Sheriff: 25 indicted on drug charges

Note: This story was updated at 11:45 a.m.

Twenty-five people were indicted on drug-related charges by an Anderson County Grand Jury in November after investigations by the Sheriff’s Special Operations Unit, authorities said Wednesday.

Deputies have been out making arrests on these indictments while also continuing investigations on related drug activity, Anderson County Sheriff Paul White said in a Wednesday morning press release.

The drug investigations were conducted during the last few months. White said the indictments were for the manufacture, sales, delivery, or possession of illegal drugs, and those indicted either sold to undercover agents or possessed drugs for resale.

“These indictments primarily include charges resulting from sale or possession for resale of prescription or legend drugs, as well as marijuana and methamphetamine-related offenses,” White said.

Of the 25 people indicted, 18 were charged with prescription narcotics offenses, three were marijuana-related, and four were on methamphetamine charges. Twenty-four of those indicted were adults, while one was a 17-year-old, White said.

As of Wednesday, 20 of the 25 people indicted have been arrested by sheriff’s deputies, including one that was already in custody, the sheriff said. He said deputies are continuing to search for the five remaining offenders.

Here is are those indicted, as reported by the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department:

• Tayna Lynn Austin, 30, Vowell Mountain Lane, Rocky Top—manufacturing, delivering, selling, or possessing a controlled substance (Percocet); released (bond information not available)
• James Everette Barnes, 55, South Main Street, Rocky Top—simple possession or casual exchange (marijuana); released on $2,500 bond
• Ray McKinley Cooper, 49, Church Street, Rocky Top—manufacturing, delivering, selling, or possessing a controlled substance (Percocet); violation of a drug-free school zone; jailed on $50,000 bond
• Melissa Deona Mabe Curnutt, 33, transient, Lenoir City—manufacturing, delivering, selling, or possessing a controlled substance (methamphetamine); jailed on $50,000 bond
• Jaime Viola Dews, 37, Hillvale Road, Clinton—manufacturing, delivering, selling, or possessing a controlled substance (oxycodone); released on $50,000 bond
• Tommy Joe Draughn, 19, Charles G. Seivers Boulevard, Clinton—manufacturing, delivering, selling, or possessing a controlled substance (oxycodone); released on $50,000 bond
• Sandra Zee Goodman, 48, Meadow Street, Rocky Top—manufacturing, delivering, selling, or possessing a controlled substance (oxycodone); released on $75,000 bond
• Roy Lynn Harness, 42, Dutch Valley Road, Clinton—manufacturing, delivering, selling, or possessing a controlled substance (marijuana); possession of drug paraphernalia; possession of a firearm in commission of a felony; released on $50,000 bond
• Alma Barber Hegwood, 77, North Main Street, Rocky Top—manufacturing, delivering, selling, or possessing a controlled substance (Percocet); released on $10,000 bond
• Johnny Dwayne Kennedy, 50, Vowell Mountain Lane, Rocky Top—manufacturing, delivering, selling, or possessing a controlled substance (methamphetamine); jailed on $50,000 bond
• Tommy Lynn Long, 42, Jonathan Lane, Oak Ridge—manufacturing, delivering, selling, or possessing a controlled substance (oxycodone); released on $50,000 bond
• Guy Duane Love, 57, Cedar Lane, Rocky Top—manufacturing, delivering, selling, or possessing a controlled substance (hydrocodone); released on $25,000 bond
• Bryan Alexander Maiden, 28, South Main Street, Rocky Top—manufacturing, delivering, selling, or possessing a controlled substance (Suboxane); violation of a drug-free school zone; released on $5,000 bond
• Vickey May Phillips, 47, Vowell Mountain Lane, Rocky Top—manufacturing, delivering, selling, or possessing a controlled substance (oxycodone); released on $50,000 bond
• Rickey Glenn Poore, 32, Wilson Road, Knoxville—manufacturing, delivering, selling, or possessing a controlled substance (hydrocodone); jailed on $25,000 bond
• Matthew Paul Strizak, 32, Old Emory Road, Clinton—manufacturing, delivering, selling, or possessing a controlled substance (oxycodone); jailed on $50,000 bond
• Philip William Vandergriff, 55, Meadow Street, Rocky Top—manufacturing, delivering, selling, or possessing a controlled substance (oxycodone); released on $50,000 bond
• Dale Steven White, 24, Second Street, Rocky Top—manufacturing, delivering, selling, or possessing a controlled substance (Suboxane); (in jail on other charges); jailed/bond drug charges only = $25,000
• John Paul Wyres, 28, Norris Freeway, Rocky Top—manufacturing, delivering, selling, or possessing a controlled substance (methamphetamine); jailed on $50,000 bond

White said the juvenile was charged with a marijuana-related offense.

“These indictments come after hard work by investigators of the Sheriff’s Special Operations Unit,” White said. “The District Attorney General’s Office also spent many hours assisting investigators by preparing and presenting these cases to the Grand Jury.”

The sheriff said many of these cases were from cooperative investigations with other law enforcement agencies. Sixteen of these investigations were with the Rocky Top Police Department, and five were with the 7th Judicial District Crime Task Force.

The 7th Crime Task Force is made up of officers from the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, Clinton Police Department, Oak Ridge Police Department, Oliver Springs Police Department, and Rocky Top Police Department. The Task Force is managed through the District Attorney General’s Office and is made possible by a grant from the State of Tennessee, Office of Criminal Justice Programs.

“Our thanks to those agencies for their valuable part in these investigations,” White said.

He said there are continuing investigations into other related drug cases, and no additional information can be released at this time.

More information will be added as it becomes available.