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More meth than marijuana submitted to TBI labs in 2019

Posted at 3:07 pm January 13, 2020
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

More methamphetamine than marijuana was submitted to Tennessee Bureau Investigation crime laboratories in 2019, a sign of a troubling drug trend, the TBI said Monday.

It’s the first time that’s happened since TBI crime laboratories began keeping detailed statistics, a press release said.

“Drug addiction continues to be a major issue in Tennessee, and I believe this sharp increase in methamphetamine has a connection to our state’s ongoing opioid epidemic,” said TBI Director David Rausch. “Drug abusers often flow from depressants to stimulants and back again. As more people struggle with opioid addiction many of them will—with time—seek out stimulants like methamphetamine. Unfortunately, those who run drug operations, often based outside the United States, know there’s an increased demand here. Alongside our local, state, and federal partners, we’ll keep doing what we can to dismantle these operations, but we’d also urge anyone struggling with drug problems to get help before addiction costs you your life.”

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Police and Fire, Tennessee, Top Stories Tagged With: David Rausch, drug abuse, Marie Williams, marijuana, meth, methamphetamine, opioid, TBI, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Dangerous Drugs Task Force, Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Tommy Farmer

For members: Man charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, heroin, meth

Posted at 11:41 am January 12, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

 

Joshua Andrew Koch

 

A 42-year-old Anderson County man is facing federal charges of conspiring to distribute cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine after a search of a home in Claxton in July allegedly found about 230 grams of a white, crystal-like substance thought to be methamphetamine and roughly 69.5 grams of a brown powder substance suspected to be heroin, according to state and federal court records.

The defendant has also been charged with federal financial and firearms crimes, and he has seven co-defendants in the case, although the charges vary by defendant.

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Filed Under: Anderson County, Courts, Front Page News, Police and Fire, Premium Content, Tennessee, Top Stories, U.S., United States Tagged With: Anderson County General Sessions Court, Brianna J. Espinoza, cocaine, conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute, controlled substance, drug trafficking, firearm, grand jury, heroin, indictment, Jose O. Carrillo-Monterrosas, Joshua Andrew Koch, Kevin D. Green, Kristi M. Dixon, Maria L. Hightower, methamphetamine, money laundering, Neal Baldwin, Ricky D. Stinnett, Shannon R. Sisk, TBI, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, U.S. District Court

For members: Man sentenced to more than 12 years on federal meth conspiracy charge

Posted at 4:33 am January 6, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

 

Samuel McCoy Wade

 

An Oak Ridge man was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to a federal charge of conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

The rest of this story, which you will find only on Oak Ridge Today, is available if you are a member: an advertiser, sponsor, or subscriber to Oak Ridge Today.

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Note: Most news stories on Oak Ridge Today are free, brought to you by Oak Ridge Today with help from our advertisers, sponsors, and subscribers. Some are considered premium content. This story is premium content. Premium content can include in-depth, investigative, and exclusive stories. These stories generally take more than four hours to report, write, and publish.

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Filed Under: Anderson County, Courts, Front Page News, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Premium Content, Top Stories, United States Tagged With: Anderson County General Sessions Court, Anderson County grand jury, conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, Dan Freytag, methamphetamine, Oak Ridge Police Department, Pamela L. Reeves, Samuel Wade, Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force Oak Ridge Police Department, U.S. District Court

Meth, conspiracy charges dismissed after warrantless search

Posted at 12:39 pm January 2, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

William Michael Renfro
William Michael Renfro

Citing a warrantless search, an Anderson County judge has dismissed drug and conspiracy charges in a case where police allegedly found 45.1 grams of methamphetamine in a backpack in an Oak Ridge motel room in May.

“I hate to dismiss serious charges,” said Roger Miller, judge of the Anderson County General Sessions Court, Division II, in Oak Ridge. But, he added, “I don’t think the proof would hold up.”

Suggesting that a search warrant should have been obtained, Miller said he is accessible and signs many search warrants.

The two people charged in the case had been William Michael Renfro, 18, of Oak Ridge, and Carlie Alise Wisman, 22, also of Oak Ridge.

Renfro had been charged with manufacturing, selling, delivering, or possessing a schedule II controlled substance (the 45.1 grams of meth), a Class A felony; criminal conspiracy, a Class B felony; manufacturing, selling, delivering, or possessing a schedule IV controlled substance (9.5 grams of marijuana), a Class D felony; and possession of a firearm (a Ruger Security Six .357 revolver with six rounds) during the commission of or attempt to commit a dangerous felony, a Class D felony.

