Two Corbin men arrested after year-long ‘chop shop’ investigation

A year-long investigation conducted by the Criminal Enterprise Task Force of Lexington in auto thefts and chop shop operations was concluded on Tuesday with the arrests of four men, two from Corbin.

H.C. McDarries, 73 and Sam Gilbert, 73 both of Corbin were arrested along with Ricky Lee McDarries, 50 of Big Stone Gap, Va and Larry Neal, 50 of Tazwell, Tenn.

The subject’s Federal indictments were returned to London and they were charged with Conspiracy to Own, Operate, Maintain and Control a Chop Shop.

The subject’s charges were the result of an investigation into the theft of semi trucks and trailers from Kentucky and Tennessee with a combined value of more than $600,000. They were arrested in three states including Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia on Tuesday. Among the law enforcement agencies that assisted with the investigation were the Virginia Dept. of Motor Vehicles, Tennessee Dept. of Revenue, Hancock County Sheriff’s Dept., Kentucky State Police Post 11of London, FBI of Knoxville Tenn. and FBI Richmond, Va.