The Harlan County Sheriff's Office executed a search warrant at the residence of Dorian "Delow" Cockrel in the Pride Terrace area of Cumberland on Sunday.

Sheriff’s Det. Silas Whitehead said he has received several complaints of alleged drug trafficking from Cockrel’s residence and began conducting surveillance on the residence and was able to compile enough information for a search warrant.

Whitehead said upon executing the search warrant, deputies learned that Cockrel had just left the residence to go to a neighbor’s residence.

“While inside the residence, we found an indoor marijuana grow with 90 alleged marijuana plants growing inside one of the rooms,” Whitehead said. “Sheriff Marvin Lipfird discovered a significant amount of alleged crack cocaine, some placed in baggies ready for resale. Also, a significant amount of alleged marijuana and rolling papers were seized during the search.”

Whitehead said during the search of the residence the deputies found a major water leak in the residence in the area of the electrical breaker box. Cumberland Fire Chief Fess Eldridge was called to the scene and determined that is was unsafe and KU was called to the scene to turn off the electricity to keep the residence from catching fire or someone getting seriously injured.

Whitehead is in charge of the investigation and asks if anyone has any information on Cockrel or his location to contact the sheriff's office at 606- 573-1313.

Billy Bedwell, also know as “Hillbilly,” was arrested Friday evening at Baxter after he allegedly showed up at a residence to sell a man some pills but was greeted by the Harlan County Sheriff’s Office instead. Sheriff’s Det. Dexter Day said he and Det. Silas Whitehead assisted a social worker at the residence of Oakley Gray, located at Bowman Trailer Park in Baxter. Day said while the officers were at the residence, Bedwell, 53, of Wallins, called the residence and stated he had some pills and said he would bring them over to the residence around 5:30 p.m. Day said Bedwell was detained inside the Gray residence when he arrived. Day said two foil packs of various narcotics were taken from Bedwell. Day said Bedwell told the officers he was delivering the pills for another person, but he didn’t know his name, and he was supposed to get $100 for them. Bedwell was charged with first- and third-degree trafficking a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bedwell was placed in a cruiser by Sgt. David Williams

 

Search warrant executed at Dayhoit
09/24/2009


The Harlan County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant Thursday at the residence of Richard Allen Williams at Dayhoit, where police said they located various narcotics.

Williams, 48, was charged with three counts of first-degree trafficking a controlled substance, one count of third-degree trafficking a controlled substance and trafficking a legend drug.

Sheriff’s Det. Jason Snelling said various drugs found at the residence included 80mg OxyContin, 40mg OxyContin, roxicontin, Xanax and Tizenadine.

Snelling said a quantity of cash was also seized.

Harlan County Sheriff Marvin Lipfird said his office has received numerous complaints of suspected drug activity at Williams’ residence, and their investigation brought results.

 

 

 

Thursday July 9th, 2009

DEBBIE CALDWELL/Harlan Daily Enterprise Frank Poblette, of Putney, was arrested Thursday and charged with first- and second-degree trafficking a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia after the Harlan County Sheriff's Office executed a search warrant.

The Harlan County Sheriff’s Office executed two search warrants Thursday.

The officers arrested Frank Poblette, 40, and Angel Posey, 38, both of Putney. They were charged with first- and second-degree trafficking a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Det. Jason Snelling said while executing a search warrant the officers found a prescription of Percocet pills belonging to Posey filled on July 2 for a quantity of 112 with only 10 pills in the bottle. Snelling also said a prescription of Suboxone belonging to Poblette filled on July 3 for 90 pills only had 64 and one half pills in the bottle. Snelling said a small bag of suspected marijuana and various items of paraphernalia were also found.

A search warrant was also executed at Linda Wynn’s residence in Harlan.

Wynn, 58, complained of becoming ill while her residence was searched and was taken to the hospital. She was cited to court on charges of third-degree trafficking a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

During the search of her residence, Det. John Teagle said several pills, an alleged record book and paraphernalia were found.

