Operation ‘March Madness’ nets 20 suspected drug dealers

Laurel County Sheriff John Root and his deputies hit the ground running early Monday morning, rounding up 20 individuals from across the tri-county area on drug-related charges during Operation “March Madness.”

Deputy Gilbert Acciardo, the department’s public affairs officer, said deputies, working in conjunctions with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshal Service, Kentucky State Police and Knox County Sheriff’s Office were initially seeking 26 individuals on state and federal drug trafficking and possession charges.

The local individuals arrested on Laurel County warrants included:

• Megan Lynn Hill, 25, of Gray, who was charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance – methamphetamine.
• Barbara J. Masters, 50, of Gray, who was charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance – methamphetamine.
• Johnny Robert Eads, 46, of Gray, who was charged with first-degree traffkcing in a controlled substance – methamphetamine.
• Charles L. Hensley, 38, of Corbin, who is charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance – methamphetamine.
• Joshua Leslie Cox, 35, of Woodbine, who is charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance – second offense – methamphetamine.
• Nancy Ann Sayler, 35, of Rockholds, who is charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance – methamphetamine.

Four other individuals were among the nine individuals named in a federal indictment charging conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine in Laurel County.

Law enforcement arrested:

• Johnny Craig Sasser, 54, of Lily, who is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
• George Griffey, 35, of Keavy, who is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
• James Woods, 55, of Corbin, who is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
• Peggy Hoskins, 57, of Barbourville, who is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Two additional local individuals were arrested on other charges during the course of the operation.

• Lela Jean Snellings, 54, of Keavy, was charged with second-degree disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
• Steven D. Messer, 40, of Gray, was charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance – methamphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Acciardo said the arrests occurred over a four-hour period, adding that additional arrests are expected.

“We got 14 of the 26 we were looking for,” Acciardo said.

The warrants were the result of a three-month investigation by sheriff’s department’s detectives.

In 2018, the sheriff’s department conducted four such sweeps. This marks the first one of 2019.

“Always,” Acciardo said when asked if additional sweeps are expected noting that when Sheriff Root was elected in 2010, he promised voters that he would be working to arrest and prosecute drug dealers across the county.