WC Raid

WCraid.jpg (35740 bytes) Sgt. Jimmy Ervin (left) and Det. Eddie Cullum of the White County Sheriff's Department look over evidence from a raid Friday night that netted three arrests, several guns, $376 in cash, and nearly 10 grams of crack cocaine from a residence on Beebe-Capps Expressway in Searcy. Agents from the Searcy Police Department and the Central Arkansas Drug Task Force also participated in the operation. (Citizenphoto by Dale Ellis)

Drug Task Force nabs 10 grams of crack, arrests three suspects

BY DALE ELLIS

Staff Writer 03/19/2001

After an active Friday morning going after methamphetamine labs, local law enforcement officials arrested three people and confiscated a quantity of "crack" cocaine in Searcy. The White County Sheriff's Department, the Central Arkansas Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force, and the Searcy Police Department also confiscated several guns, some drug paraphernalia, and a police scanner in the raid.

According to Sgt. Clayton Edwards of the White County Sheriff's Department, officers made a controlled buy from one of the suspects earlier in the day, purchasing an amount of crack cocaine. "Based on that information," Edwards said, "a search warrant was obtained, which we executed at about 7:45 p.m. on Friday."

Three people were in the home, located at 507 Beebe-Capps Expressway, when the operation began. One of those people, Tynisa Moore, 24, was arrested. While the raid was in progress, Edwards said, the occupants of the home, 36 year-old LeRoy Sanders Jr., and 37-year-old Marilyn Sanders, arrived at the residence and were placed under arrest.

In addition to approximately nine-and-one-half grams of cocaine that was confiscated, police also found a small amount of what was believed to be marijuana, three handguns, two assault-style SKS rifles, a Mossberg 500 12 gauge riot shotgun with pistol grip, and a Mac-11 9 mm equipped with a silencer.

Police also seized $376 in cash, two sets of scales, and two sets of laser sights.

All three were charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms (both of which are class "Y" felonies, punishable by 10 years to 40 years to life imprisonment), maintaining a drug premises, possession of drug paraphernalia, unlawful use of a communications facility, and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance.

Participating in the raid were White County Sheriff Pat Garrett, Sgt. Edwards, Sgt. Jimmy Ervin, Detectives Eddie Cullum and Fred Cheek, as well as Roger Pearson of the Drug Task Force, and two Searcy Police Department officers, Todd Meyers and Chad Coulter.

"The Searcy Police Department officers were instrumental with intelligence on the location," Edwards told The Daily Citizen.

The three suspects were booked into the White County Detention Center Friday night under $15,000 bond each. All bonded out that night.