PICKENS COUNTY — The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office announced the results of a sweeping drug operation last week that landed 40 people in jail on a multitude of drug charges and left 16 with warrants out for their arrests.

Operation “Community Response,” initiated in the fall of 2014, was conceived to “to identify and target individuals involved in the illegal possession and/or distribution of illicit drugs (predominantly methamphetamine) within Pickens County through the use of undercover agents and various surveillance techniques.”

Pickens County Sheriff Rick Clark held a press conference last Thursday to announce the results of the drug operation.

“This program began in the fall of 2014 and is based on a commitment to patrol and protect our communities and these roundups are part of that. I made a promise when I took office and that is what we’re doing,” Clark said. “The community’s involvement has been outstanding and their response to our efforts, especially our Community Action Teams (CAT) who are patrolling these communities daily and has been a big part of our success in this initial stage.”

The initial phase was completed “in accordance with the Sheriff’s Office goal to identify those individuals that are involved in the illegal drug trade within Pickens County, this phase of the overall strategy was to identify the end user that is providing the ‘demand’ to the dealer that is facilitating the ‘supply’.”

The PCSO worked in conjunction with the U.S. Marshal’s Task Force, Easley Police Department and the S.C. Department of Probation and Parole.

As of Nov. 9, 40 people had been arrested and 16 were still being sought. Clark asked for the community’s help in locating these individuals. (See list at bottom of story.)

“Community Response” focused on the end user in an effort to curtail crimes against property owners through theft and burglary and also to begin the process of tracing supplies of narcotics, with specific attention being paid to methamphetamines.

“We focused on the user in this first phase because they are preying on our residents in order to support their habit by stealing to buy narcotics,” Clark said. “Meth is destroying families and the health of the people using it. Thirty eight of the charges were felonies and we’re supposed to be arresting the offenders. As I said before, we made a commitment to this community and this is the first step.”

Between July 2014 and October 2015, the PCSO CAT teams, comprised of five deputies and one sergeant, made 153 cases of possession of methamphetamines, two involving heroin, fie involving cocaine, 88 marijuana cases, 36 involving controlled substances, and 24 incidents of possession of stolen property.

Moving violations that attributed to some of these cases resulted in 299 incidents of driving under suspension or driving while intoxicated in one form or another.

“When a call comes in one of the members of the CAT team shows up at that front door and asks what’s going on in that community. No one knows better what’s happening than the folks that live there and they are responding,” Clark said. “Now if someone sees a car in and out 30 times in a day to a residence they know it’s a red flag. It hasn’t taken long for our residents to see what we are doing here and get on board.”

Clark asked the community to reach out if they know of an individual’s whereabouts. Individuals with information may contact the PCSO at 864-898-5500 or 888-CRIMESC.

The following people were charged:

• Jennifer Diane Bagwell, 142 Denise Road, Easley, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance. Bond: $3,000 personal recognizance on both charges. Status: Released from jail

• Marcie Etrulia Brooks, 5648 Moorefield Memorial Hwy, Liberty, possession of a controlled substance. Bond: $1,000 personal recognizance. Status. Released from jail.

• Nicole Diane Burrell, Nicole Diane, 555 Golden Creek Road, Liberty, distribution of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine (second offense). Bond: $10,000 surety on the distribution charge and $5,000 surety on the second charge. Status: Released from jail.

• Justin Allen Chappell, 396 Robert P. Jeans Road, Easley, possession of methamphetamine. Bond: $3,000 personal recognizance. Status: Released from jail.

• Kris Clark, 266 Hunting Hollow Road, Six Mile, distribution of methamphetamine. Bond: $15,000 surety. Status: In jail.

• Jessica Louise Davis, 414 Friendship Drive, Seneca, possession of a controlled substance and possession of methamphetamine. Bond: $3,000 PR on the controlled substance charge, $1,000 PR on the methamphetamine charge: Status: Released from jail.

• Tommy Allen Davis, 223 Sunny Lane, Pickens, possession of methamphetamine, third offense. Bond: $2,000 surety. Status: Released from jail.

• Brian Lee Dodgens, 221 Tommys Trail, Pickens, possession of methamphetamine, second offense. Bond: $5,000 PR bond. Status: Released from jail.

• Jackie Lamar Dodgins, Jackie Lamar, 555 Golden Creek Road, Liberty, distribution of methamphetamine. Bond: $15,000 surety. Status: Released from jail.

