43 Suspected Drug Dealers Charged in 'April Fools' Undercover Operation

SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) -- The Sevier County Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday that 43 suspected drug dealers had been arrested after an undercover drug operation that was dubbed 'April Fools.'

The eight-month operation by the narcotics unit resulted in 87 people receiving indictments for the sale and delivery of various narcotics. Those indictments were returned by a Sevier County Grand Jury last week, SCSO said.

Officials said the operation focused on heroin and other opioid-related drugs and meth, though other illicit drugs were also targeted.

Officials began arresting suspects at 5 a.m. Tuesday, and arrests continued throughout the day, SCSO said, until all suspects had been arrested.

During the arrests, three vehicles, $15,600 in cash and additional illegal drugs were seized from suspects' homes.

The following individuals were arrested and charged in the case: -Jeffery Large, 50, of Sevierville, was charged with three counts of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (meth) -Anna Shafer, 44, of Sevierville, was charged with four counts of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (meth) -Jennifer Brown, 36, of Seymour, was charged with three counts of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (Suboxone) -Jeffery Latham, 40, of Seymour, was charged with four counts of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (Suboxone) -Amber Skye Smith, 20, of Seymour, was charged with sale and delivery of a Schedule I substance (heroin), as well as with sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (oxycodone) -Jacklyn Kirk, 36, of Seymour, was charged with sale and delivery of a Schedule IV substance (Xanax) and a Schedule II substance (oxycodone) -Teresa Long, 34, of Sevierville, was charged with three counts of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (oxycodone/oxymorphone) -Tabitha West, 35, of Maryville, was charged with three counts of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (oxycodone/oxymorphone) -Edger Benjamin Munoz, 41, of Sevierville, was charged with two counts of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (cocaine), two counts of sale in a drug-free zone, and two counts of driving on a revoked license -Gary Ogle, 36, of Sevierville, was charged with two counts of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (meth) -Thao Nichols, 28, of Jefferson City, was charged with the sale and delivery of a counterfeit controlled substance -Eddie Williams, 33, of Sevierville, was charged with two counts of sale and delivery of a Schedule I substance, and one count of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance in a school zone -Sandy Bierman, 39, of Sevierville, was charged with sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (meth) in a drug-free zone -Teddy Campbell, 50, of Pigeon Forge, was charged with one count of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (meth) -Michael Spurling, 35, of Pigeon Forge, was charged with two counts of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (meth) -William Joseph Tucker, 49, of Sevierville, was charged with one count of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (oxycodone) -Carly Huskey, 26, of Sevierville, was charged with one count of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (oxycodone) and two counts of sale and delivery of a Schedule III substance (suboxone) -Kailyn Rea Davis, 28, of Sevierville, was charged with three counts of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (Hydrocodone), and conspiracy to distribute -David Wesley Brown, 34, of Gatlinburg, was charged with one count of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (meth) and conspiracy to distribute -Jason Daniel Huskey, 28, of Sevierville, was charged with one count of sale and delivery of a Schedule III substance (Suboxone) -Stephen Roger Vandergriff, 25, of Kodak, was charged with one count of sale and delivery of a Schedule III substance (Suboxone), and one count of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (meth) -Julia Christine Harksen, 28, of Kodak, was charged with one count of sale and delivery of a Schedule III substance (Suboxone), and one count of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (meth) -Tiffany Martin, 31, of Sevierville, was charged with one count of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (meth) -Roy Gambill, 34, of Sevierville, was charged with one count of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (meth) -Randy Howard, 47, of Sevierville, was charged with one count of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (meth) and conspiracy to distribute -Robert Franklin, 54, of Pigeon Forge, was charged with one count of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (meth) and conspiracy to distribute -Joel Clabough, 38, of Sevierville, was charged with two counts of sale and delivery of a Schedule III substance (Suboxone) and one count of sale in a drug-free zone (school) -Billy Joe McFalls, 47, of Sevierville, was charged with one count of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (heroin) -Kelsie Epperson, 23, of Seymour, was charged with one count of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (meth) -Shane Gilliand, 28, of Seymour, was charged with one count of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (meth) -Nolvia Rosmery Carillo, 38, of Sevierville, was charged with one count of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (cocaine) and conspiracy to distribute -Samantha Herstritt, 36, of Newport, was charged with one count of sale and delivery of a Schedule III substance (Suboxone) and one count of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (meth) -Charles Thomas, 33, of Sevierville, was charged with possession with the intent to sell Schedule I and Schedule II substances -Cammie Middleton, 34, of Kodak, was charged with two counts of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (morphine)

The following individuals were already in custody in correctional facilities when they were served indictments: -Dustin Black, 52, was served at the Bledsoe County Correctional Complex on three charges of sale and delivery of Schedule II substances (Oxycodone/oxymorphone) -Melissa Meister, 40, was served at the Knox County jail on three counts of sale and delivery of Schedule II substances (oxycodone/oxymorphone) in a drug-free zone -Gabriel E. Hyatt, 30, was served at the Jefferson County jail on three counts of sale and delivery of Schedule II substances (meth, fentanyl, oxycodone) and one count of a Schedule III substance (heroin) -Samantha Penn, 21, was served at the Jefferson County jail on two counts of sale and delivery of Schedule II and Schedule III substances -Ammie Lyons (Grimmett), 43, was served at the Jefferson County jail on three counts of sale and delivery of Schedule II substances (Carfentanil, meth) -Alhley Blevins, 25, was served at the West Tennessee State Penitentiary on one count of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (meth) and conspiracy to distribute meth -Aaron Monroe Hooker, 29, was served at the Sullivan County jail on one count of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (meth) and conspiracy to distribute meth -Samual Eslinger, 29, was served at the Hancock County jail with one count of sale and delivery of a Schedule I substance -Steven Arnold Hedgepath, 27, was served in Savannah, Georgia, with one count of sale and delivery of a Schedule II substance (meth)

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