SENDING THE MESSAGE

Prosecutors Believe County Residents Sick, Tired Of Area's Meth Problem

People in and around Wichita Falls know about the area's meth problem. And
they're sick of it.

That's what Wichita County prosecutors believe.

Hearing about another meth fire or drug bust has grown old to people, and
they're ready to send that message, Assistant District Attorney Dobie Kosub
said. That's why on July 11 a Wichita County jury sentenced Brian Keith
Kinnett to 85 years in prison after convicting him of possession of a
controlled substance with intent to deliver.

"Do I think it sends a message, absolutely," Kosub said. He added that he
ran into a juror at a restaurant after the trial and asked about the
sentence. "They said, 'Look, we did not want that fellow ever to have the
opportunity to sell that stuff to our children.' "

Greg King, Kinnett's court-appointed attorney, has filed papers requesting a
new trial. A hearing on the motion will be heard at 8:30 a.m. Monday in the
78th District Court.

King declined to comment because of the pending litigation.

Methamphetamine use and possession has been a problem for the area for
years, and the North Texas Regional Drug Task Force officials said the
problem continues to grow but at a slower pace than three-to-four years ago.

"The methamphetamine problem took us all by surprise, and before we knew it
we were chasing our tails because it spread like wildfire," Investigator
John Spragins said. "It's one of those things that's everywhere so we're
spread really thin on how to address the problem."

Part of facing that problem is that crimes from methamphetamine use are so
widespread. Meth-use crimes directly involve making, selling and using the
drug. They also branch outward to include a range of property crimes.

"It affects theft, burglary, forgeries," Spragins said. "More often than
not, it's involved in other crimes that affect our crime rate. It's not just
affecting this one person who was manufacturing drugs. It's affecting a lot
of crimes and that battle."

Drug users steal items and forge checks for money to buy drugs. Cooks try to
steal anhydrous ammonia from farmers and try to steal cold medicine and
lithium batteries in drug stores. Officials can track the links to other
crimes, but it's difficult to prove the connections.

"It's odd when you have the same person's name with five forgeries and three
substance abuse (cases)," Kosub said. "You see similar names with drugs
cases with similar names from property crimes."

So the chance to send a message is seized by all involved. Spragins said the
district attorney's office spent time with the task force to learn the
intricacies of the case and to provide recommendations on what would make
cases easier to prosecute.

"The cooperation between the city narcotics, district attorney, task force
officers, sheriff's narcotics - we're all working together as a group to try
to make good cases," Spragins said. "Without that cooperation we'd be lost."

A little working together and a county tired of hearing about
methamphetamine use lets the result speak for itself, Kosub said. He asked
for 55 years in prison. Kinnett got 85 years and a $250,000 fine.

"The whole panel, they were aware of rising activity," he said. "I think
that verdict is simply community outrage."

That outrage has manifested itself and prosecutors and police hope drug
pushers take notice.

"An 85-year sentence has got to send a message to people - for a dope cook,"
Spragins said. "That's what he's up against."