Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 18, 1990 TAG: 9004180403
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By NEAL THOMPSON NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: RADFORD - LENGTH: Medium
The arrests came after a six-month undercover investigation. A special grand jury met Monday and handed down 35 indictments against 15 people.
Police still were looking Tuesday afternoon for one man. A juvenile who was indicted was arrested two weeks ago and already in custody.
Most of those indicted - including a Radford University student, one woman and a juvenile - live in Radford. One lives in Giles County and one in Dublin.
Nine of the 35 indictments were against Mark Cameron Weddel, 25, of the 1000 block of Sanford Street.
Police also arrested Linda Dalton Weddel, 25, who had not been indicted. She was charged with possession of marijuana after a search of her husband's home.
Radford Lt. Jackie Roop said drug sales observed since October were not limited to the area near Radford University.
"It was all over the city," Roop said.
Part of this operation included the city's first crack cocaine conviction. Two weeks ago, a 14-year-old was convicted of possession of crack and sent to a juvenile correctional facility in Richmond, Commonwealth's Attorney Randal Duncan announced Tuesday morning.
Said Roop: "There's been crack in the city for the past eight to 10 months. But that was the first conviction."
Police confiscated cocaine, marijuana and LSD and seized four cars Tuesday. Duncan said he planned to ask a judge to forfeit the cars to Radford, which could sell them or use them for law enforcement.
Police also recovered thousands of dollars, some of which they said had been used by police to buy drugs from suspected dealers.
Radford Chief A.C. Earles said the operation, one of the city's most expensive, was jointly funded by city and state police.
Seven suspects had been released Tuesday afternoon after posting bonds ranging from $1,500 to $80,000, said Maj. Thomas LaVelle of the Sheriff's Department. Others were being held in the city jail and one woman was in the Montgomery County Jail.
All are scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in Circuit Court.
Duncan said prosecuting the cases will be his biggest challenge since taking office in January, "But I'm looking forward to it." He said evidence gathered by investigators should make the cases easy to prosecute.
A similar undercover drug sweep by Radford and state police last April resulted in the arrest of eight suspects, five of them Radford University students. Seven pleaded guilty in January to charges of selling cocaine and marijuana. One student was acquitted by a jury in September.
Radford Maj. Jonny Butler, sipping coffee in the crowded Police Department as handcuffed suspects were taken before a magistrate, joked that they should make it an annual event. "We'll call this one the second annual Radford Drug Fair," he said.
Between 5 a.m. and noon Tuesday, police arrested a 16-year-old, whose name was withheld, and the following:
Anthony Lovern, 32, of the first block of Montgomery Street, charged with three counts of selling cocaine.
Darrel Hubert Carter, 25, of the New River Garden Apartments on First Street, charged with three counts of selling cocaine.
Wayne Edward Moore, 23, of Auburn Avenue, charged with two counts of selling cocaine.
Christopher W. Given, 22, of the 500 block of Calhoun Street, charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and three counts of possession of marijuana with intent to sell.
Susan Marie McDaniel, 24, of the 1500 block of First Street, charged with possession of marijuana and selling marijuana.
Keith Roberts of Route 1, Pearisburg, charged with two counts of selling marijuana.
Todd Downz, 29, of the 1200 block of Wadsworth Street, charged with selling marijuana.
Timothy Corder, 27, of the 400 block of Clement Street, charged with selling marijuana.
Richard Timothy Linkous, 33, of Route 1, Dublin, charged with conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
Gary Jones Artrip, 31, of the 100 block of Taylor Street, charged with conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
Police also were searching for Douglas Turner, who was indicted on two counts of selling cocaine.
by CNB