Grand Jury Indicts 43 Adults, 4 Juveniles

BOTETOURT POLICE, DEA NAB 25 IN DRUG SWEEP

Most of the charges stemming from "Operation Fall Sweep" are felonies
involving possession and distribution of marijuana, OxyContin, ecstasy,
cocaine and methamphetamine.

Twenty-one adults and four juveniles were arrested Monday evening as part
of a six-month undercover drug operation by the Botetourt County Sheriff's
Office, state police and the Drug Enforcement Administration said.

Botetourt County's first drug sweep in nine years started within a few
hours after a grand jury indicted 43 adults and the four juveniles on 82
drug-related charges.

Most of the charges were felonies and stemmed from possession and
distribution of marijuana, OxyContin, ecstasy, cocaine and methamphetamine,
authorities said.

Fifty-four of Botetourt's 64 sworn deputies, 14 State Police troopers and
four DEA agents arrested 15 suspects within the first three hours of the
roundup, which was continuing throughout the night.

Dubbed "Operation Fall Sweep," the roundup comes less than a week after
authorities raided the second of two marijuana-growing operations. Five
people were charged with manufacturing and distributing marijuana in those
raids.

Botetourt Sheriff Ronnie Sprinkle said it is too soon to connect those
raids with Monday's sweep.

Sprinkle said those indicted were mainly street dealers from all over
Botetourt County, as well as Bedford and Roanoke counties and Roanoke,
Salem and North Carolina.

The six-month investigation was funded with proceeds from the sale of
property seized in other crimes, Sprinkle said. Informants and some
undercover officers were used to buy drugs during the investigation,
Sprinkle said.

Although many of the charges were related to marijuana, Sprinkle said, the
sweep did not uncover a drug of choice for dealers and users. Ecstasy and
methamphetamine, he said, have been a growing concern of law enforcement
officials.

The drug sweep has about the same magnitude of one in 1992, Sprinkle said.
Then, OxyContin, ecstasy and methamphetamine were not as familiar. He said
he is pleased that so far investigators also have no information that would
indicate any of the drugs have been sold in schools.

"I want people to understand that we take drugs very seriously and will do
our best to keep them out of Botetourt County," Sprinkle said.

"The extent of this operation and the significant actions that have
resulted should send a clear message that drug law enforcement has a high
priority in Botetourt County and drug violators will be vigorously and
effectively pursued and prosecuted."