FOURTEEN INDICTED ON DRUG CHARGES

ASHEVILLE - Fourteen people accused of participating in a cocaine and
methamphetamine conspiracy in McDowell, Burke and Rutherford counties were
indicted by a federal grand jury Aug. 6.

Those indicted were: Doyle Ray Morgan, 39, of 26 Proctor Knob Road, Marion;
Tony Long Branch, 51, of 2020 U.S. 70 W., Morganton; Johnnie Wilson Dale,
60, of 1572 U.S. 70 W., Morganton; Mark Jason Dale, 28, of 5890 Rosewood
Drive, Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Richard "Zipper" freeman, 40, of 122 Oakdale
Drive, Morganton; Antonio "Tony" Garcia, 26, of Lyons, Ga.; Esteban Garcia
Sr., 50, of 1044 Old Henrietta Road, Henrietta; Ventura "Chili" Garcia, 40,
of 224 Middle St., Caroleen; Randy Marlon Hodge, 26, of 173 Harrill Road,
Forest City; Kaythe Dean McCurr, 49, of 3240 N.C. 226, Bostic; Ricky
"Bighead" Everette Moore, 43, of 5705 Chigger St., Morganton; Larry "Truck"
Patterson, 49, of 641 Depriest Road, Bostic; Rassie Lee Rector, 25, of 3907
Dysartville Road, Morganton; and Robert Lionel Sisk, 46, of 476 Thermal
City Road, Union Mills.

They are each charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent
to distribute a quantity of cocaine and methamphetamine.

Rector is also charged with unlawful using and carrying a firearm during
and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

Sgt. Vic Hollifield of the McDowell County Sheriff's Department said having
these people off the street would only help to improve McDowell County.

He said the arrests were part of a string of drug-related arrests this year.

"This is the second phase. We had 25 people federally indicted for cocaine
and methamphetamine conspiracy in February - these are the leftovers from
that indictment," Hollifield said.

Court documents said members of the group conspired with one another to
possess with intent to distribute five kilograms of a mixture or substance
containing a detectable amount of cocaine and at least 1.5 kilograms of a
substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, over the
period from "in or around 1990 and continuing until the present" in
McDowell County and elsewhere.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Charlotte refused to comment on the indictment.

The indictment is a result of an ongoing investigation involving the
McDowell County Sheriff's Department, the Burke County Narcotics Task
Force, the Rutherford City-County Narcotics Task Force, the N.C. National
Guard's Counterdrug Task Force, the FBI and the SBI.