Drug Bust In Bristol Leads To Indictments
AP Graphic
Published: February 24, 2009
Updated: February 24, 2009
Bristol, Virginia police are searching for 29 people with 79 counts of drug distribution and conspiracy to distribute drugs after a four month-long investigation dubbed “Operation Rx”. One juvenile was also charged.
Two suspects were also charged with child abuse and neglect after they delivered drugs to an undercover officer with their baby in the car.
From August to December of 2008, Bristol, Virginia Police made several undercover drug purchases. Most of the purchases were prescription drugs, marijuana and cocaine.
Over $4,000 in prescription medication, $6,000 of cocaine and $6,500 cash were seized, as well as one assault rifle and five handguns.
Police are holding a press conference this afternoon and will release the names of the suspects who were caught, as well as those they are still looking for.
UPDATE 4:31 p.m.:
Bristol, Virginia Police have released the following names as a complete list of suspects and their charges:
Dustin Ray Blevins Age 26
1549 Fairmount Ave
Bristol, VA
Distribution of Lortab (2 Counts)
Conspiracy to Distribute Schedule III (1 Count)
Mark Allen Carroll Age 20
403 Madison St.
Bristol, VA
Distribution of Lortab (1Count)
Tracy Carter Age 35
651 Quarry Street Apartment #113
Bristol, VA
Distribution of Morphine (1 Count)
Conspiracy to Distribute Morphine (1 Count)
Riley Hunter Clifton Age 19
109 Queen Street
Bristol, TN
Distribution of Marijuana (2 Counts)
Jessica Compton Age 30
600 Mary St. Apartment Q-4
Bristol, VA
Distribution of Suboxone (2 Counts)
Joel Cormier Age 20
600 Mary Street Apartment P-1
Bristol, VA
Distribution of Oxycodone (1 Count)
Conspiracy to Distribute Oxycodone (1 Count)
Angela Dickenson Age 29
104 Stafford Street
Bristol, TN
Distribution of Lortab (2 Counts)
Mary Suzanne Eaton Age 30
1549 Fairmount Ave
Bristol, VA
Distribution of Lortab (2 Counts
Conspiracy to Distribute Lortab (1 Count)
Jerry Foster Age 38
332 Taylor Street
Abingdon, VA
Distribution of Cocaine (1 Count)
Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine (1 Count)
Eve Griffin Age 34
1009 Maryland Ave
Bristol, TN
Distribution of Morphine (2 Counts)
Carla Elayne Hall Age 39
401 Oakview Ave #444
Bristol, VA
Distribution of Suboxone (2 Counts)
Richard “Brandon” Harless Age 21
612 Beechwood Dr
Bristol, TN
Distribution of Cocaine (2 Counts)
Wanda Jemes Age 46
140 Springdale Rd
Bristol, TN
Distribution of Cocaine (4 Counts)
Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine (3 Counts)
Teresa Kay Mabe Age 45
308 Oak Street Apartment #2
Bristol, VA
Distribution of Imitation Controlled Substance (1 Count)
Angel Martin Age 20
257 Valley Pike
Bristol, TN
Distribution of Marijuana (4 Counts)
Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana (4 Counts)
Child Abuse or Neglect (2 Counts)
Wayne Montgomery Age 46
2504 Broad Street
Bristol, TN
Distribution of Cocaine (3 Counts)
Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine (3 Counts)
Simon Bradley Osborne Age 18
22059 Gale Ave
Bristol, VA
Distribution of Dilaudid (3 Counts)
Alena Pendergrass Age 35
177 Second Street Apartment #F
Bristol, VA
Distribution of Cocaine (2 Counts)
Jason Edward Price Age 26
209 Sleepy Hollow Rd
Bristol, TN
Possession of Cocaine (1 Count)
Amber Raulerson Age 19
600 Mary St Apartment P-1
Bristol, VA
Distribution of Oxycodone (1 Count)
Conspiracy to Distribute Oxycodone (1 Count)
Reginald Rondeau Age 18
203 Lynwood Street
Bristol, TN
Distribution of Cocaine (1 Count)
Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine (1 Count)
Adam Smith Age 27
651 Quarry Street Apartment #113
Bristol, VA
Distribution of Morphine (1 Count)
Conspiracy to Distribute Morphine (1 Count)
Larry Wayne Smith Age 53
300 Beechwood Drive
Bristol, TN
Distribution of Cocaine (1 Count)
Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine (1 Count)
Nakiche K. Taylor Age 20
3864 East Line Drive
Kingsport, TN
Distribution of Oxycodone (3 Counts)
Carolyn Thomas Age 46
500 Lindsey Street Apartment #2
Bristol, VA
Distribution of Imitation Controlled Substance (1 Count)
Mark Allen Thomas Age 49
615 Taylor Street
Bristol, TN
Distribution of Cocaine (3 Counts)
Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine (1 Count)
Wendolyn Walden Age 42
401 Oakview Ave Apartment #455
Bristol, VA
Distribution of Cocaine (2 Counts)
David Clint Watson Age 19
257 Valley Pike
Bristol, TN
Distribution of Marijuana (4 Counts)
Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana (4 Counts)
Child Abuse or Neglect (2 Counts)
One male juvenile, age 17
2 Counts Distribution of Schedule II (Methodone)
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Reader Reactions
Judgmental attitude in a situation like this doesn’t solve anything. To those who are quick to throw rocks,with the economy collapsing and no court supported rehabilitation to these people that may not be able to afford one,I doubt that any of this really will in the long run solve anything.We as a society have to ask ourselves,what are we willing to do accept finger pointing.Some don’t want to admit that this is their problem,but this is in everyone’s backyard,Judges kids,doctor’s kids,teacher’s kids,pastor’s kids and so on.as large as a problem as drug use is can anyone say that they know no one in their family that is not touched by a drug family?Or is this not you because your family member does not live in housing?Or because their insurance is not provided by the state?You have to remember that the way the state of the economy is in,the same high perch that you are looking down from right now,a year from now you may not be.
