Published: July 23, 2009 09:34 pm      

Regional officers nab 44 in drug roundup

TAZEWELL, Va. — Law enforcement agencies of southwestern Virginia joined forces to take a bite out of the Tazewell County, Va., illegal drug trade, and announced that a Tazewell County grand jury has returned 46 indictments naming 44 individuals, charging them with 221 counts involving drugs, illegal weapons possession and other charges.

“This was one of our larger drug roundups,” Tazewell County Commonwealth Attorney Dennis Lee said. “What we are seeing during the last several years in Tazewell County is that the prescription drugs are coming into the county from outside the area. When the OxyContin crisis began, most of the pills were coming from drug dealers who were doing local doctor shopping or from doctors who were fooled.

“That’s changed dramatically,” Lee said. “The local medical community has worked hard to prevent that kind of drug abuse. What we’re seeing now is people going to North Carolina, Georgia and Florida and going to these so-called pain clinics where dealers who have medical licenses write prescriptions for these same drugs time and time and time again. The patients are getting 180, 80 milligram OxyContins and selling them back here for $125 a pill. Until we start a national data base of these crimes, we won’t be able to stop it altogether.”

The multi-agency law enforcement agency task force was made up of officers from the Tazewell County Narcotics Task Force, Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office, Richlands Police Department, Tazewell Police Department Bluefield, Va., Police Department, Virginia State Police, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Southern Regional Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force in West Virginia.

“This roundup was successful not only because of the departments that were involved, but also because of the public,” First Sgt. J.A. Ruffin of the Virginia State Police Division 4 Drug Enforcement Section. “Without connections of both law enforcement and the community, a roundup of this size would not be possible.

“I would like to think that the community is getting tired of these drug dealers working in their communities,” Ruffin said. “Drug crimes have a direction to many other crimes in the community including theft of personal property, vandalism and other crimes that hurt more than just the addicts who are the victims but also hurt everyone in the community.”

Ruffin said that the recent rounds of indictments won’t eliminate the illegal drug trade in Tazewell County, “it definitely helps,” he said. “We get some of these major players off the street ... these predators ... and it helps our communities.” The various agencies worked for the past 10 months on the investigation that led to the recent indictments.

“We had a pretty good roundup,” Bluefield, Va., Police Chief Harry Cundiff said. “We got six or seven, and there may be some additional indictments that remain sealed at this time. We scored a hit on the illegal drug trade, but we need to work to eliminate illegal drugs from our communities. Every member of this task force is committed to that,” Cundiff said.

The grand jury returned 46 true bills on July 14, and 43 indictments remained sealed until the suspects were arrested.

— Contact Bill Archer at barcher@bdtonline.com



Those indicted include:

• Michael Harmon Blanton, 50, of Doran, Va.: Distribution of Hydrocodone, a Schedule III Controlled Substance (three counts); Attempted Distribution of Hydrocodone, a Schedule III Controlled Substance; and Conspiracy to Sell or Distribute Hydrocodone, a Schedule III Controlled Substance

• Vickie Maria Byrd AKA Vickie Marie Rose, 36, of Doran, Va.: Possession of Oxycodone, a Schedule II Controlled Substance; Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Possession of a Firearm while in Possession of a Controlled Substance

• Jonathan Lawrence Centers, 25, of Gastonia, N.C.: Conspiracy to Sell or Distribute Hydrocodone, a Schedule III Controlled Substance; Distribution of Hydrocodone, a Schedule III Controlled Substance

• Lawrence Edward Christian AKA Larry Christian, 50, of Tazewell, Va.: Conspiracy to Sell or Distribute Oxycodone, a Schedule II Controlled Substance; Distribution of Oxycodone, a Schedule II Controlled Substance; Possession with Intent to Distribute Oxycodone, a Schedule II Controlled Substance

• Brittany Paige Clayburne, 22, of Cedar Bluff, Va.: Possession of Oxycodone, a Schedule II Controlled Substance

• Eric Wayne Cox, 32, of North Tazewell, Va.: Conspiracy to Sell or Distribute Hydrocodone, a Schedule III Controlled Substance (Two Counts); Distribution of Hydrocodone, a Schedule III Controlled Substance (Two Counts)

