CTF finds about 10 grams of suspected heroin in second search of home

 

Law enforcement officers found about 10 grams of suspected heroin in their second search of a home on West Outer Drive in less than two years.

The defendant, James William Donald, 71, told Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force Agent Kenneth Woods that he would “take money from other individuals for the purchase of heroin as well as provide heroin to friends that would visit his residence,” according to arrest warrants filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge in December.

The home on West Outer Drive is within about 75 feet of the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge, according to the warrants.

The most recent search by the Crime Task Force occurred on Thursday, December 20. The CTF had a search warrant to seize all controlled substances, the warrants said.

In the warrants, Woods said agents found about 10 grams of suspected heroin packaged and located in separate locations in the home, with some of the illegal opioid packaged in individual user amounts of roughly 0.1 grams in aluminum foil pouches. Agents also found 12 suspected clonazepam pills, drug paraphernalia, and a loaded handgun, Woods said.

“The suspect stated, post-Miranda, that he would take money from other individuals for the purchase of heroin as well as provide heroin to friends that would visit his residence,” Woods said in affidavits included in the warrants. “The suspect knowingly utilized his residence to keep and supply others with a controlled substance.”

Since the home is less than 1,000 feet from the Children’s Museum, it’s within a Drug Free Zone, the warrants said.

Donald was charged with manufacturing, delivering, selling, or possessing a Schedule I controlled substance, a Class A felony; manufacturing, delivering, selling, or possessing a Schedule IV controlled substance, a Class C felony; maintaining a dwelling, a Class D felony; possessing a firearm during a dangerous felony, a Class D felony; and possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor.

Donald’s bond has been set at $100,000, and he had an arraignment scheduled for Tuesday, January 8. His next court date, a status hearing, is set for January 29 in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge.

The first search of Donald’s home occurred at about 7 a.m. Thursday, July 13, 2017. The CTF and Oak Ridge Police Department executed that search warrant, according to warrants filed in the case.

Donald was identified as one of the adults in the home, said the warrants, filed by CTF Agent Dan Freytag.

The search of the home found controlled substances and prescription (legend) medications possessed without prescriptions, according to the warrants. The controlled substances included alprazolam, clonazepam, morphine 60, and morphine 100, the warrants said. The prescription medications included sulindac, buspirone, quetiapine, atenolol, and tizanidine, according to the warrants.

A CTF agent advised Donald of his Miranda rights verbally and in written form, Freytag said.

“James Donald agreed to talk to agents about this incident and signed the Miranda form,” Freytag said in the affidavits included in the warrants. “Donald stated that he was a heroin addict since returning from Vietnam. He stated that he used a point of heroin a day and that he usually bought two to three grams of heroin a couple times a week. He later admitted to purchasing up to five grams at a time. He stated that he sold some of the heroin to pay for his habit.”

Freytag said he found several used syringes and a spoon lying in the grass where Donald, who had started fidgeting, had been standing next to the home’s porch.

“The syringes had not been there when Donald was brought to the porch area,” Freytag said.

He said Donald was also observed dropping something onto the floor of the home.

“It was found that what Donald had dropped was money that he was trying to hide from agents,” Freytag said. “James Donald stated that he was just trying to keep some money so that he had some when agents left. Also located in his left front pocket was a small glass bottle that contained several pills.”

Agents also found an Armi GT32 .32-caliber semi-automatic pistol inside the vehicle that Donald said he drove to get and bring back heroin to his home, Freytag said.

In that case, Donald was charged with manufacturing, delivering, or selling a Schedule I controlled substance, a Class B felony; manufacturing, delivering, or selling a Schedule II controlled substance, a Class C felony; tampering with evidence, a Class C felony; possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, a Class C felony; maintaining a dwelling for manufacturing, selling, or delivering narcotics, a Class D felony; two counts of manufacturing, delivering, or selling a Schedule IV controlled substance, a Class D felony; five counts of possession of legend drugs without a prescription, a Class A misdemeanor; and possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor.

Donald’s bond in that case had been set at $360,000.

He was released on pre-trial supervision on July 25, 2017, according to court documents.

He was charged with violation of pre-trial release because of the new charges, stemming from the December 20 search, in a order signed January 3 by Anderson County General Sessions Court Judge Roger Miller. Donald’s bond, which remains at $360,000 from the first case, was revoked, the order said.

Donald’s next court hearing in this case is also scheduled for January 29.

Donald remained jailed in the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton on Wednesday morning.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

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