By Patrick McCreless

PATRICKM@CULLMANTIMES.COM



Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies conducted a massive crackdown on drug activity in Cullman County Monday and Tuesday, arresting 64 people in the process.

“This is the largest joint effort I can remember in my 30 years of service in Cullman County,” said Cullman Police Chief Kenny Culpepper.

Between 70 and 80 law enforcement personnel from the Cullman County Sheriff’s Department, the Cullman Police Department, Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the Alabama Bureau of Investigation (ABI), the U.S. Marshals, the Blount County Task Force, the Warrior Police Department and the Cullman County Narcotics Task Force assisted in the roundup.

“This is the culmination of a very long-term investigation into meth manufacturing and firearm trafficking,” said David Hyche, resident agent in charge of the ATF Birmingham III Field Office.

Cullman County Sheriff Tyler Roden said the agents divided into various teams to serve 60 outstanding warrants in the county.

“So far, 39 of those warrants have been served,” Roden said. “Nobody was injured. Everything went very smoothly.”

Roden added the rest of the arrests were made while agents attempted to serve the 60 warrants.

“A lot of these cases are related to the selling of meth,” Roden said. “Three of the arrests were illegals (immigrants) charged with drug offenses.”

Roden noted that the illegal immigrants would be prosecuted for their crimes before they were deported.

“Meth, firearms and illegal aliens, we take that very seriously,” Hyche said.

Most of those arrested were charged with similar offenses including unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of marijuana.

“It’s a pretty good percentage of warrants,” Culpepper said. “It was such a good cooperative effort that takes a lot of planning.”

In addition to the arrests, agents seized 18 firearms, shut down a meth lab in Good Hope as well as a lab in Dodge City and recovered small amounts of marijuana and methamphetamine.

Of the individuals arrested for their alleged involvement with the two meth labs, Garry Delane Sellers, 43 of Cullman, was supposedly caught with the lab in hand.

“As officers were going to serve the warrant, they saw the suspect behind the house … he had a meth lab in one arm and finished product in the other,” Roden said. “Officers had to chase him down.”

Another, who was arrested at the scene of the Good Hope meth lab, was already out on a $1 million bond for a meth manufacturing charge.

Kristie Marie Gilley, 31, of Vinemont was arrested on May 8 after she allegedly dumped a used meth lab behind a daycare center in the Vinemont area.

Gilley’s bond was revoked and she was charged with unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance in the first degree.

“We are seeing a surge in meth labs in our community,” Roden said.

According to the Associated Press, law enforcement agencies across Alabama have experienced a recent surge in meth labs due to a new method that allows users to make the drug quicker and easier. The Drug Enforcement Administration estimates about 135 of the new labs have been reported since October. Additional ones were found in the state that weren’t reported to the federal agency.

Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock said he would do his best to ensure those arrested in the roundup had their day in court.

“The district attorney’s office stands ready to prosecute these individuals,” Blaylock said. “Not only are we sending a message that this will not be tolerated … but we’re also showing young people that nothing good can come from drug trafficking.”

Most of the charges are felonies ranging in punishment from 10 years in prison to as much as life in prison.

“Severe crimes warrant severe punishments,” Blaylock said.

Roden said he wanted to commend the efforts of all the agents involved, his staff at the Cullman County Detention Center as well as the community.

“In a lot of these cases, the community played a big role,” Roden said. “A lot of their information helped us locate them (criminals).”



* Garry Delane Sellers, 43, charged with unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance and unlawful distribution of a controlled substance.

* Brian Ervin Guthery, 31, charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and promoting prison contraband.

* Candy Melissa Imbery, 30, charged with illegal possession of alcohol.

* Shanna Lynn White, 22 charged with failure to appear for no insurance.

* Vanessa Diane Baggett Skinner, 25 charged with failure to appear for unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and failure to appear for no drivers license.

* Clayton Eugene Dillard, 30 charged with failure to appear for theft of services and failure to appear for no insurance.