• Kieky Dawn Durham-Williams, 8226 Moorefield Memorial Highway, Liberty, possession of methamphetamine and bench warrant (Magistrate’s Court). Bond: $3,000 PR on the drug charge and $1,000 cash on the bench warrant. Status: Released from jail.

• William Timothy Gantt, 108 Elm St., Pickens, possession of methamphetamine, second offense, three charges. Bond: $2,500 surety on each charge. Status: Released from jail.

• Sommer Leigh Goss, 102 Garden Drive, Apt. #76, Pickens, possession of methamphetamine. Bond: $3,000 PR. Status: Released from jail.

• Steven Douglas Graham, 721 Mountain Estates Road, Pickens, possession of a controlled substance. Bond: $5,000 PR. Status: Released from jail.

• Roger Brian Hembree, 194 Barr Road, Easley, possession of methamphetamines. Bond: $3,000 PR. Status: Released from jail.

• Travis Michell Hendricks, 250 Windy Hill Road, Central, possession of methamphetamine. Bond: $3,000 PR. Status: Released from jail.

• Joy Mary Hurley, 223 Sunny Lane, Pickens, possession of methamphetamine, third offense. Bond: $20,000 surety. Status: Released from jail.

• Blake Marvin Johnson, 184 Pine Cliff Drive, Seneca, possession of a controlled substance, second offense. Bond: $3,000 PR. Status: Released from jail.

• Terence Gene Johnson, 102 Garden Drive, Apt. #6, Pickens, possession of methamphetamines. Bond: $3,000 PR. Status: In jail.

• Laura Jean Jones, 103 Effie Court, Liberty, possession of methamphetamine and bench warrant. Bond: $3,000 PR on the drug charge and $210 cash on the bench warrant: Status: Released from jail.

• Mark Donald Karr, 3 Hedgepath Road, Liberty, distribution of methamphetamine, second offense. Bond: $20,000 surety. Status: Released from jail.

• Ronald Eugene Kelley, 1106 Gentry Memorial Highway, Easley, possession of methamphetamine. Bond: $5,000 PR. Status: Released from jail.

• Terri Ellen Lawson, 218 Georges Creek Road, Easley, possession of crack cocaine, possession of marijuana and probation violation. Bond: $5,000 surety on each charge. Status: Released from jail.

• Carla Shawn Morgan, 414 Friendship Road, Seneca, possession of methamphetamine. $Bond: $3,000 PR. Status: Released from jail.

• Lindsey Brooke Morgan, 669 Five Forks Road, Liberty, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamines. Bond: $15,000 surety. Status: Released from jail.

• Charles Junior Mosley, 1506 Old Greenville Highway, Liberty, possession of a controlled substance (second offense), possession of methamphetamine (second offense) and possession of cocaine (second offense). Bond: $1,000 surety on the controlled substance charge, $2,000 surety on the methamphetamine charge and $2,000 on the cocaine charge. Status: Released from jail.

• Jennifer Tracy Gillespie Mowen, 300 Longview Terrace, Easley, distribution of methamphetamines. Bond: $20,000 PR. Status: Released from jail.

• Christopher Eugene Nichols, 209 Welby Way, Liberty, distribution of methamphetamine, second offense. Bond: $20,000 surety. Status: Released from jail.

• Eddie Coleman Powell, 210 Avis Lane, Liberty, possession of a controlled substance and possession of methamphetamine, second offense. Bond: $1,000 PR on the controlled substance charge and $5,000 on the methamphetamine charge. Status: In jail. Powell was already being held within the Pickens County Jail on unrelated drug charges from Liberty Police Dept.

• James Doyce Reeves, 8809 Moorefield Memorial Highway, Liberty, distribution of methamphetamine. Bond: $15,000 surety. Status: Released from jail.

• Johnny Clifford Reeves, 414 Friendship Road, Seneca, possession of methamphetamine. Bond: $3,000 PR. Status: Released from jail.

• Christopher Robert Robinson, 103 Penrose Circle, Pickens, distribution of methamphetamine, two counts. Bond: $7,500 surety on each. Status: Released from jail.

• Betty Jean Shirley, 555 Golden Creek Road, Liberty, distribution of methamphetamine, third offense, two counts. Bond: $30,000 surety on one and $10,000 surety on the second. Status: In jail.

