Investigation Nets 14 Drug Arrests

A lengthy Paducah police investigation led to the arrests of 14 McCracken County residents on drug charges Wednesday.
 
13 are charged with drug trafficking. Six other people also face charges.
 
Sgt. Will Gilbert, commander of the Drug and Vice Enforcement Unit, said the individuals taken into custody are street- and mid-level drug dealers.
 
The charges comprise 16 counts of trafficking in cocaine; six counts of trafficking in heroin; five counts of trafficking in the prescription painkiller Lortab; one count of trafficking in MDMA, commonly known as Ecstasy; one count of trafficking in methamphetamine, and one count of possession of cocaine.
 
Gilbert said detectives started investigating cases several months ago, making undercover buys from the suspects and using several informants.
 
DAVE detectives, along with Operations Division officers, K9 units, local Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives agents, and two medics from Mercy Ambulance met for a briefing early Wednesday morning and had arrest warrants by 7 a.m. The suspects were in custody by 2 p.m., police said.
 
26-year-old Phillip Tucker, 57-year-old Oscar Prescott, 32-year-old Dawna Thomas and 28-year-old Kyrus Woodson are charged with three counts of first-degree trafficking in cocaine.
 
Arrested on one count of first-degree trafficking in cocaine were 26-year-old Anthony Nance, 38-year-old Gary McDonald 52-year-old Andre Clark and 53-year-old James Dawson Jr. Dawson also faces charges of three counts of second-degree trafficking in Lortab.
 
31-year-old Christopher Dacre was arrested on a charge of first-degree trafficking in heroin.
 
20-year-old Jason Morris was arrested on six counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance. Five of the counts involve heroin, one count involves MDMA.
 
33-year-old Kellie Brizendine is charged of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, methamphetamine. 40-year-old Gloria Harris and 53-year-old William Prather face one count of second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, Lortab.
 
40-year-old Christopher Scott faces a charge of first-degree possession of cocaine.
 
Police said all the suspects were taken to McCracken County Regional Jail.
 
Two more suspects, 24-year-old Jarelle A. Hill and 58-year-old Joey Walker will also face charges of trafficking.