The Claiborne County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) focused a good portion of its efforts last week on illegal drugs. Sheriff’s deputies, along with officers from the New Tazewell Police Department, spent much of May 18 arresting a total of eight suspects on drug-related charges, in a sweep that began in the two cities and crossed the mountain into Clairfield.

The drug roundup was a result of 15 sealed indictments handed down by the Claiborne Grand Jury. The suspects, for the most part, were indicted on the sale and delivery of methamphetamine, opanas, hydrocodone, Xanax, suboxone and clonazapam.

One suspect was arrested for alleged TennCare fraud.

Requests by members of the Claiborne School Board and school system officials netted a sweep on May 14 of Claiborne and Cumberland Gap High Schools. The CCSO was assisted by four Knox County K-9 drug officers and their dogs in a sweep of student areas, lockers and parking lots.

The K-9 dogs alerted officers to six areas at Claiborne High, resulting in the issuing of citations to court. Two areas at Cumberland Gap High were pointed by the dogs. However, no citations were issued, according to a press release.

The May 18 roundup of alleged drug dealers is but the first of many that are expected to occur, over the next weeks.

Those indicted and arrested in the roundup were:

Louetta Jane Turner, 38, charged with two counts of the sale and delivery of methampetamine, is held on a $25,000 secured bond;

Lisa Marie Leonard, 34, charged with the sale and delivery of methamphetamine, is held on a $30,000 bond;

Vance Edward Littrell, 52, charged with the sale and deliver of a schedule II and a schedule III drugs, is held on a $30,000 secured bond;

Danny Lee Sizelove, 24, charged with the sale and delivery of a schedule III drugs, is held on a $20,000 secured bond;

Travis Joe Jordan, 38, charged with the sale and delivery of methamphetamine, is held on a $40,000 secured bond;

Christopher Adam Bishop, 45, charged with failure to appear, is held on a $5,000 secured bond;

Charles Seabolt, 62, charged with two counts of the sale and delivery of a schedule III drugs inside a drug free zone and for one count of TennCare fraud, is held on a $40,000 bond;

Billy Adkins, 69, charged with the sale and delivery of a schedule II drugs, is held on a $25,000 bond.

These suspects will be arraigned in court on May 29.

More indictments are expected.

The sweep that occurred at the two high schools was the result of a cooperative effort between the CCSO and the Claiborne school system and its ongoing enforcement of the zero tolerance policy.

“These sweeps will continue into the new school year,” said Ray.