 

 

Crack cocaine seized during raid

 

 

 

Police execute search warrant at Ages
by JOHN MIDDLETON — Staff Writer
April 22, 2009

Harlan County Sheriff’s Office deputies made two arrests after executing a search warrant at Eddie Johnson’s residence in Ages on Wednesday. In addition to Johnson, police also arrested Chanlin King.

Two Harlan County men were arrested after Harlan County sheriff’s deputies executed a search warrant at an Ages residence on Wednesday.

Eddie Johnson, 41, of Ages, was arrested by Det. Jason Snelling and charged with two counts of first-degree trafficking a controlled substance and one count of second-degree trafficking controlled substance. Upon execution of a search warrant at Johnson’s residence, deputies found one and one-half OxyContin pills, 15 hydrocodone pills and 82 Endocet pills. Deputies also seized approximately $2,087 in cash from the residence.

According to a citation, the Endocet pills were filled on April 20, for 120, and only 82 pills remained in the bottle. The citation also stated that Johnson advised that he had no prescription for the OxyContin or the hydrocodine pills.

During the search, Chanlin King, 22, of Harlan, was also arrested by Det. Silas Whitehead.

According to the police citation, Chanlin was at Johnson’s residence while the sheriff’s office was executing a search warrant. The citation stated that King had a food stamp card in his wallet that was registered in the name of another citizen. According to the citation, after waiving his Miranda rights, King said he obtained the card after the person it belonged to moved. King said the legal owner of the card left it after he moved to Ohio in November of 2008, and he continued to use the card. King admitted using the card until February, when the person the card was registered to was required to visit the food stamp office. The total amount used was over $300.

 

Auction helps war on drugs
by JOHN MIDDLETON — Staff Writer
April 18th, 2009

Sheriff’s office K-9 handler Josh Howard (left) and deputy Eddie Jones displayed some of the items available during an auction of items obtained during drug-related arrests.

Dozens of Harlan County residents gathered at the courthouse lawn Friday for an auction conducted by the Harlan County Sheriff’s Office.

The items available at the auction were property from arrests for trafficking narcotics and items forfeited to the Harlan County Sheriff’s Office through the court system.

“These items were either bought with money that was obtained from the sale of narcotics, or they were used to further the sale of narcotics,” sheriff Marvin Lipfird said.

The revenue generated from the auction will be deposited into the sheriff’s office fund to continue to fight the war on drugs.

“It takes a lot of money to run a narcotics operation, and this is how we replenish our funds. There is no money out there for this, so this is what the law allows us to do,” Lipfird said.

Among the items available for auction were a 1999 Toyota Tacoma, two 1997 Ford F150s, a 2002 Ford Explorer, a 1995 Chrysler Concorde, several ATV’s and a 2006 Harley Davidson Road King Classic among many other tools and appliances.

Lipfird said he hopes the seizure of property will deter some individuals from selling narcotics.

“There is an executive order that cuts it down to where people don’t have to spend so much time in jail. We may not be able to do anything about how long somebody stays in jail, but we can sure do something about all of the toys that they buy from preying on the souls of the people of Harlan County,” he said.

 

Child taken from HARH found in Bell
by JOHN MIDDLETON — Staff Writer
April 10, 2009

Harlan County Sheriff’s Office deputies were out in full force Thursday as they searched for an infant who was allegedly abducted from Harlan ARH Hospital.

Sheriff Marvin Lipfird said he was informed Thursday morning that Melody Deann Creech, 25, of Baxter had left from Harlan ARH with her infant child, who had not been released by doctors.

“Around 10 a.m., we received a call about a possible abducted child at the hospital, and we responded with every officer that we had on duty at the time,” Lipfird said.

A press release from Harlan ARH stated that at approximately 9:45 a.m. Thursday, an obstetrics nurse at the hospital went to a patient’s room to check on an infant when they discovered the mother and infant were not in the room.

As part of Harlan ARH’s policies and procedures relating to missing patients, staff members hospitalwide were alerted, the entire hospital campus was searched and exits, stairwells and elevators were secured. Also as part of the procedure, hospital officials notified the Kentucky State Police, Harlan County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Social Services and worked closely with them to locate the patient and family.

