Articles Posted in Drug Charges

On Saturday, October 10, a teacher at Lee High School in Midland resigned her position as a computer technology teacher after she and her husband were arrested by federal agents for allegedly transporting and distributing methamphetamine. Theresa Renee Stroud, 47, and her husband Stacy Stroud, 52, were arrested by DEA agents and are facing federal charges, according to news reports. DEA spokesman Dente Sorianello stated that more than three ounces of meth was seized.

Midland County Sheriff Gary Painter told news sources that federal officers had been watching the couple for more than 30 days prior to the arrest, and that they did not suspect Stroud of taking drugs into her high school classroom. He went on to say that when she was apprehended, Theresa Stroud had narcotics on her person, and that more were found during the booking process when she was booked into jail.

At the time of news reports, Stroud and her husband were being held at Midland County Jail for the U.S. Marshals Service. Bond had not been set at that time.

On September 29, a 32-year-old Colbert, GA woman was arrested at a home in Comer where police say drug activity is common. According to a news article at Onlineathens.com, Comer Police Chief Dennis Bell said that people end up getting charged with drug crimes every time police are called to the home, located on Gholston Street. Bell said that drastic action may have to be taken to bring the drug activity to a halt.

Bell said that although the homeowner does not live at the location, the homeowner has been notified that an attempt may be made through the courts to seize the property.

In the most recent incident, the homeowner called police claiming that a woman, Kellie Gorman, was refusing to leave the home. Gorman agreed to leave the premises when a police officer arrived. According to Bell, Gorman had no identification other than a piece of paper that was cut out of Madison County Jail booking information. She was on probation, and consented to a search of the property.

Over the weekend, two 19-year-olds were arrested in Perry County in Illinois following a traffic stop in Tamaroa. Both of the men are from Union County, according to a news article at The Southern.

Nathan Sadler of Anna and Jason Goodman of Jonesboro were arrested after they were stopped by a Perry County Sheriff’s deputy for improper lane usage; Goodman was driving the vehicle in which marijuana, cocaine, and Adderall were found when the deputy searched the vehicle. The men admitted marijuana was present in the vehicle, which prompted the search after authorities thought the teens seemed nervous.

The two teens were taken to the Perry County Jail; both were charged with possession of cannabis, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of a controlled substance. Goodman was also given a traffic ticket for improper lane usage.

Last week, a police officer with the Dumas Police Department in Arkansas was arrested for alleged drug conspiracy. According to several news sources 37-year-old James Ivory Edgerson, who has worked with the department for 14 years, is charged with drug conspiracy, a drug offense that could land him in prison for life if found guilty.

U.S. Attorney Chris Thyer’s office announced the arrest on Thursday, September 10 after a lengthy investigation revealed Edgerson was making drug deliveries to confidential sources between May and September. During the investigation, Edgerson’s phone was also tapped. Upon his arrest, the suspect allegedly had an ounce of crack cocaine and three ounces of powder cocaine in his possession. Upon searching his home, authorities found $16,000, several firearms, and an unregistered suppressor.

Several other people were arrested in the drug conspiracy including Kendrick Lamar Edgerson, Rodney Lariel Edgerson, and Gregory Lamont Charles, all of Little Rock, Eli Haynes III of Arlington, TX, and Steven Sherrod Miles of Dumas. In total, police seized $222,000 in cash, five firearms, one pound of marijuana, one ounce of crack cocaine, and 28 ounces of powder cocaine after searching officer Edgerson and two other defendants’ homes.

Late last week, a 20-year-old Newark man was arrested after Delaware State Police found drugs and other items in his home. Police believe that Joshua Gaines, who lives in the 200 block of Smithmill Road, was selling marijuana and other substances after searching the home.

Police began investigating Gaines after allegations began to surface that he was selling drugs from his home. Upon searching the residence, investigators claim to have found more than 10 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, five pounds of marijuana, 47 prescription drug pills (oxycodone), several weapons including a 12 gauge shotgun, AR-15 assault rifle, and sawed-off shotgun, and more than $2,000 in cash which authorities suspect is proceeds from the sale of drugs.

