One arrested for marijuana trafficking

A tip about possible drug activity in the Brown’s Creek area of Whitley County led to the arrest of a Rockholds man for trafficking marijuana Saturday night.
Sixty-three-year-old John W. Chatham is facing charges of first-degree possession of a controlled substance, trafficking in marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to Sheriff Colan Harrell, Deputy Jonas Saunders received information concerning the sale of marijuana at a residence on Ky. 779.

Saunders and Sgt. Kirk Mays went to the residence and spoke with Chatham, during that they received permission to search the residence.

“During a search of the residence, Deputy Saunders saw in a bedroom a clear bag containing 12 smaller bags,” Harrell stated. “Inside the individual bags was a substance believed to be marijuana.”

In addition, Harrell stated that deputies found a small digital scale, and a single pill believed to be hydrocodone.

When deputies searched Chatham, they reported finding more than $1,000 in cash in his wallet.
Chatham was lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center. He was released Sunday on a $7,500 surety bond.