i agree with chester..but also my other view on this is…..Yeah they caught alot of people mostly in va and like he said they where only what 2 people in tn caught?...what im getting at is the Docters in tn mostly don’t give out meds like these anymore because of this fact…So i do not see where the whole TNcare is brought up,yes if people need it i think they should take them like there suppose to dont sell them by all means if you have any real sence in the long run you’ll end up getting caught but i think Tn and Va should build places for young people to go and hang out or do something and start having more jobs if Tn would hire people instead of laying off people maybe this stuff wouldnt be going on 24/7 commen sence people need money to live….so why dont you start opening new bisness’s..hiring people not laying off and maybe you wouldnt see things like this go on as often as its goingon….no doubt it will probably always go on….drugs are everywhere…..and like chester i will debate on that…What “nurse” said was WORTHLESS…maybe the majority of them did/didnt have a job but its comments like that…that is making any kind of healthcare be so exspensive you can hardly aford it.I believe everyone should recieve care if they truely need it….im sure you can spot the people who just use it for this simple fact ....other then the ones that use it for there NEEDS.
Just Thinking
I totally agree! Congrats BVPD - job well done! These dead beat drug dealers need to get whats coming to them. Take these people off our streets! Especially one’s who are so selfish that they have to take along their precious children while they do their drug dealing. That’s horrible. I can’t imagine EVER living that way! I thank God everyday for having two loving parents that only wanted the best for me and my siblings! Trying every way possible to keep us out of harms reach! These children did not ask to be taken all over town all hours of the night just so some ‘joe blow’ can get his high. How selfish can these people be? Not to mention the danger! The sad part about this whole situation is…all us law-abiding, hard working citizens want these people out of our neighborhoods, away from our children and behind bars but we have to pay to house & feed the one’s that get caught (jail) AND pay housing, medical expenses (including the prescriptions that are being sold)for the one’s that didn’t get caught! This is one messed up society! Everyone needs to wake up, grow up and try to make something positive of life!
I bet you all of if not most of the names on the list have no job. Like I said, why should they, Our welfare programs pays them to deal drugs and get a free ride along the way. We must revamp our welfare system. The old welfare programs are not working. We in the United States have far too many people living off welfare when these people can get out and find work just like the rest of us. SO, the ones that need the help can’t seem to get it. So see our local politicians and lets get our welfare programs revamped? Maybe is these people had jobs they would be too tired to get out and sell drugs or even have the time to do the drugs???
Congrats to the BVPD and to everyone else involved. Thanks for giving names and addresses for the ones involved, but I’d like to see the photo’s of them to see how many “ shop and sell “ in my neighborhood. I don’t know them by name only faces and vehicles. I say alot of the older ones I see at the neighbors are giving the prescriptions by Dr’s who think they are taking the meds, only to turn around and sell them. We have mostly older people buying and selling in our neighborhood. It’s rare to see younger ones there.
Why was this list published before arrests were made? Doing so just gave these people an opportunity to hide or run. How responsible was that Tricities.com?
Yeah. How can you stop them when everyone makes a little money along the way?
I’d have to agree with Gen. Lee about this being the sad list. And the really sad thing is probably a very large percentage of these people selling prescription drugs obtained them from doctors who just write scripts like giving out candy. And even more sad is most of these sellers obtained their drugs from pharmacies using TNCare to pay for them. I’m sure most of them do not hold down a job. So that’s our tax payers money at work. Such an abuse of the system. I know elderly people who can’t get their meds they absolutely have to have. Atleast pharmacies are working together to track who gets more than one prescription from numerous doctors. That should help a little. Yes, very sad I’d say.
This should be called the really sad list.
These are the names we need to see posted. Not the names of law abiding gun owners, or the salaries of teachers, police officers, and other underpaid public servants.
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