Ten Arrested In Sullivan County Drug Sting

Brothers Michael Potter and Stephen Hillard were the subjects of a year-long investigation into the distribution of marijuana, cocaine and hydrocodone in the Tri-Cities area.

Today, a total of ten people are facing a total of 58 drug charges for their involvement in what Sullivan County Sheriff Wayne Anderson described this morning as a local ring of mid-level drug dealers under investigation for several months.

Anderson said the ring was led by half brothers Stephen Hillard, of Bluff City, Tenn., and Michael Potter, of Elizabethton, Tenn. The Sheriff's Office learned about the operation after Bristol, Va., police pulled Potter over in a traffic stop in January and found him with 10 ounces of marijuana, Anderson said during a news conference.

“They’ve been selling drugs for a long time,” Anderson said of the brothers.

A county grand jury recently handed down the indictments, which include charges ranging from possession of cocaine and hydrocodone to conspiracy to deliver 10 pounds of marijuana. More charges are expected to be presented to the Sullivan County and Carter County Grand Juries at a later date.

Below is a list of those who were charged in the investigation and the charges placed, for photos, click on their name.

April Barber aka April Smith, 710 VI Ranch Rd. Bristol, Tenn.
CHARGES: Possession of Cocaine for Resale, Possession of Marijuana for Resale, Possession of Hydrocodone for Resale, Maintaining a Dwelling where Narcotics are Sold and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Brian Scott Smith, 710 VI Ranch Rd. Bristol, Tenn.
CHARGES: Possession of Cocaine for Resale,Possession of Marijuana for Resale,Possession of Hydrocodone for Resale, Maintaining a Dwelling where Narcotics are Sold and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Joshua Carl Posey, 732 Saxon Mattox Rd. Carlton Ga.
CHARGES: Possession of Hydrocodone for Resale, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Eric Walter Eads aka Rocko, 143 Valley Pike Rd. Bristol Tenn.
CHARGES: Two counts of Sale and Delivery of Cocaine

Michael Potter, 114 Davis Hollow Rd. Apartment 6 Elizabethton, Tenn.
CHARGES: Four Counts of Sale and Delivery of Marijuana, Four Counts of Sale and Delivery of Cocaine, Conspiracy to Deliver over ½ a gram of Cocaine, Conspiracy to Deliver over 10 lbs of Marijuana, Other charges pending in Washington County, Va. and Carter County Tenn.

Robert Wayne Frazier, 400 Turner Rd. Kingsport Tenn.
CHARGES: Four Counts of Sale and Delivery of Marijuana, Four Counts of Sale and Delivery of Cocaine, Conspiracy to Deliver over ½ a gram of Cocaine, Conspiracy to Deliver over 10 lbs of Marijuana, Maintaining a Dwelling where Narcotics are Sold

Stephen Cleveland, 330 Godsey Rd. Apartment 42 Bristol Tenn.
CHARGES: Possession of over 10 lbs of marijuana for Resale, Two counts of sale and delivery of Marijuana, Sale and Delivery of Cocaine

Steven Alan Hillard, 1168 Weaver Branch Rd. Bluff City Tenn.
CHARGES: Conspiracy to Deliver over 10 lbs of Marijuana, Sale of over ½ ounce of Marijuana, Sale of over ½ ounce of Marijuana, Delivery of over ½ ounce of Marijuana, Delivery of over ½ ounce of Marijuana

Tracy McClellan Potter, 710 Ethel Beard Rd. Blountville Tenn.
CHARGES: . Conspiracy to Deliver over 10 lbs of Marijuana, Sale of over ½ ounce of Marijuana, Sale of over ½ ounce of Marijuana, Sale of over ½ ounce of Marijuana, Sale of over ½ ounce of Marijuana, Delivery of over ½ ounce of Marijuana, Delivery of over ½ ounce of Marijuana, Delivery of over ½ ounce of Marijuana, Delivery of over ½ ounce of Marijuana

Jimmy L. Rogers, 301 Cypress St. Bristol, Tenn.
CHARGES: Conspiracy to Deliver over 10 lbs of Marijuana, Sale of over ½ ounce of Marijuana, Sale of over ½ ounce of Marijuana, Delivery of over ½ ounce of Marijuana, Delivery of over ½ ounce of Marijuana

During the investigation, officers executed three search warrants at 330 Godsey Rd. Bristol, Tennessee, 524 Buncombe Rd. Blountville, Tennessee and 710 VI Ranch Rd. Bristol, Tennessee.

Officers also made numerous controlled purchases of cocaine and marijuana from the suspects during the investigation.

They seized more than 6,500 grams of marijuana, 100 grams of cocaine, 1000 hydrocodone pills, more than $6700.00 in cash and four vehicles in the investigation.