All four of those charges were dismissed after a preliminary hearing for Renfro in Anderson County General Sessions Court on Thursday, December 12. During a preliminary hearing, a judge can hear from witnesses, victims, and police officers, and determine whether there is probable cause to send the charges to the Anderson County Grand Jury.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Courts, Front Page News, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: Adam Fairbanks, Anderson County General Sessions Court, Carlie Alise Wisman, criminal conspiracy, Kevin Angel, manufacturing selling delivering or possessing a Schedule II controlled substance, manufacturing selling delivering or possessing a Schedule IV controlled substance, methamphetamine, Oak Ridge Police Department, possession of a firearm, preliminary hearing, Roger Miller, search warrant, warrantless search, William Michael Renfro

For members: AC man accused of trying to kill deputy also faces federal charges

Posted at 12:25 pm October 17, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

 
Charles Mason Preliminary Hearing July 25 2019

One count of attempted first-degree murder and five aggravated assault charges filed against Charles Edward Mason, 52, of Anderson County, were sent to the grand jury after a preliminary hearing in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Clinton on Thursday, July 25, 2019. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

KNOXVILLE—An Anderson County man who has two previous homicide convictions and has been accused in state court of trying to kill a deputy this year now faces federal drug and gun charges that could result, depending upon the circumstances, in a lifelong prison sentence.

The rest of this story, which you will find only on Oak Ridge Today, is available if you are a member: an advertiser, sponsor, or subscriber to Oak Ridge Today.

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If you prefer to send a check, you may do so by mailing one to:

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Oak Ridge, TN 37831

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Note: Most news stories on Oak Ridge Today are free, brought to you by Oak Ridge Today with help from our advertisers, sponsors, and subscribers. Some are considered premium content. This story is premium content. Premium content can include in-depth, investigative, and exclusive stories. These stories generally take more than four hours to report, write, and publish.

Thank you for reading Oak Ridge Today!

Filed Under: Anderson County, Courts, Courts, Front Page News, Police and Fire, Premium Content, Slider, United States Tagged With: Anderson County Sheriff's Department, attempted murder, Benjamin G. Sharp, Bruce Guyton, Charles Edward Mason, drug trafficking, federal charges, felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, LaToyia Carpenter, methamphetamine, Pamela L. Reeves, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. District Court

Warrants: Police find about three ounces of suspected meth

Posted at 10:12 am September 24, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Otis Kevin Aslinger
Otis Kevin Aslinger

Two men have been charged with a Class A felony drug crime after police allegedly found about three ounces of suspected methamphetamine during a search of a vehicle in Oak Ridge in August, according to court records.

Warrants filed in the case said the vehicle, a pickup truck, was searched after agents of the Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force and officers of the Oak Ridge Police Department conducted surveillance along South Illinois Avenue at about 6 p.m. Monday, August 5.

“A black Chevrolet step-side pickup truck was observed pulling into the parking lot of Big Lots (at) 250 South Illinois Avenue,” the warrants said. “The female driver of the vehicle parked while a male passenger exited and got into the passenger side of a newer model Ford F-150 pickup.”

Agents identified both the driver of the F-150 and the passenger, according to the warrants, which were filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge by CTF Agent S. Perry Lewis.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Anderson County, Courts, Front Page News, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County General Sessions Court, criminal conspiracy, CTF, drug crime, drug-free school zone, manufacturing selling delivering or possessing methamphetamine, meth, methamphetamine, Oak Ridge Police Department, ORPD, Otis Kevin Aslinger, Perry Lewis, probation violation, Rayshawn Lee Freeman, Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force, Timothy Buckner

Anderson County man arrested after search allegedly finds meth, heroin

Posted at 11:26 am September 13, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Steven Arthur Seiber
Steven Arthur Seiber

An Anderson County man has been charged with five drug-related crimes after a search of a home near Rocky Top in February found large amounts of suspected methamphetamine, heroin, and other drugs.

Steven Arthur Seiber, 30, has been charged with manufacturing, delivering, or selling a Schedule II controlled substance: 300 grams or more of methamphetamine. That’s a Class A felony in Tennessee.

Affidavits, which include short narratives describing alleged crimes, said the Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force in Anderson County found about 18 bags (roughly 18 ounces) of suspected crystal methamphetamine in the master bedroom of a home on Andys Ridge Road during a search Wednesday night, February 13. (There are 28.35 grams per ounce.)

Agents also found about 21 bags (roughly 21 grams) of suspected heroin in the master bedroom, according to the affidavits, which were filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge by CTF Director Simon Byrne.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Anderson County, Courts, Front Page News, Police, Police and Fire, Slider Tagged With: Anderson County General Sessions Court, crystal methamphetamine, CTF, Dave Clark, heroin, Kenneth Woods, manufacturing delivering or selling a Schedule I controlled substance, manufacturing delivering or selling a Schedule II controlled substance, manufacturing delivering or selling a Schedule III controlled substance, methamphetamine, narcotics, prescription pills, Russell Barker, Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force, Simon Byrne, Steven Arthur Seiber

Two charged with conspiracy after 45 grams of meth allegedly found in motel room

Posted at 11:00 am August 30, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

William Michael Renfro
William Michael Renfro

An Oak Ridge man and woman are facing drug and conspiracy charges after 45.1 grams of methamphetamine were allegedly found in a motel room on South Illinois Avenue in May, according to court records.

Charged in the case are William Michael Renfro, 18, and Carlie Alise Wisman, 22.

Carlie Alise Wisman
Carlie Alise Wisman

A black backpack with 45.1 grams of methamphetamine was found in a room at Days Inn on May 7, according to affidavits filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court by Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Adam Fairbanks.

