ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Saturday, March 16, 1996               TAG: 9603180105
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: C1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: RICHARD FOSTER STAFF WRITER


BEDFORD SWEEPS FOR DRUGS OFFICERS ARREST 11; 'AIMED AT ALL LEVELS'

Bedford County Sheriff Mike Brown announced the results Friday of what could be the county's largest drug investigation, netting 11 suspects charged with 31 drug felonies.

A multiagency task force swept through the crack-plagued Body Camp community Thursday night and arrested four people on felony drug charges. Seven other people face felony charges as a result of sealed indictments handed down this month by a Bedford County grand jury.

"These investigations were aimed at all levels of drug trade, including the major suppliers, the street level dealers and those who come into the county to purchase drugs," Brown said. "We hope to send the message, `Don't do it in Bedford County!'"

Thomas Leroy "Boogaloo" Lipscomb, 25, of Body Camp was indicted on three counts of distributing cocaine. Clarence Odell Cheatwood, 28, of Bedford, and Clay S. Berger, 19, of Moneta, both were indicted on three counts of distribution of cocaine and three counts of distribution of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school zone.

Keith E. Autry, 30, and Jackie A. Robertson, 30, both from Bedford, each were indicted on two counts of distribution of cocaine and two counts of distributing cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school zone.

Randolph R. Abbott, 48, and Perry Eugene Goode, both of Bedford, each were indicted on one count of distribution of cocaine and one count of distributing cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school zone.

Thursday's raid lasted from dusk Thursday until early in the morning Friday. Law enforcement officers from the Sheriff's Office, Bedford Police Department, state police and Game and Inland Fisheries Department, and representatives from the county Commonwealth's Attorney's Office were involved in the raid.

Charged with one felony count each of attempting to possess cocaine were: Johnny Newman, 35, of Bedford; Sandy Ross Mitchell, 33, of Bedford; Jason Hogan, 18, of Bedford; and Pamela E. Doby, 36, of Huddleston.

Hogan and another man, David Clark, 49, of Bedford, also were charged with one count each of possession of marijuana, a misdemeanor. Two other men were arrested on misdemeanor drunk-in-public charges.


LENGTH: Short :   47 lines

















by CNB