* Charles Edward White, 20 charged with failure to appear for two counts of unlawful possession of marijuana in the second degree.

* Brandy Winfrey Phillips, 32 charged with unlawful possession of marijuana in the first degree, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

* Kimberly Campbell Thomas, 30 charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and failure to appear for negotiating a worthless negotiable instrument.

* Anthony Dewayne Hallman, 43 charged with trafficking methamphetamine.

* Kristie Marie Gilley, 31 charged with unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance.

* Timothy Wayne Shelby, 29 charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

* Billy George Phillips, 24 charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

* Nicholas Daniel McAlpine, 25 charged with attempting to commit a controlled substance crime.

* Ronea Kaye Elms, 32 charged with attempting to commit a controlled substance crime.

* Tony Dewayne Mobley, 35 charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and failure to appear for unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

* Robert Marcus Russell, 31 charged with unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance in the first degree.

* Matthew Craig Elliott charged with forgery in the second degree, possession of a forged instrument in the second degree, theft of property in the second degree and breaking and entering a motor vehicle.

* Jason Carl Bates, 40 charged with driving with two counts of driving with a revoked license.

* Lynn Self Hill, 54 charged with permitting dogs to run at large.

* Melissa Michelle Hydrick, 37 charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

* Melvin Carlos Williams, 68 charged with unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

* Carisa Celeste Hill, 33 charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

* Chelsie Anne Pruett, 19 charged with negotiating a worthless negotiable instrument.

* Anthony Dewayne Sansing, 39 charged with non-support of a child and theft of services.

* Jeffery Ray Mize, 47 charged with unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

* Danny Bradford Wynn, 37 charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of marijuana in the second degree.

* Mary Baker Johnson, 42 charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

* Clyde Michael Brown, Jr., 25 charged with theft of property in the first degree.

* Miranda May King Ramirez, 38 charged with failure to appear for unlawful possession of marijuana and unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

* Brenigan Nicole Driskell, 22 charged with unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

* James Hugo Sterling, 39 charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance.

* Shane Wesley Kelley, 21 charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

* Robert Earl Staton, 41 charged with unlawful possession of marijuana in the first degree.

* Patricia Ann Weaver, 43 charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

* Lugo Hector Soto, 27 charged with trafficking methamphetamine.

* Clint Turner Godsey, 36 charged with failure to appear for negotiating a worthless negotiable instrument.

* Penny Lynn Spicer, 29 charged with failure to appear for driving with a suspended license.

* Kenneth Gregory Shikles, 51 charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

* Joseph Burgett, 31 charged with unlawful possession of marijuana in the second degree.

* Jeffery Wayne Dye, 37 charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

* Janet Lee Willingham, 32 charged with failure to appear for illegal possession of prescription drugs and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

* Antonio Jerome Stanton, 36 charged with attempting to commit a controlled substance crime.

* Mitchell Paul Bush, 55 charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance.

* Anita Carol Nail, 52 charged with attempting to commit a controlled substance crime.

* Mark Anthony Nix, 40 charged with two counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance and unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance.

* Keith Talmadge Floyd, 43 charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

* Tina Ann Lewis, 36 charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance.

* Jerry Donald Livingston, 51 charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance and possession of a short-barrelled firearm.

* Patricia Ann Dye, 60 charged with unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

* Dannie Oneal Dye, 57 charged with unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

* William Shawn Driskell, 27 charged with attempting to commit a controlled substance crime and unlawful distribution of a controlled substance.

* Jackson Ray Alexander, 58 charged with unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

*Amanda Charlene Campbell, 40 charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

* Kathernine Dawn Davis, 26 charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance.

* Rafeal Garcia Rodriguez, 25 charged with possession of a forged instrument in the second degree.

* Timmy Ray Atchley, 39 charged with unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance in the second degree.

* Bobby Gene Brown, 44 charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

* Timothy Ray Briscoe, 43 charged with three counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance.

* Winfred Weaver, 53 charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

* Eduardo Ever Soto, 25 charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance.