ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 15, 1990                   TAG: 9003152248
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: Southwest Bureau
DATELINE: HILLSVILLE                                 LENGTH: Medium

12 FACE DRUG CHARGES IN CARROLL COUNTY BUST

Twelve people have been arrested by the Carroll County sheriff's office after being charged in sealed indictments with distribution of various drugs.

Sheriff R.D. Carrico said Wednesday that he anticipated more arrests from the undercover investigation, started by his office initially and continued with assistance from the Twin County Drug Task Force that includes the Galax Police Department, Grayson County Sheriff's Departmewnt and state police.

The Carroll County Circuit Court room was cleared of spectators Monday when a grand jury issued a still-undisclosed number of sealed indictments. Carroll County and Galax officers met at the jail here before starting arrests late Monday afternoon.

Those arrested so far and the charges against them include: Tim Freeman, 23, of Laurel Fork, distributing an imitation controlled substance; Kevin Ray Issacs, 19, Hillsville, distributing cocaine and LSD; Tracy Lee Caudill, 23, Hillsville, two counts of distributing cocaine and one count of distributing LSD; Thomas Glen Harmon, 22, Woodlawn, and Vincent Lee Edwards, Galax, distributing cocaine; Michael David Sharp, 22, Woodlawn, distributing LSD; Gary Andrew Steffey, Galax, conspiracy to distribute cocaine; and Jackie Roberts, Hillsville, distributing a controlled substance.

Also: Michael Everet Lambert, 19, Pulaski, Basil W. Blankenship and Donald Lee Dixon, both of Galax, distributing marijuana; and John Robert Wright, 29, Hillsville, misdemeanor distribution of marijuana.

A pickup truck was confiscated during the arrests.

Harmon and Sharp had been freed Wednesday on $100,000 bonds; Dixon, on a $10,000 bond; Lambert, $5,000 bond, and Wright, $1,000 bond. No trial dates have been scheduled. Bond-reduction hearings are set for Thursday and March 23.

The Carroll County Board of Supervisors commended Carrico at its meeting Wednesday for pursuing the drug cases. Carrico told the supervisors that the investigation could not have been carried out without them providing funds for such work.

"They've put up money for buys. . . . They've been confidential about it," Carrico said afterward. "They are really down on drugs." 


 by CNB