Drug Party Room Busted

An undercover drug sting by Corbin Police Monday on Roy Kidd Ave. led to the arrest of a Lily woman for drug trafficking, and brought authorities to the doorstep of a hotel room on the south end of town – a gathering place for six others arrested for recreational drug use.
The whole episode began Monday when police orchestrated a controlled drug purchase from Dana Lee Siler, 39, of Lily, at a residence on Roy Kidd Avenue. Corbin Police Officer Glenn Taylor Jr. said Siler had been the target of an ongoing investigation into the sale of illegal drugs locally.
“She was out delivering drugs to people in town,” Taylor said. “She’s been doing this for a while. She’s got a history and knows how to play the game.”
Taylor said police used an undercover informant to meet Siler at the home of a mutual acquaintance on Roy Kidd Ave. to buy Oxycontin pills. Once the buy was pulled off and she left the residence, police initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle Siler was riding in on Laurel Ave. Monday afternoon. She was charged with trafficking in a controlled substance, and drug trafficking within 1,000 yards of a school, an offense that often enhances penalties for drug dealers.
Authorities did not find any Oxycontin tablets in the car, but did recover some drug paraphernalia. Taylor surmised that Siler may have either taken or surreptitiously discarded any extra pills she had on her before her arrest. He added he feels her buyers are numerous. A large amount of cash was seized during the arrest.
The driver of the vehicle, Jesse Baker, of Corbin, was also arrested for DUI. Taylor said the two are good friends.
“She denied doing anything until I told her what she was being arrested for. She didn’t want to talk,” Taylor said. “She was getting phone calls on her cell phone while we were with her. I answered them and talked to the people. They all talk in this code when it comes to drugs.”
While searching the vehicle, police discovered a key to a hotel room at Holiday Inn Express in south Corbin. Taylor said he received permission to search the room. When police arrived, they found eight people inside, two of whom were juvenile teen girls.
As soon as officers entered, a police say Andrea Robertson, 23, of Williamsburg, and Brandon Smith, 22, of Corbin, ran to the bathroom and flushed a needle and white pill down the toilet. Taylor said he did not try to preserve the evidence since the needle had no cap on it.
“When we went in, there was needles and spoons laying all over the place,” he said. “They were having a party.”
Authorities discovered more syringes, spoons, pill residue and rolling papers in the room.
Smith, Robertson, Anthony Medley, 18, of Lily, James Thornton, 31, of Williamsburg, Vanessa Volter, 23, of Williamsburg, and Robert Mills, 25, of Corbin, were all arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a minor, possession of drug paraphernalia and public intoxication. Smith and Robertson were additionally charged with tampering with physical evidence.
The two juvenile girls, 16 and 17, were not charged and were released to the custody of their parents. Taylor said one of the girls was Volter’s sister and the other was a friend of the teen.
“They showed no signs of drug use or anything. Supposedly they were going to go swimming in the pool,” Taylor said.
Thornton had an outstanding arrest warrant from Boone County for a parole violation. Mills is wanted in Knox County for failure to appear.
Police were summoned again Tuesday morning to the hotel after staff allegedly found drugs hidden in the room. Taylor said he was told marijuana and more Oxycontin was discovered. If true, he plans to seek arrest warrants to charge those in the room with drug possession.
Police say 80 milligram Oxycontin pills have a street value of $80 to $110 each.
The six people arrested at Holiday In Express were lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center. Siler was taken to the Whitley County Jail.
An investigation into the case is still open.
Taylor was assisted in his investigation by Sgt. Rob Jones, and Officers Rusty Hedrick and Coy Wilson.