Crime & Public Safety

5 arrested for allegedly possessing over $100,000 of meth in Hall County

Left to right: Melissa Ann Dilbeck, Vera Lou Bateman, Chris Lee Dilback, Robbie Louise Gabriel and James Kerry Towe
Left to right: Melissa Ann Dilbeck, Vera Lou Bateman, Chris Lee Dilback, Robbie Louise Gabriel and James Kerry Towe
May 19, 2018

Five Hall County residents were arrested Thursday for allegedly possessing over one kilogram, or 2.2 pounds, of methamphetamine, authorities said.

The Hall County Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad Task Force raided a home on the 3000 block of Campus Pointe Circle in Gainseville, finding over 2.2 pounds of methamphetamine packaged in over 20 separate bags and two containers, according to a news release. The estimated street value of that amount of methamphetamine is over $100,000.

A 9mm pistol, digital scales, packaging materials, drug paraphernalia and over $1,400 cash was seized as well, the release said.

Over one kilogram of meth was found during a raid in Gainesville Thursday. (Credit: Hall County MANS Task Force)
Over one kilogram of meth was found during a raid in Gainesville Thursday. (Credit: Hall County MANS Task Force)

The five people arrested in connection with this operation were Chris Lee Dilbeck, 47, of Gainesville; Melissa Ann Dilbeck, 46, of Gainesville; Vera Lou Bateman, 48, of Talmo; Robbie Louise Gabriel, 32, of Gainesville; and James Kerry Towe, of Jefferson, the release said.

Bateman and the Dilbecks were charged with trafficking methamphetamine. Gabriel and the Dilbecks were charged with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

Chris Dilbeck was also charged with possession of a firearm in the commission of a crime, and Gabriel was also charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine. Towe was charged with criminal attempt to traffic methamphetamine.

The suspects were arrested and booked into the Hall County Jail without incident, the release said.

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Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives.

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