Saturday's Internet Edition, May 17, 2008.
|
On Dec. 17, 2007, the residents were indicted by a federal grand jury. Resulting from a lengthy investigation, the indictment involves several law enforcement agencies, including the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, as well as the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Marshal’s Service.
Sheriff David Grice said Wednesday that the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office initiated the investigation.
“We are very pleased [with the investigation],” the sheriff said. “We hope that will really knock a dent in the methamphetamine trade in our county,”
United States Attorney Anna Mills Wagoner stated in a press release that the investigation and indictment demonstrates a positive outcome of cooperation among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, and is a serious attempt to address a growing problem with the manufacture of methamphetamine in the Davidson County area.
While it seems like quite a few were arrested, Grice said most of the defendants are family members and friends of those family members.
“It looks like a lot of people, but if you have the background on them a lot of them are from one family or friends of individuals in the family,” Grice said. “We have had several [methamphetamine labs] at the end of this past year and in the middle of June on up. It’s all centered to be around this group.”
Those indicted were:
• Benny Wayne Franklin, 31, of Denton.
• Billy Ray Franklin, 33, of Denton.
• Timothy Scott Wagner, also known as “Coolie,” 43, of Thomasville.
• Laura Lynn Blair, 39, of Thomasville.
• Tracy Glen Strickland, 39, of Denton.
• Benjamin Ray Steffey, 27, of Asheville.
• Javetta Morrow Robinette, also known as “Susie,” 43, of Thomasville.
• Ashley Nichole Morrow, 23, of Thomasville.
• Scotty Lynn Pullum, 25, of Thomasville.
• Timothy Daniel Strickland, 31, of Denton.
• Tamara Hobbs Strickland, 35, of Denton.
• Craig Leroy Robbins, 50, of Trinity.
• Larry Craig Stillwell, 37, address not provided.
• Crystal Gayle Hodges, 25, of Thomasville.
• Tony Wayne Hughes, 24, of Lexington.
• Lisa Todd Kinley, 46. of Denton.
• Christopher Lee Woodlief, 23, of Denton.
According to a statement from Wagoner, the sentence with all the cases will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases will be less than the maximum.
Each defendant, if convicted, faces a sentence of a minimum mandatory term of 10 years to a lifetime imprisonment, up to a $4 million fine, and at least five years of supervised release to follow any term of imprisonment imposed.
Grice said that his law enforcement agency is actively pursuing tips on methamphetamine labs.
Staff Writer Darrick Ignasiak can be reached at 472-9500, ext. 231, or ignasiak@tvilletimes.com.