Sheriff’s Office Operation ‘SPRING CLEAN’ Results in 48 Charged With Drug Distribution and Firearms Offenses

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…

Tuesday, March 14th, 2017

Sheriff’s Office “Operation SPRING CLEAN”

Sheriff Mitch Ralston Reports:

A long-term counter-drug investigation which began in June, 2016 culminated yesterday and today in the execution of a number of arrest warrants throughout Gordon County. “Operation SPRING CLEAN” resulted in a litany of drug distribution and firearms charges against 48 individuals. The investigation, which spanned several months, concentrated on the distribution of methamphetamine and other Schedule II and Schedule I controlled substances. The case involved hundreds of man-hours of covert and electronic surveillance, and dozens of undercover drug purchases.Over the course of the investigation, Sheriff’s deputies and detectives seized over approximately five pounds of methamphetamine valued at over $112,000.00, as well as a number of illegally held firearms. The following is a list of persons charged in ‘Operation SPRING CLEAN‘ :

(NOTE: Persons listed as “Outstanding” are still at large, and the public is urged to call the Sheriff’s Office or 911 with any information concerning their whereabouts.

ALSO NOTE: the details of the circumstances surrounding the arrests of Michael L. Patton, Michelle McConathy, and Emily Ann Young (August 2016); Courtney Veler (November 2016) ; and Charles Robert Baker and Carl Douglas Towe (November 2016) have been made public in previous Sheriff’s Office press releases which may be found on the official Sheriff’s Office website.

Sheriff Mitch Ralston said, “I want to thank all of my staff members for their very hard work on this case, as well as the citizens who provided the information to us that made these arrests possible. It is sometimes implied or suggested that drug related offenses are somehow “non violent” or “victimless”. However we know that drug abuse, particularly the distribution of illegal drugs, is directly responsible for many other crimes such as assault, battery, family violence, child abuse and neglect, burglaries and thefts of all types, even murder. This is why we will continue to relentlessly pursue and prosecute those who choose to poison our community, and to hold them accountable before the citizens of Gordon County in our court system.