• Mark Bradley Davis, 46, of Red Ash, Va.: Conspiracy to Sell or Distribute Oxycodone, a Schedule II Controlled Substance (Two Counts); Distribution of Oxycodone, a Schedule II Controlled Substance (Two Counts); Criminal Solicitation

• Ray Wesley Fields Jr., 27, of Richlands, Va.: Distribution of Hydrocodone, a Schedule III Controlled Substance

• Andre Philip Flack, 28, of Bluefield, Va.: Sale or Distribution of Marijuana (Three Counts)

• Angel Jean Gruver AKA Angel Jean Fields, 25, of Richlands, Va.: Distribution of an Imitation Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Sell or Distribute Morphine, a Schedule II Controlled Substance; Distribution of Morphine, a Schedule II Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Sell or Distribute Hydrocodone, a Schedule III Controlled Substance; Distribution of Hydrocodone, a Schedule III Controlled Substance

• Toni Leigh Hatfield, 37, Tazewell, Va.: Sale or Distribution of Marijuana

• Douglas Lee Hunnell Jr. AKA “Peanut,” 39, of Cedar Bluff, Va.: Conspiracy to Sell or Distribute Morphine, a Schedule II Controlled Substance; Distribution of Morphine, a Schedule II Controlled Substance

• Michael Ryan Hurt, 23, of Raven, Va.: Conspiracy to Sell or Distribute Oxycodone, a Schedule II Controlled Substance; Distribution of Oxycodone, a Schedule II Controlled Substance; Distribution of Methadone, a Schedule II Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Sell or Distribute Hydrocodone, a Schedule III Controlled Substance; Distribution of Hydrocodone, a Schedule III Controlled Substance

• James Curtis Hylton, 64, of Richlands, Va.: Conspiracy to Sell or Distribute Oxycodone, a Schedule II Controlled Substance; Distribution of Oxycodone, a Schedule II Controlled Substance

• Laurie Ann Johnson, 45, of Abbs Valley, Va.: Possession of Marijuana (Misdemeanor)

• William Lucian Johnson Jr. AKA “Will,” 37, of Bluefield, Va.: Distribution of Cocaine, a Schedule II Controlled Substance (Four Counts)

• Douglas Reed Lombart, 59, of Roanoke, Va.: Possession of Marijuana (Misdemeanor)

• Freddie Lane Maggard, 51, of Richlands, Va.: Distribution of Oxycodone, a Schedule II Controlled Substance, Second Offense

• Justin Blake Maggard, 22, of Richlands, Va.: Prescription Forgery; Uttering a Forged Prescription; Prescription Fraud; Conspiracy to Sell or Distribute Oxycodone, a Schedule II Controlled Substance; Distribution of Oxycodone, a Schedule II Controlled Substance

• Joshua Ryan Payne, 26, of Cedar Bluff, Va.: Conspiracy to Sell or Distribute Oxycodone, a Schedule II Controlled Substance; Distribution of Oxycodone, a Schedule II Controlled Substance

• William Robert Peak, 31, of Richlands, Va.: Possession of Oxycodone, a Schedule II Controlled Substance

• Lawrence Allen Rife, 51, of Richlands, Va.: Conspiracy to Sell or Distribute Oxycodone, a Schedule II Controlled Substance; Distribution of Oxycodone, a Schedule II Controlled Substance

• Steve Arlin Viney II, 22, of Tazewell, Va.: Conspiracy; Possession with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine, a Schedule II Controlled Substance; Obstruct Justice; Possession of Marijuana (Misdemeanor); Distribution of Schedule Controlled Substances to a Minor (Four Counts); Threats over the Telephone (Misdemeanor); Criminal Solicitation; Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor (Misdemeanor)

• Ryan Stuart Wade, 24, of Abingdon, Va.: Possession of Oxycodone, a Schedule II Controlled Substance

• Misty Michelle Whitt, 34, of Rowe, Va.: Prescription Fraud (Twenty-seven Counts); Medicaid Fraud (Ten Counts)