Thirty people were arrested on drug warrants in Sequoyah County, Okla., Friday morning. More warrants are expected to be served.
The Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Department issued over 99 warrants for 58 suspects, according to a news release.
"Since September of last year, we've done some undercover purchases on prescription pills, over the limit pseudo buys," said Sheriff Ron Lockhart.
The operation called “ROXY/SWEEP” was a cooperative effort of sheriff’s department, District Attorney Drug Task Force, Sallisaw Police, Gore Police, and the Cherokee Nation Marshall Service.
Its purpose was to identify suspects selling prescription medications and purchasing more than the legal limit of Pseudoephedrine to manufacture illegal drugs, according to Sheriff Lockhart.
While officers were serving an arrest warrant at a residence north of Sallisaw, they discovered William Petree, 43 had a drug lab in operation and seized its contents, Investigator George Bormann said.
"When we arrived, he came outside had a strong smell of a meth lab," said Bormann.
5NEWS Cameras were there during the sting.
"He decided he was going to make methamphetamine today for the first time and we just happened to arrive at the right time and catch him in the process," said Bormann.
Deputies not only discover drugs inside the home.
"Found several lab components outside," said Bormann. "He led us to more in the woods, so turned out to be a good day."
The investigation started in September 2011 using confidential informants and electronic surveillance equipment, the sheriff said.
"They want to act like they didn't do anything, but you know, video doesn't lie," the sheriff said. "It's it's a good tool."
Sheriff Lockhart called the sale of prescription drugs “one of the major problems in Sequoyah County.”
"It's something we take very seriously and we want to let them know that, you know, we're not going to put up with it," said Sheriff Lockhart.
As of 3 p.m. Friday, the following suspects were arrested:
- Chad Asher 5-23-90
- Austin Bagley 12-22-88
- Malanie Bagley 12-25-67
- Lisa Bruce 2-10-73
- Scotty Bynum 5-6-72
- John P Cascaden 9-7-87
- Jeannie Conner 3-17-80
- Dwayne Lee Davis 7-1-68
- Aaron Goff 4-20-92
- Johnny Houston 4-2-57
- Mark Hunter 11-24-80
- Michael Hunter 4-27-84
- Rosa Mariah Jackson 2-25-92
- Roberta Kass 4-12-65
- Anthony Legrant 4-11-60
- Nathan Lewis 5-26-91
- Jerry Lee Lollis 7-2-69
- Jack Mcgehee 12-20-34
- Michael dale Mcgehee 11-8-89
- Brenda Moad 12-2-59
- Christopher Myers 11-18-82
- William S Petree 4-19-69
- Travis Rolston 6-10-83
- Dixie Shumate 1-13-66
- Brent Smith 8-17-89
- Joseph Smith 2-26-86
- Jason Springwater 2-25-74
- Debra Ann Spurgeon 10-25-59
- Dale E Summerlin 2-16-58
- Jerry Jones 1-10-78