Gaines is charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a destructive weapon, two counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in tier 2 quantity, two counts of possession of a deadly weapon by a person prohibited, possession of a controlled substance in a tier 2 quantity, and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. After posting $10,200 bail, Gaines was released.

On Saturday, August 22, two Arizona men were arrested by deputies with the Canadian County Sheriff’s Dept. in Oklahoma after being pulled over for driving erratically on Interstate 40.

56-year-old Rafael Luna of Glendale and 50-year-old Jose Lopez of Phoenix told the deputies they were on their way to Missouri for a graduation, that Luna’s son was graduating from U.S. Army basic training. Deputies became suspicious when the two men’s stories seemed inconsistent. They were ultimately arrested after detectives had a drug sniffing canine brought to the scene to sniff around the vehicle, and found black-tar heroin and cocaine in the trunk of the Mercedes Benz the suspects were traveling in.

According to NewsOn6.com, 1.2 pounds of black-tar heroin was found in the vehicle, along with 15 pounds of cocaine. The drugs were located under the spare tire after ‘Pickles’ (the dog) alerted to the trunk area. Both men were taken into custody immediately. Luna is a fourth-grade teacher, and admitted that his summer job was hauling drugs for extra money. Lopez told investigators he had recruited Luna, and that he had been recruited himself to haul drugs; he works as a mechanic.

On Tuesday, August 25, two Lakeside, CA women were arrested after authorities found marijuana, methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and ammunition inside a home located on Wintercrest Drive, according to a CBS news report.

The drugs were seized when sheriff’s deputies from the Santee station served a search warrant at the residence. An undisclosed amount of cash was also found in the home, according to an article at The San Diego Union-Tribune.

The suspects, 52-year-old Kristina Duerksen and 53-year-old Robin Faulkner, were arrested at the scene and charged with sales of controlled substances, possession and sale of drugs and drug paraphernalia, maintaining a place for trafficking in controlled substances, manufacturing a controlled substance by chemical extraction, and being a felon in possession of ammunition. Duerksen and Faulkner were booked into Las Colinas Detention Facility.

On Monday, August 17, 35-year-old Macon defense attorney Holly Hogue Edwards was charged with drug distribution. A news article at 11 Alive says that Edwards was arrested after being pulled over on Interstate 75 in Peach County, according to Monroe County investigator Greggory Phillips. Authorities pulled the criminal defense lawyer over to serve an arrest warrant charging her in the case involving distribution of oxycodone. 

Edwards is charged with a single count of distribution of oxycodone and methamphetamine, and three counts of distribution of oxycodone. Oxycodone is a prescription narcotic pain medication that is highly abused and addictive.

A Monroe County Sheriff’s Office news release stated that Edwards sold drugs to undercover agents. The investigation of Edwards began in May when it was learned that she might be involved in illegal activities including the use and distribution of illegal drugs. The indictment revealed that the incidents Edwards is alleged of being involved in occurred in May and June.

Following a months-long investigation of the activities of five men in the Austin, TX area, all five were arrested on Wednesday, August 5 according to a recent report at the Statesman. The investigation spanned several cities in the Austin area, and resulted in the seizure of about 2,500 grams of cocaine along with more than $60,000 in cash.

Brent Garrett, 41, and his son Brent Garrett Jr., 22, both of Hutto are suspected of being involved in cocaine trafficking through several networks in Williamson and Travis Counties, according to arrest affidavits. Police said months of information provided by confidential informants and multiple sources led to the arrests of the Garretts, and that members of the Austin Police Department’s Gang Suppression Unit tracked the men, watching what they suspected to be drug transactions. Father and son were arrested on charges of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.

Another man, Terry Alexander, rode with the elder Garrett as the two made their way to a Target packing lot, where a man who was waiting got into the back seat of the vehicle. The man got out of the back seat a short time later and got into another car. Police believed they were watching a drug deal in progress. When Garrett and Alexander left the parking lot, the two men were pulled over because Garrett did not use a turn signal. Police called in a narcotics detection team, and ultimately found over 100 grams of cocaine in the center console of the car. Both were arrested.