A countywide drug round up resulted in several arrests last week.

The Claiborne County Sheriff’s Department and other law enforcement agencies began arresting alleged drug dealers in an early morning round-up Wednesday, July 15. The CCSD was acting on 27 sealed indictments handed down by the Claiborne County Grand Jury. In the indictments were over 50 counts of illegal sales of trafficking in narcotic drugs.

The round up was the result of an ongoing investigation by the CCSD, with assistance from the 8th Judicial Drug Task Force, the Tennessee Meth Task Force, agents of the Tennessee Inspector General Office and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

Law enforcement officers from the various agencies went throughout the county and made the arrests — some in homes, some in the workplace. Several alleged drug dealers were taken into custody on Wednesday and transported to the Claiborne County Justice Center where they were processed and arraigned before the court for a bond and a trial date set. The round up was to continue until all of the indictments were served.

“If those who traffic in illegal sales of Narcotic Drugs think that the Claiborne County Sheriff’s Office will discontinue fighting drug dealers, They better think again. We will continue to investigate, identify, and arrest anyone who is involved in drug trafficking. My best advice to drug dealers is simply leave Claiborne County,” said Sheriff David Ray.

Those arrested and their charges were: Amanda Tuttle, 25, Tazewell, Sale of Schedule II; Jonathan Seals, 28, New Tazewell, Possession of Schedule II for Resale, Possession of Schedule III for Resale, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia; Rickey Harvey, 45, Tazewell, Possession of Schedule II; Justin Hill, 25, Harrogate, Sale of Schedule II; Amber Lester, 20, New Tazewell, Sale of Counterfeit Control Substance; Lee Graves, 43, Harrogate, Sale of Schedule II; Darlene Keck, 44, New Tazewell, Sale of Counterfeit Control Substance; Darrell Miller, 24, Tazewell, Sale of Schedule II, Sale of Schedule III, Sale of Schedule IV; Christina Russell, 29, New Tazewell, Sale of Schedule III; Debra Miracle, 46, New Tazewell, Sale of Schedule II; Robert Brown, 34, Cumberland Gap, Sale of Schedule II; Richard L. Roat Jr., 53, Speedwell, Sale of Schedule II, Sale of Schedule IV; Nolan Ausmus, 65, Speedwell, Sale of Schedule II; Dianna Hamblin, 54, Clairfield, Fraudulently obtaining Tenncare controlled substance benefits; Alfred Pagano, 69, New Tazewell, Sale of Schedule III.

The Claiborne County Sheriff’s Office thanks the citizens for their cooperation and information received and encourage those who have any information concerning illegal drug trafficking, please contact the Claiborne County Sheriff’s Office at (423) 626-3385.