Fourteen suspected drug dealers nabbed in Tuesday roundup

Above, Whitley County Sheriff Colan Harrell leads suspects out of a home during a drug roundup Tuesday.

Nearly a dozen police officers from various agencies fanned out across Whitley County Tuesday morning searching for 14 suspects wanted for drug trafficking following a Whitley County Sheriff’s Department investigation.

"Today we conducted a multi-agency round-up of drug dealers in Whitley County," Whitley County Sheriff Colan Harrell said Tuesday.

Harrell said that the 14 arrest warrants represent several months worth of investigation into the illegal trafficking of prescription pain pills.

Officers split into three teams Tuesday morning starting about 8 a.m. searching for alleged drug dealers in the Rockholds, Canadatown and Gatliff areas.

Most of the officers went to the Gatliff area where more than half of the suspects were believed to have been living.

Authorities went to various residences looking for the wanted individuals having varying degrees of luck.

While they didn’t always find wanted criminals at every residence, officers did encounter several dogs at many residences in the Gatliff community.

At one Gatliff residence, they also encountered a cow, a goat and several cats.

Harrell said that battling the trafficking of prescription pills is one of his goals while in office and was one of his campaign promises when he ran for sheriff.

Over the last several months, sheriff’s deputies have conducted drug round-ups on average every four to six weeks.

"I feel like we have made a major difference. We have been doing these for a matter of time. We will continue to do it," Harrell said.

Harrell said that he has one message for people, who think they can get away with drug trafficking, "you may be next."

Those arrested Tuesday included:

• Clarence R. Mills, 45, of Boyd White Road, Williamsburg – first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Tommy Irvin, 52, of Ken Hyden Road, Williamsburg – first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Penny Irvin, 51, of Ken Hyden Road, Williamsburg – first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Paula Bargo, 25, of Highway 1064, Williamsburg – first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Stephen Randle, 49, of Highway 1064, Williamsburg – first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Arnold Hill, 34, of Tyes Ferry Road, Rockholds – second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Chucky Wade, 55, of Tyes Ferry Road, Rockholds – second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

In addition, police charged Danny Fyffe, 49, of Highway 204, Williamsburg, with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance. Fyffe was already incarcerated in the Laurel County Detention Center.

In addition, deputies are seeking the public’s help to locate six other individuals wanted in connection with the investigation.

• James Lee, 37, of Letha Petrey Road, Canadatown, is wanted for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Ronald Bennett, 57, of 1233 Ova Lane, Canadatown, is wanted for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Tommy Irvin Jr., 28, of 381 Ken Hyden Road, Gatliff, is wanted for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Jeffery Walker, 44, of Ken Hyden Road, Gatliff, is wanted for second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Lloyd Darryl Siler, 68, of 126 Siler Chapel Road, Gatliff, is wanted for second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• James R. Helton, 50, of Whetstone Road, Rockholds, is wanted for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

Anyone with information on the suspects’ whereabouts are asked to contact the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department at 549-6006 during regular business hours or 549-6017 after regular business hours and on weekends.

Several sheriff’s deputies took part in the round-up in addition to Constable Lonnie Foley, Constable Andy Moses, and Kentucky State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officer Steve Douglas.