Lipfird said he and his officers learned that Creech may have traveled to the Gasoline Alley area of Bell County and alerted the Kentucky State Police in that area. He said state police troopers found Creech and her child at the residence in Bell County and transported them to the Coal Bucket in Harlan County where the child was taken into protective custody and delivered to Harlan ARH.

Creech was arrested by Harlan County Sheriff’s Office Det. Silas Whitehead and charged with first-degree wanton endangerment.

“She (Creech) stated that she had been discharged and she was wanting to take her baby with her. She had been discharged but the child hadn’t because of a medical condition, and the doctors wanted to keep it at the hospital,” Lipfird explained.

Lipfird said Creech and her child were discovered approximately 40 minutes after the search began. He praised the efforts of all who were involved.

“It was a good team effort on from the Harlan County Sheriff’s Office, the Kentucky State Police and the Harlan ARH Hospital in recovering the child,” he said.

“The staff at Harlan ARH, the sheriff’s department and the Kentucky State Police worked collaboratively to locate the mother and infant,” said Harlan ARH Community CEO Dan Stone.

Creech has been arrested more than one dozen times in the last five years on charges including prostitution, public intoxication, indecent exposure, theft by deception and criminal trespassing.

 

Report: Remains found in Sunshine were not recent
by JOHN MIDDLETON — Staff Writer
April 9th, 2009

Less than three months after skeletal remains were recovered at the home of Sunshine resident Michael Abner, the office of Harlan County Coroner Philip Bianchi has received the forensic anthropology report from the Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office in Frankfort.

The report summary, issued by Dr. Emily Craig with the Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office, indicates “the remains are from an archaeological context, comingled with stone and clay artifacts; no evidence of being more than one individual ... and bearing no forensic significance.”

During the search, conducted by Harlan County sheriff’s deputies at Abner’s residence on Jan. 23, Bianchi said the sheriff’s office discovered several items that appeared to be fragmented human skeletal remains.

“Due to the circumstances of the search and the fact that the occupant of the residence is employed as a grave digger, Sheriff Lipfird and I feel that an expert opinion by Dr. Craig will help absolve any concerns that the remains are more modern, as well as protect the person involved from being falsely accused in regards to the remains,” Bianchi previously said in explaining why the items were originally sent to the Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office.

The remains along with other artifacts (arrowheads) have been returned to Harlan County Sheriff Marvin Lipfird for arrangements to be delivered to Native American representatives.

“The bone fragments will be turned over to the Native American authorities so they can perform a proper burial,” said Lipfird, who added that he plans to contact the authorities in the upcoming days.

Lipfird said the artifacts other than bone fragments that were in Abner’s possession were recently found to have been stolen and have since been returned to original owner.

“We are opening another criminal case against Mr. Abner for having those in possession,” he said.

 

Police execute search warrant
April 7th, 2009

James E. Johnson was placed in a cruiser by Harlan County Sheriff Marvin Lipfird and Sgt. David Williams after he was arrested on drug charges following the execution of a search warrant at his residence Monday.

The Harlan County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant Monday at the residence of James E. Johnson, 23, of Evarts.

Police searched the residence located in the Florida Addition of Evarts. Det. Dexter Day said the officers found various items of drug paraphernalia and half of a pill. Day said several notebooks were found in the residence with amounts of money collected and names of known drug dealers and users listed inside.

Day said a blasting cap was found inside a building behind the residence.

Johnson was charged with first-degree trafficking a controlled substance, third-degree trafficking a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a destructive device or booby trap device.

Several deputies and members of the Chaplains Corps assisted.

 

Officers receive training in handling hazardous materials
by JOHN MIDDLETON — Staff Writer
April 4th, 2009

Although methamphetamine use is not as common in Harlan County as other areas throughout the state, local officials are wasting no time in preparing to combat the drug before it becomes a problem.

Harlan County Sheriff Marvin Lipfird said the discovery of a meth lab within the county in December was a contributing factor in deciding to conduct the course.

“We had a meth lab back in December and we had enough personnel to go in and do preliminary and everything, but it is beneficial to have more people trained,” Lipfird said.

