Published: November 01, 2007 09:56 pm            

Drug raid nets 15 arrests

WELCH — A combined force made up of the McDowell County Sheriff’s Department, the Southern Regional Drug & Violent Crime Task Force and the West Virginia State Police arrested 15 people on charges of “conspiracy to distribute various controlled substances,” according to McDowell County Sheriff Danny Mitchell.

“The arrests today represent the continuation of an investigation into illegal drug trafficking in southern West Virginia by my department and the task force, made up of the West Virginia State Police, the McDowell, Mercer and Wyoming county sheriffs departments, and the Princeton and Bluefield police departments. The on-going investigation is made possible as the result of a grant from Appalachian HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area),” Mitchell said.

The suspects arrested Thursday included Bill Brewster, 55, Kelvin Baker, 36, and Lillian Baker, 32, all three of Raysal, Bill Poore, 61, and Michelle Payne, 29, both of Bradshaw, Danny Payne, 43, of Atwell, Betty Newcomb, 30, Tony Cantrell, 39, and Scotty Mills, 34, all three of Davy, Joe Williams, 46, and Steven Harvey, 29, both of Gary, Jason Bolen, 27, of Jenkinjones, Ricky Justice, 41, of Premier, and David Bishop, 43, and Nadine Davis, 54, both of Welch.

Mitchell said that authorities executed 15 of 23 warrants and said that they hope to arrest the others named in warrants in the coming days. He said one of the suspects is in custody in another state, but he did not release that suspect’s name with the others who were arrested.

The raids began at 7:30 a.m., Thursday and continued until early afternoon.

— Contact Bill Archer at barcher@bdtonline.com

        

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