Three arrested, pills and cash seized by Williamsburg police during drug raid

Williamsburg police seized several pills and over $1,200 cash while executing a search warrant in far eastern Whitley County late Wednesday afternoon.

In all police arrested three people in connection with the investigation.

Benny "Burt" Randle, 47, of 1040 Hamblin Hollow Road, pleaded not guilty Thursday afternoon to charges of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and receiving stolen property (firearm) during his district court arraignment before Judge Jason Price.

Price amended Randle’s bail conditions from a $25,000 cash bond to a $25,000 fully secured bond. This means Randle would either have to put up $25,000 cash, $50,000 worth of property, or a combination of the two in order to be released from custody.

Price also appointed the public advocate’s office to represent Randle and scheduled a Nov. 23 preliminary hearing in the case.

Williamsburg police executed a search warrant at Randle’s residence about 18 miles east of Williamsburg, and arrested him about 5:24 p.m., according to his arrest citation.

"The search warrant was the result of an investigation conducted by Detective Bobby Freeman and K-9 Officer Brandon Prewitt," said Public Affairs Officer Shawn Jackson.

"We had been receiving numerous complaints about possible drug activity in the area. There was a lot of traffic, and the detective and K-9 officer were able to conduct a controlled buy using a cooperating source, and then subsequently obtained a search warrant."

Police recovered $1,261 cash, four firearms, and Oxycontin and Percocet pills from inside the residence, authorities said.
Randle was at his residence and had the pills and cash on him when police arrived, according to his arrest citation.

One of the firearms, a 9mm Hi-Point pistol found at the residence, had been reported as being stolen from outside Kentucky, Jackson said.

"Based on the information collected during the investigation, Detective Freeman concluded that Mr. Randle was moving a lot of drugs into and out of the area," Jackson said. "We basically concluded that a person off the street could go there and get pretty much the top drugs of choice in the county."

While executing the search warrant, police also made two other arrests.

Officer Jason Strunk charged Todd Martin Jackson, 31, and Kimberly L. Jackson, 33, both of 1516 Highway 92E, with first-degree possession of a controlled substance, use/possession of drug paraphernalia, and third-degree possession of a controlled substance.

Both were at the 1040 Hamblin Hollow Road residence when police executed the search warrant, according to their arrest citations.

When police arrived at the residence Kimberly Jackson was sitting inside the vehicle and her husband, Todd Jackson, was inside the residence, Officer Jackson said.

Police recovered a small pill bottle in the center console of the vehicle with a small orange pill broken up inside and a small piece of a green pill, police said.

Todd Jackson told police that the orange pill was Suboxone and the green pill was Oxycontin, Officer Jackson said.
Police also recovered a hose clamp and straw used for paraphernalia, Strunk wrote.

No one was injured while police were executing the search warrant, Officer Jackson said.

"We were able to accomplish what we set out to accomplish, which was land another drug dealer behind bars along with a couple of other people that were possibly there to buy some type of narcotics also," Officer Jackson said.

Other officers taking part in the investigation included: Chief Wayne Bird, Lt. Jason Caddell, and Jackson.