PRESTON LOOKS AT JOINING DRUG TASK FORCE

KINGWOOD -- Preston Sheriff Ron Crites is considering joining a
multi-county drug task force.

Crites told county commissioners this week that he's going to talk with an
existing drug enforcement task force, rather than launch one from scratch
for Preston. Monongalia County and Garrett County, Md., were mentioned.

Joining with Garrett could be a problem because it is across the state
line, which might effect some funding, Crites said.

"It's too bad, because geographically that makes sense to pair up on both
sides," Commissioner Dave Price said.

Sheriff's Lt. Joe Stiles said during a June 30 press conference that
cocaine, other illegal drugs and misuse of prescription drugs are a
"considerable" problem in Preston County.

He defined considerable as: "I think anyone in this room could easily make
contact with someone and buy controlled substances. And, when it's that
easy, that's considerable."

Commission President Darwin Wolfe said he's heard that many of the drugs
sold and used in Preston come from east of Preston County. Maryland is just
across Preston's eastern border.

"I think a lot of our problems stem from stepped-up law enforcement
elsewhere, and it gravitates west and we get more of the undesirables,"
Crites said.

Wolfe told Crites the most common complaint he receives from voters is
about drugs.

"It's tough, but we've gotten lucky in the last month and a half in that
direction," Crites said.

Among recent drug-related arrests and actions by Preston police:

* State Police, Sheriff's Deputies, Terra Alta Police and Morgantown's K-9
Unit found about $10,000 in marijuana and drug paraphernalia last week,
while executing a search warrant on McKinney Cave Road.

* State Police charged a Kingwood man July 4 with possession with intent to
deliver, a felony.

* In June the Preston grand jury indicted five people on charges related to
drugs, including cocaine, marijuana and prescription drugs.