Rockholds woman accused of adult neglect

A shots fired call late Thursday evening led to the arrest of a Rockholds’ couple on drug possession charges. In addition, one of the suspects was also charged with adult abuse after a handicapped adult was located inside the home.

Julia Lynn Tackett, 36, pleaded not guilty Monday afternoon to charges of first-degree, second-degree and third-degree possession of a controlled substance, controlled substance prescription not in original container, possession of drug paraphernalia and knowingly abuse/neglect of adult.

Trevor Anthony Powers, 47, also pleaded not guilty Monday afternoon to charges of public intoxication, first-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

During Monday’s hearing, Whitley District Judge Cathy Prewitt scheduled a May 16 preliminary hearing for both Powers and Tackett, and set a $25,000 cash bond for Powers and a $50,000 cash bond for Tackett.

About 10:30 p.m. Thursday, Whitley County Sheriff’s Sgt. Kirk Mays, Deputy Andrew Lawson and Kentucky State Police Trooper Duane Foley responded to a Highway 26 residence after a 911 caller reported shots fired and potential drug activity at that location, according to a sheriff’s department release.

Officers located Powers outside the residence, who was in possession of a .22 caliber rifle, admitted firing shots and showed signs of intoxication, the release noted.

Powers gave police permission to search him and they discovered two small baggies with a crystal substance inside his small, front right pocket, Mays wrote on an arrest citation.

The substance is believed to be “ice” methamphetamine, which is an extremely pure and potent form of the drug, according to a sheriff’s department release.

A search of the residence led to the discovery of Suboxone films, a breath mint can in which were three plastic bags containing crystal substances believed to be “ice” meth and hypodermic needles throughout the home, the release noted.

In Tackett’s purse police found an unmarked pill bottle containing 10 pills believed to be Xanax and 16 pills believed to be clonazepam, according to the release.

In addition, police determined that Tackett was caring for a handicapped adult, who suffers from mental retardation, according to an arrest citation.

Social services responded to the scene and the handicapped adult was transported by Whitley County EMS to Baptist Health Corbin.

Both Powers and Tackett were lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center.