December’s arrest was a result of a month-long investigation by the Harlan County Sheriff’s Office of the possible manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamines at a Dartmont residence. Following the investigation, the sheriff’s office executed a search warrant at the home of Rocky Rittenhouse, where officers located and removed several items associated with the manufacturing of meth.

Harlan County Emergency Management Director David McGill said although there is not currently a large meth problem in the county, it is never too early to begin preparations.

“We want to be prepared for it. We don’t want the problem around the county, but we do want to be prepared if it does happen. If the problem does come to Harlan County we want to be prepared to combat it,” McGill said. “This training will allow us to better know what to look for as people buy the materials needed for meth. If a lab is started, we will know how to disassemble it in a safe manner for ourselves as well as the public.”

McGill added that the training will also allow emergency officials to become knowledgeable of other hazardous materials.

“It will not only help us in the event that we find a meth lab, but any other hazardous material that we come across it will help us,” he said. “There are already four (people) in the county that are certified to work with hazardous materials and this will just add to that.”

Officers from the Harlan County Sheriff’s Office, Harlan County Emergency Management, Middlesboro Police Department, Bell County Sheriff’s Office, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, Williamsburg Police Department and Kentucky State Police attended the classes, which consisted of five eight-hour training sessions.

Officials from the state police drug enforcement east section provided assistance and cooperation through training.

 

Cawood man arrested for Criminal Abuse of a Child
March 17th, 2009

Edwin Dewayne Kinder was arrested for several charges today, including Criminal Abuse 1st Degree, Failure to Appear(Bell County), Failure to Appear(Bell County), Possession of Firearm by Convicted Felon, and Receiving Stolen Property(Firearm). 

Detective Dexter Day and Deputy Eddie Jones were contacted by the family service office and was told to meet a Case Worker at the Cawood Elementary School.   Day and Jones found enough evidence to get an arrest warrant on Kinder.  Edwin Dewayne Kinder was picked up by Jones and lodged in the Harlan County Detention Center.  Kinders bond is set at $500,000.00 for the Criminal Abuse Charges, 1000.00 for the F.T.A Charges, and $30,000.00 for the Possession of a firearm by convicted felon.  All the bonds are  Full Cash.  

 

High-speed chase lands man in jail; troopers injured
by DEBBIE CALDWELL — News Editor
February 20, 2009

A pursuit that began in Harlan ended in Bell County with a Pineville man being arrested on numerous charges, and two Kentucky State Police troopers injured during the incident.

KSP Public Affairs Officer Walt Meachum said Thursday that Harlan County Sheriff Marvin Lipfird attempted to make a traffic stop on a 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier that nearly struck him on U.S. 421 in Harlan.

Meachum said the operator of the vehicle, Dusty E. Ellison, 27, attempted to flee and a pursuit was initiated by Lipfird. Ellison traveled through Harlan on the bypass and then turned south onto U.S. 119 where trooper Walt Szczepan joined in to assist Lipfird. The pursuit entered Bell County on U.S. 119 in the community of Calvin, where TFC Curtis Pingleton had deployed a tire deflation device which disabled Ellison’s vehicle.

Meachum said Ellison then exited the vehicle and was chased on foot where he was caught in a wooded area. During the foot pursuit, Szczepan sustained a leg injury and was treated and released at Harlan ARH Hospital. Pingleton also sustained an injury to his hand and was treated and released from Pineville Community Hospital.

“After further investigation, it was found that Ellison had just shoplifted at Peebles Department Store in Harlan, and was fleeing the store when he entered the roadway and nearly struck sheriff Lipfird,” Meachum said. “Ellison was also wanted in Knox County for a similar incident that occurred on Jan. 28 in Corbin. He allegedly fled from the Corbin Police Department and struck a vehicle, injuring the occupants of that vehicle and was able to escape capture.”

Meachum said Ellison was also wanted in Bell County for failure to appear charge.

Lipfird transported Ellison back to Harlan County where he was lodged in the Harlan County Detention Center. Lipfird charged Ellison with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs, operating a motor vehicle on a suspended license, reckless driving, three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, first-degree wanton endangerment (police officer), first-degree fleeing or evading police, tampering with physical evidence, no insurance and three counts of theft by unlawful taking.

