MULTISTATE DRUG PROBE MADE PUBLIC

BLOUNTVILLE - Federal, state and local authorities have pulled off what a
veteran prosecutor called the largest drug bust in Sullivan County in at
least a quarter of a century.

Seven people have been arrested on cocaine-trafficking charges stemming
from indictments that had been sealed since November. They were handed down
after federal authorities arrested a man trying to buy 22 kilograms of
cocaine at a Kingsport hotel in April, authorities said.

That man, Gerald Scott Long, since has pleaded guilty to cocaine
trafficking and is awaiting sentencing.

District Attorney General Greeley Wells said Wednesday that the case
involves distribution of more than 100 kilos - or about 220 pounds - of
cocaine.

"We have not had a distribution case similar to this in the 25 years I've
been here," Wells said, adding that the case still was developing and could
lead to additional arrests in Tennessee and other states.

Russ Dedrick, an assistant U.S. attorney based in Knoxville, repeatedly
declined comment on whether Long would testify against the seven others,
and he would not discuss details of the man's plea bargain.

"These are major distributors and traffickers," Dedrick said.

The seven were identified as Herman Rosenboro, 50, of 216 Rivers Edge
Place, Kingsport; Jeremy Marsh, 25, of 308 Newland Ave., Kingsport;
Jonathan Lytle, 22, of 701 Weise St., Bristol, Tenn.; Michael Kevin Evans,
31, of 30 Willowbrook, Kingsport; Tommy Tylee Henry, 21, of 128 Nicole St.,
Kingsport; Jeff Teague, 44, of 1012 Mill Creek, Kingsport; and David
Brandon, 20, of 3809 Summitt Drive, Kingsport.

Marsh, Evans, Henry and Brandon still were in a detention hearing when the
U.S. District Court clerk's office closed Wednesday, according to a court
clerk.

She said Rosenboro was released on bond Tuesday, but she did not have the
amount. She said that Lytle and Teague had not yet been arrested, based on
court records.

Wells, the local prosecutor, said the cocaine came from Florida and was
distributed to "several other states," but he declined to be more specific.

U.S. Attorney Dan Smith, based in Johnson City, is prosecuting the seven
but could not be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon.

Each of the men faces 10 years to life in prison and fines up to $4 million
each if convicted.

Wells said authorities decided to prosecute Long and the other seven in the
federal system because federal courts have no parole and high mandatory
sentences for drug offenses.

"Drug dealers get out of (state) penitentiaries after serving about 20
percent of their sentences," Wells said.

Wells and Dedrick lauded the cooperation of the 2nd Judicial District Drug
Task Force, the 3rd Judicial District Drug Task Force, the Tennessee Bureau
of Investigation, the Tennessee National Guard Counter-Drug Division and
the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.

"If we had not had the DEA here, probably we wouldn't be standing here
today talking to you," Wells told reporters.

Wells said the roots of the drug bust go back to 1996 when the 2nd Judicial
District Task Force identified Gerald Scott Long as a major drug
distributor in the area.

A joint sting funded by the TBI, the DEA and the task force culminated in
April when Wells Long took $80,000 in cash to a hotel in Kingsport as a
down payment on 22 kilos of cocaine, authorities said.

"This is the highest level of drug dealer that you're going to find in this
part of the country," Wells said. The $80,000 was confiscated and
eventually will be distributed to all agencies involved.

Charles Kiefer, resident agent in charge of the DEA office in Johnson City,
said Long was planning to buy the cocaine for about $25,000 per kilogram,
or $550,000.

He said the cocaine Long tried to buy generally would be cut down to a 25
percent potency for street sales, so the 22 kilos in wholesale form would
supply about 88 kilos for users.