Video from a surveillance camera showed Renfro entering the motel room with the black backpack, and another video showed him leaving the room without the backpack, Fairbanks wrote in the affidavits. Affidavits are narrative descriptions of alleged crimes that are attached to arrest warrants.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Courts, Front Page News, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: Adam Fairbanks, Anderson County General Sessions Court, Carlie Alise Wisman, criminal conspiracy, manufacturing selling delivering or possessing a Schedule II controlled substance, manufacturing selling delivering or possessing a Schedule IV controlled substance, meth, methamphetamine, Oak Ridge Police Department, William Michael Renfro

CTF: Meth, narcotics found during Friday morning searches

Posted at 10:57 am May 31, 2019
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Roughly an ounce of methamphetamine and other narcotics were found during searches on Ridgeview Drive in Oliver Springs on Friday morning, May 31, 2019, law enforcement officers said. (Photo courtesy Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force)

Roughly an ounce of methamphetamine and other narcotics were found during Friday morning searches on Ridgeview Drive in Oliver Springs, law enforcement officers said.

The searches were led by the Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force, which had three search warrants. The search operation included the CTF, Oliver Springs Police Department, Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, and Oak Ridge Police Department, a press release said.

ACSO and ORPD SWAT executed two of the three search warrants at the same time, the press release said. The third search warrant was executed shortly after the first two were clear, the release said.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Front Page News, Oak Ridge, Oliver Springs, Police and Fire Tagged With: ACSO, Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, CTF, drug charges, Kenneth Morgan, methamphetamine, narcotics, Oak Ridge Police Department, Oliver Springs, Oliver Springs Police Department, ORPD, OSPD, Ridgeview Drive, search warrants, Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force

Warrants: Man charged with attempted murder after pointing gun at deputy, pulling trigger

Posted at 11:42 pm May 21, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Charles Edward Mason

An Anderson County man is facing 24 charges, including attempted murder, after he allegedly showed a gun, threatened several people, refused to let two of them call for help, and pointed the weapon at responding deputies and pulled the trigger twice, officers said.

The gun did not fire after Charles Edward Mason, 51, pointed it at a deputy because Mason’s T-shirt got caught in the gun, according to arrest warrants filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Clinton by Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Jake Stone.

The charges filed against Mason include:

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Anderson County, Courts, Front Page News, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, Anderson County Detention Facility, Anderson County General Sessions Court, Anderson County Sheriff's Department, attempted first-degree murder, Black Oak Road, Charles Edward Mason, drug violations, Jake Stone, methamphetamine

CTF search finds meth, heroin, pills in Briceville

Posted at 11:42 am February 20, 2019
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

A search by law enforcement officers at a home in Briceville on Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019, found large amounts of methamphetamine and heroin and hundreds of prescription pills, and charges are pending, a press release said. (Photo courtesy Anderson County Sheriff's Department)

A search by law enforcement officers at a home in Briceville on Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019, found large amounts of methamphetamine and heroin, and hundreds of prescription pills, and charges are pending, a press release said. (Photo courtesy Anderson County Sheriff’s Department)

 

A search by law enforcement officers at a home in Briceville last week found large amounts of methamphetamine and heroin, and hundreds of prescription pills, a press release said. Charges are pending, the release said.

The Seventh Judicial Crime Task Force in Anderson County, which had search warrants, searched the home on Wednesday, February 13, according to a press release from the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department.

The search warrants led to the discovery of one pound and two ounces of methamphetamine, 21 grams of heroin, and hundreds of prescription pills, the press release said. The suspect and owner of the property where the search warrants were served was located and interviewed, the release said. The approximate street value of the narcotics was $53,000.

The suspect was not identified in the press release. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Front Page News, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County Sheriff's Department, Briceville, Dave Clark, heroin, methamphetamine, narcotics, prescription pills, Russell Barker, Seventh Judicial Crime Task Force

CTF: 53 grams of suspected meth found in hotel room search

Posted at 11:56 am December 3, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Bobby M. Baucum

Bobby M. Baucum

 

About 53 grams of suspected crystal methamphetamine were found during a hotel room search in Clinton in October, authorities said.

Bobby M. Baucum, 47, of Knoxville, was arrested after the search, which was led by the Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force of Anderson County, according to Anderson County court and jail records. Baucum was charged with possession of schedule II drugs (methamphetamine) for sale and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Baucum had been using a hotel room at the Red Roof Inn and Suites on Buffalo Road in Clinton, according to affidavits filed by Jonathan Wilson of the Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force. Officers, who had a search warrant, searched the room on October 3, the affidavits said.

The search of the hotel room found the roughly 53 grams of suspected meth and a digital scale and plastic bags, Wilson said in the affidavits. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Front Page News, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County, Anderson County General Sessions Court, Anderson County Sheriff's Department, Bobby M. Baucum, crystal methamphetamine, Jonathan Wilson, meth, methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of Schedule II drugs for sale, Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force, Zach Bates

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Classifieds

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AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

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Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) is a non-profit community based agency, … [Read More...]

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