Pingleton charged Ellison in Bell County with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs, speeding, reckless driving, no insurance, no seat belt, operating a motor vehicle on a suspended license, first-degree fleeing or evading police and three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment.

Pingleton executed a failure to appear warrant for Bell County and executed Knox County warrants for three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, first-degree wanton endangerment (police officer), and first-degree fleeing or evading police.

Assisting at the scene were units from Kentucky State Police Post 10 Harlan, Harlan County Sheriff's Office, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement and Fish and Wildlife.

The Harlan County charges are still under investigation by Lipfird. The Bell County charges are still under investigation by Pingleton.

 

Man arrested on assault of child, abuse charges
by DEBBIE CALDWELL
February 13, 2009

A Cumberland man was arrested Thursday on a warrant obtained by the Harlan County Sheriff’s Office after he allegedly assaulted a 9-year-old boy while babysitting him.

Sheriff’s Det. Silas Whitehead arrested David Turner, 24, at his workplace at Hardee’s in Cumberland on the warrant.

According to Whitehead, Turner was babysitting his girlfriend’s two children at a residence in Rio Vista on Feb. 6 while she was at work. Whitehead said during his investigation he found cause that Turner had assaulted the child.

Whitehead said Turner told him he hit the child five or six times with a belt with metal holes throughout the belt.

“This matter was reported to me by family members of the child, and I notified social services. I obtained a warrant when just cause was found,” Whitehead said.

Turner has been charged with first-degree criminal abuse and second-degree assault. He has been lodged in the Harlan County Detention Center with bond set at $50,000.

 

Search warrant executed at Baxter
February 11, 2009

Clarence Majors III, 24, of Harlan, wasn’t keen on having his picture taken while Det. Silas Whitehead searched one of his shoes during the execution of a search warrant Tuesday.

Harlan County sheriff’s deputies arrested Clarence Majors III, 24, of Harlan, on charges of first-degree trafficking a controlled substance, tampering with physical evidence and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Majors was arrested at Chastan Bennett’s residence on Kerns Lane, where a search warrant was executed.

Bennett, 22, was cited to court on charges of first-degree trafficking a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Det. John Teagle said a quantity of crack cocaine, cash and a crack pipe were confiscated.

 

Nashville doctors indicted in Harlan

02/04/2009

 

 

Harlan County Sheriff Marvin Lipfird said several months of hard work by his officers paid off Wednesday after two Nashville doctors were arrested by a U.S. Marshals task force on a governor’s warrant issued for Harlan County charges.

Dr. Visuvalingam Vilvarajah and Dr. Mireille Lalanne are being held in a detention facility in Nashville without bond and awaiting extradition to Harlan County.

The couple, who were arrested at their RX Medical Clinic in Nashville, are facing three counts of engaging in organized crime, second-degree assault and first-degree wanton endangerment charges in Harlan Circuit Court.

The U.S. Marshal’s Office Task Force and the Nashville Metropolitan Police Department made the arrest at 9 a.m. Harlan County sheriff’s detectives John Teagle and Jason Snelling and deputies Danny Ball and Eddie Jones were also on hand to assist. Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Sherif Guindi was also present.

Harlan County’s Commonwealth Attorney Henry Johnson said he and the sheriff felt it was time to go up the distribution chain.

“The way this came about is, the sheriff had told me he had kept running into certain doctor’s names in connection with people who were charged with drug trafficking, and as this became more and more of a concern, we started talking about if there was a way that we could reach outside of Harlan County’s border and even Kentucky’s border to bring down illegal drug suppliers,” Johnson said. “We were not only looking at doctors — it could be also people up the distribution chain ... people acting together where the result was illegal drug trafficking in Harlan County. Now, we’ve come up with a way to do that, and his officers really put a lot of time in on this. I haven’t heard of other jurisdictions going across state lines to bring in people to circuit court to face charges.”

Lipfird said right after he took office, his department began making drug trafficking arrests and became alarmed by the number of people who were allegedly receiving pain medication from the Nashville doctors.

