ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 25, 1996 TAG: 9604250032
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-6 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: RADFORD
SOURCE: LISA K. GARCIA STAFF WRITER
The word hit the streets Wednesday in Radford: police had indictments in hand and were making arrests for drug-related charges in their annual fashion.
Deputy Chief Jonny Butler chuckled as he said: "A couple of people think they have been indicted and they haven't. They're on the lam. That's OK, we'll get them next year."
Radford police's yearlong drug investigation culminated with 44 direct indictments, handed down by a special grand jury Tuesday, against 19 people. A pretty successful year for the force's four investigators, Butler said.
By Wednesday afternoon, officers had arrested nine people accounting for 26 of the charges.
It's the ninth year, according to Butler, the investigators systematically developed their cases during the year using informants, surveillance and other techniques. Most drug-related arrests are put off till the spring roundup to keep the undercover investigation secret - especially the identity of informants.
The 19 people being charged range in age from 20 to 41. They include one student from New River Community College, one from Virginia Tech and five from Radford University. Some of the people charged live in Radford, but others call Dublin, Blacksburg, Roanoke and Christiansburg their home.
Charges cover misdemeanor marijuana possession as well as more serious offenses like distribution of cocaine and LSD.
Butler said he thought LSD went out of style along with disco and bell-bottoms, but it's fast making a comeback along with hallucinogenic mushrooms.
Officers celebrated the year's work with T-shirts with the words "We're back!" stenciled on them. It was short celebration, according to Butler, who said work has already begun on cases whose arrests will come during next spring's roundup.
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