Published: May 02, 2008 09:09 am            

DEU arrests 18 on warrants

Officials say investigations are ongoing

Numerous warrants executed by the Henderson County Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) on Wednesday led to the arrest of 18 people.

The warrants — executed by Henderson County DEU investigators Botie Hillhouse, Jody Miller, Don Yarbrough and Lt. Kay Langford — were for the offense of manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance.

“Today, law enforcement agencies from several areas of the county came together and worked as one unit. Fortunately, all of the subjects were arrested without incident,” Yarbrough said. “This is just another step in fighting drug trafficking in Henderson County.”

The names of those arrested were not immediately available.

Yarbrough added that members of the DEU considered Wednesday’s arrests to be successful and vowed that additional drug investigations will continue.

The arrests were the result of approximately six months of investigations conducted by the DEU. The findings of the investigations were presented to the Henderson County grand jury and the Henderson County District Attorney’s Office. Sealed indictments were obtained on the suspects.

The investigations were conducted in several cities in Henderson County, including Athens, Malakoff, Caney City and Moore Station, as well as the western portion of the county. The arrest warrants were simultaneously executed. In addition to those who were arrested, there are still several suspects yet to be taken into custody, according to DEU officials. The location of these suspects, as well as additional narcotic investigations, is ongoing.

All of the changes involved in the arrest warrants are felonies ranging in punishment from six months to 20 years in prison. Many of the arrest warrants executed Wednesday were for offenders who have been previously arrested for similar offenses and released on bond.

Assisting with the narcotic warrant roundup were members of the Henderson County District Attorney’s Office, deputies and investigators from the Henderson County Sheriff’s Department, Henderson County Pct. 5 Constable’s Office, detectives and patrol officers from the Athens Police Department, Gun Barrel City detectives and members of the Department of Public Safety.

        

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