“After many, many investigations, the commonwealth attorney and I made the determination that there was a large supplier of OxyContin and other drugs to our area,” Lipfird said. “After interviewing numerous people about the situation, patients and former patients — the manner in which (Vilvarajah and Lalanne) were operating on a cash-only basis and credit card, that they were actually facilitating a criminal syndicate.”

Lipfird said Teagle was the lead investigator in the case and was assisted by the other detectives.

Lipfird said the charges of second-degree assault and first-degree wanton endangerment on the indictment fell under his investigation when Carolyn Middleton gave birth to a child who was addicted to narcotics. Middleton was arrested recently on the same charges and entered a plea in Harlan Circuit Court on Wednesday.

“(Middleton) was going to Dr. Vilvarajah and Dr. Lalanne — she’d been going to them for a while,” Lipfird said. “She stated that they knew she was pregnant, and they still continued to prescribe large quantities of narcotics to her without any concern to the child. The child was born severely addicted to narcotics.”

Johnson said after the indictment was returned against the doctors, documents were sent on to the governor’s office to request a warrant.

“A governor’s warrant is part of an interstate statutory agreement. It goes back to the U.S. Constitution, but first we had to make sure we had extraterritorial jurisdiction on things that caused criminal activity in Harlan County,” Johnson said. “Investigations like this and operations like this are something you usually see handled by Kentucky State Police special investigations or maybe federal agencies, and it’s very unusual for a county sheriff’s office to do an investigation on this scale. When the sheriff and I were talking about the drug problem in Harlan County, we both had a desire to go upstream and not stop at the street-level dealers, but try to cut off some of the suppliers.”

Lipfird said one issue to consider in this case is that five or six hours is a long way to drive to go see a doctor.

“These people would pass a lot of good doctors who could aid them in their ailments between here and there,” Lipfird said. “I’ve kept my promise in saying that we would go after the street-level dealers to the kingpins. When you’re dealing with medical professionals, it doesn’t get much larger than that. I will say this — us going after these doctors, it’s not a slap in the face to any medical professionals in this county. I’m sure there’s great medical professionals in Nashville, Knoxville, Louisville and all over the country. We felt as though (Vilvarajah and Lalanne) needed to be charged with this. An unknown number of people in Harlan County have been affected by this.”

Lipfird said right now he’s waiting to see whether the doctors are going to waive their right to an extradition hearing or if they’re going to follow through with a hearing, which is normal procedure.

When the doctors are extradited to Harlan, they will be lodged on $5 million bonds.

Three people were arrested and one cited to court Friday night on drug charges after a search warrant was executed by the Harlan Count Sheriff’s Office at Jimmy Whitehead’s residence in Kenvir.

Sheriff’s deputies and members of the Harlan County Sheriff’s Chaplains Corps went to Whitehead’s residence around 6:30 p.m.

Whitehead, 59, was charged with two counts of first-degree trafficking a controlled substance and one count each of second- and third-degree trafficking a controlled substance.

Chrissy Ann Smith, 29, of Kenvir, was charged with first-degree trafficking a controlled substance and tampering with physical evidence.

Robert Somers, 42, of Kenvir, was charged with possession of a controlled substance.

Jeffery Whitehead, 32, of Kenvir, was cited to court on a charge of first-degree trafficking a controlled substance.

According to Sheriff Marvin Lipfird, during the course of searching the residence, Jeffery Whitehead took some OxyContin and Percocet pills. He was admitted to Harlan ARH Hospital for observation.

Lipfird said he has received numerous complaints about alleged drug trafficking at the Whitehead residence.

“A thorough investigation by the narcotics detectives resulted in the execution of the search warrant being a success,” Lipfird said.

During the search of the residence, Det. Dexter Day said several pills were confiscated that included 162 OxyContin 40 mg, 46 OxyContin 20 mg, 73 Percocets, 82 Valium, 77 Vicodin, 31 Xanax and three methadone. Also seized was $5,600 in cash and two ATV’s.

The case remains under investigation by Det. John Teagle. The sheriff’s office was assisted by constable Aaron Whitehead.