• Jonathan Keith Simmons, 462 Person Road, Easley, distribution of methamphetamine, two counts of distribution of a controlled substance, and one count of distribution of a controlled substance within a half mile of a public park. Bond: $10,000 surety on the methamphetamine charge, $2,500 surety on each controlled substance charge, and $5,000 surety on the fourth distribution charge. Status: Released from jail.

• Gregory Paul Simon Jr., 396 Robert P. Jeans Road, Easley, distribution of methamphetamine (second offense), bench warrant from Family Court and bench warrant from Magistrate Court. Bond: $20,000 on the drug charge, $1,270 cash on the Magistrate Court warrant and no bond on the Family Court warrant. Status: In jail.

• Jeffrey Lavern Stone, 131 Mt. View Church Road, Pickens, possession of methamphetamine, second offense, and unlawful carry of a pistol. Bond: $5,000 surety on the drug charge and $5,000 surety on the weapons charge. Status: Released from jail.

• Alvin Clark Sutton Jr., 109 Argonne Drive, Easley, distribution of marijuana (third offense), possession with intent to distribute marijuana (third offense), and three counts of possession of a controlled substance (second offense). Bond: $10,000 surety on the distribution of marijuana charge $10,000 surety on the intent to distribute charge, $2,000 on one possession of a controlled substance charge and $1,500 surety on the other two. Status: Released from jail.

• Toni Leigh Trent, 101 Mom Lane, Pickens, possession of methamphetamine. Bond: $3,000 personal recognizance. Status: Released from jail.

• Corey Glenn Whiten, 115 Brookway Drive, Easley, distribution of methamphetamine, second offense. Bond: Pending. Status: Currently in the SCDC on other convictions.

• Kristy Lynn Hendricks, 125-A Roper St., Easley, possession of methamphetamine, second offense. Status: Released from jail. Bond not known.

• Cameron Nicole Lecroy, 113 Copperhead Lane, Pickens, possession of methamphetamine. Status: Released from jail. Bond not known.

Those still at large and their charges are:

• Eric Lee Bailey, 40, of Greenville, possession of methamphetamine

• Jimmy Wayne Benton Jr., 29, of Easley, possession of methamphetamine

• Albert Vernon Catoe, 28, of Easley, distribution of methamphetamine

• Dustin Williams Collins, 34, of Cleveland, possession of methamphetamine

• Zachary Allen Donald, 25, Six Mile, trafficking methamphetamine (third offense), possession of marijuana, possession of firearm during violent crime and unlawful carrying of a firearm

• Matthew Shane Durham, 23, of Pickens, possession of methamphetamine

• Craig Allen Gayheart, 40, of Easley, possession of methamphetamine

• Philip Ernest Gilbert, 29, of Liberty, possession of methamphetamine

• Jonathan C. Grover, 34, of Taylors, possession of methamphetamine

• Frances Elizabeth Holder, 48, of Easley, possession of methamphetamine

• Felicia Christine Kersey, 30, of Easley, possession of methamphetamine

• Laci Kay Meadows, 21, of Liberty, possession of methamphetamine and possession of controlled substance

• Cathy Michelle McAlister, 41, of Pickens, possession of methamphetamine

• Robert Franklin Miller Jr., 27, of Pickens, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

• Lewis Ray Steward, 24, of Westminster, distribution of marijuana

• Whitfield, Bobby Allen Whitfield, 27, of Anderson, distribution of marijuana

Pickens County Sheriff Rick Clark announced the conclusion last week of the first phase of operation “Community Response,” a year-long investigation that resulted in 56 people being charged with various drug offenses.
http://pickenssentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_IMG_97261.jpgPickens County Sheriff Rick Clark announced the conclusion last week of the first phase of operation “Community Response,” a year-long investigation that resulted in 56 people being charged with various drug offenses. D. C. Moody | The Pickens Sentinel

A map of Pickens County displayed during last week’s press conference announcing the results of the first phase of operation “Community Response.” Each red marker signifies the location for one of the 79 incidents resulting in a person being charged.
http://pickenssentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_IMG_97281.jpgA map of Pickens County displayed during last week’s press conference announcing the results of the first phase of operation “Community Response.” Each red marker signifies the location for one of the 79 incidents resulting in a person being charged. D. C. Moody | The Pickens Sentinel

By D. C. Moody

dmoody@civitasmedia.com

Reach D. C. Moody at 864-855-0355.