After a three-month investigation into methamphetamine trafficking in Pickens County, 14 people were arrested Monday during a series of raids, authorities said.
The arrests stemmed from five search warrants executed at locations near Jasper by the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office and Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
The investigation targeted a group of loosely organized individuals who are accused of bringing meth into the county, the release said. The alleged criminal enterprise reaches from Jasper to Southern California.
The search warrants were executed at locations off Bathany Road, Fuller Mountain Road, Hill City Road, Martin Road and Salacoa Vista, the release said. Authorities also seized seven stolen guns, small amounts of marijuana and pills and about seven ounces of suspected meth.
The suspects and the charges they face include:
• Vicky Ponder, 55, of Jasper, on a possession of meth charge;
• Robert K. Privette, 55, of Jasper, on violation of Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organizations (RICO) and trafficking meth charges;
• Angela Patterson, 39, of Ball Ground, on a possession of meth charge;
• Kevin Biermann, 64, of Jasper, on violation of RICO, possession of meth, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a schedule 4 controlled substance charges;
• Marvin Ray Waldroup, 51, of Jasper, on violation of RICO and trafficking meth charges;
• Tony Pettigrew, 53, of Jasper, on obstruction and trafficking meth charges;
• Diana Hamby, 48, of Jasper, on a charge of conspiracy to traffic meth;
• Michael Smith, 28, of Canton, on a charge of possession of meth with intent to distribute;
• Hayden Howard, 28, of Canton, on a charge of possession of meth with intent to distribute;
• Dakota Estes, 29, of Jasper, on a charge of possession of meth;
• Amanda Estes, 27, of Jasper, on a charge of possession of meth;
• JoAnn Flowers, 51, of Jasper, on possession of meth with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony charges;
• Barry Morgan, 59, of Jasper, on a violation of RICO charge;
• Anthony Baker, 58, of Jasper, on violation of RICO, possession of meth with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and meth trafficking charges.
The 14 suspects were booked into the Pickens County Jail.
Additional warrants have been obtained for suspects in Cherokee County and Tennessee in connection with this investigation, the release said. No other information on those suspects was provided.
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