief Randy Caplinger said he is pleased with the outcome of this effort. “This is one of the first efforts we had on undercover drug buys in a long time with the City of Smithville (police department). It was very successful. We also had a joint operation with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department. I couldn’t ask for anybody better to work with than Sheriff Ray and his detectives. Detective (Matt) Holmes with the City of Smithville (police department) worked diligently on these cases along with his men (officers). We hope to continue this partnership together and work these cases for the people here in DeKalb County and Smithville. On the roundup, we also had assistance form the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. TBI Agent (Billy) Miller from here in DeKalb County was there to assist and we appreciate all the help in this whole operation and the roundup,” said Chief Caplinger.
Sheriff Patrick Ray added that he was happy to work in cooperation with the Smithville Police Department on several of these cases. “This was a joint operation between the Smithville Police Department and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department. We got with them and done undercover drug buys. We’re proud and honored to be able to do that and this is just one of many I hope to do with the City of Smithville (police department). Our last drug round up was done with the City of Alexandria. We want to continue working with our law enforcement agencies in the county, whether its the city or state agencies. I’d like to thank Chief Randy Caplinger and Detective Matt Holmes. Its been a pleasure working with them through all this. We’re excited to get started again doing undercover drug operations with them. We’ve also been working with Detective Holmes on other criminal investigations. My detectives have been working with them. If we can join forces with other law enforcement agencies in the county then it just makes us stronger where we can go out and serve justice to the people and especially the victims here in our county,” said Sheriff Ray.
Those arrested so far in cases made by the Smithville Police Department include the following:
36 year old Andre Wakefield of Foster Road, Smithville- indicted charges of sale and delivery of a schedule II controlled substance (Cocaine). His bond is $60,000.
23 year old Brian Thomason (incarcerated in the DeKalb County Jail)- indicted on charges of sale and delivery of a schedule III controlled substance (Suboxone). His bond is $30,000.
36 year old Christopher Scruggs of Big Hurricane Road, Smithville- indicted on charges of sale and delivery of a schedule II controlled substance (Methamphetamine). His bond is $30,000
39 year old Donald Perry, Jr. of Foster Road, Smithville- indicted on charges of sale and delivery of a schedule II controlled substance (Cocaine). His bond is $30,000.
23 year old Lesley Lawrence of Foster Road, Smithville- indicted on charges of sale and delivery of a schedule II controlled substance (Cocaine). Her bond is $30,000.
Meanwhile those arrested so far in cases made as a result of the joint investigation by the Smithville Police Department and DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department include the following:
28 year old Brandon Gurley of Bell Street, Smithville- indicted on charges of sale and delivery of a schedule II controlled substance ( Methamphetamine). His bond is $30,000.
23 year old Jamie Lee Hodges of Old Bildad Road, Smithville-indicted on charges of sale and delivery of a schedule II controlled substance (Methamphetamine). Her bond is $60,000.
55 year old Susan Jean (Jeana) Brown of East Broad Street, Smithville- indicted on charges of sale and delivery of a schedule II controlled substance (Morphine)
50 year old Terry Lee Price of East Bryant Street, Smithville- indicted on charges of sale and delivery of a schedule II controlled substance (Morphine). His bond is $30,000. In addition to the charges in the indictment, Price was found with drugs on him at the time of his arrest and he was further charged under a state warrant with possession of a schedule II controlled substance (Dilaudid) with intent to resale. His bond is $2,500. Sheriff Ray said that Price had in his front pocket a black pill container which held three dilaudid pills. He also had $383 in cash in denominations of $20’s, $10’s, $5’s, and one dollar bills. Price could not explain how be obtained the money. The cash was seized.
36 year old Sharon Groshon Malone of West Point Road, Smithville- indicted on charges of sale and delivery of a schedule II controlled substance (Morphine) and (Dilaudid). Her bond is $60,000.
All those indicted will appear for arraignment in DeKalb County Criminal Court on Monday, April 11th.
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