SHERIFF SPEAKS OUT ON AREA DRUG PROBLEM

Sheriff Believes Tabor Road Deaths Were Related To Crystal Methamphetamine

Etowah County Sheriff James Hayes said problems associated with the illegal
drug crystal methamphetamine are so bad he would like to see a special
court docket to take care of cases.

At a press conference on Monday, Hayes said the drug problem has increased
dramatically and deputies are arresting then rearresting many of the same
people before they go to trial.

The trial process needs to "be accelerated," he said. "We can't wait two or
three years."

Hayes said sentencing guidelines may need to be changed.

Randall "Woody" Johnson, commander of the county's drug task force, said
most people arrested on crystal meth charges accumulate two or three
charges before they are convicted. "They just won't quit," he said. Johnson
said those arrested on drug charges will later be arrested for property
crimes, such as theft and distribution of stolen property.

According to information released by Hayes that includes pictures of cash
and weapons seized during methamphetamine arrests, in the last two years
meth arrests accounted for almost half the drug arrests in the county.

Hayes said that so far this year 241 drug arrests have been made by his
department. Of those, 94 were related to crystal methamphetamine. He said
that in 2002, 233 of 450 drug arrests in the county were related to crystal
methamphetamine and in 2001, 212 of 550 arrests were related to crystal meth.

"It's one of the greatest plagues on law enforcement resources that we've
ever seen," Hayes said.

He said the biggest problem law enforcement faces here is from crystal
methamphetamine brought in from Mexico. He said kitchen labs will produce
an ounce or two, but the imported drug is

coming into the area in 500- and 600-pound car loads.

He said repeated arrests of people on crystal meth charges takes up the
time of officers. Hayes said the situation is so dangerous because many
people arrested have weapons and are suffering from drug-inducted paranoia.

Hayes said another problem is that the state crime lab is so backlogged
with cases it could take more than a year to get results back.

Hayes said people are released on bond, arrested again then given probation.

For the use and sale of crystal methamphetamine there should be no
probation, he said.

"It would fatten up our jails, but something's got to happen," Hayes said.

He said more money is needed locally for undercover work and surveillance
to fight the problem.

Hayes said he has asked the County Commission to come up with money to keep
him from having to cut services.

He said he will be seeking state and federal grants to fight the growing
drug problem in the county.

He said federal officials are aware of the problem.

Tighter border control could keep the drugs from getting here.

"We're asking them to step it up, do something," he said.

Hayes said the slayings Saturday of three children by their father, William
Krost, 36, who then killed himself, was related to crystal methamphetamine,
according to a tape made by Krost.

He said Krost did not have any drug-related arrests but evidence gathered
at the scene and statements taken support the theory that crystal
methamphetetamine was involved.

"There was a considerable crystal methamphetetamine use there," Hayes said.
He said Krost admitted being on crystal methamphetamine on the tape he made
during and after he killed his children and the family's pets.

According to the tape, Hayes said, Krost and his wife, Wendy, were having
problems and she had asked for a divorce. He said Krost's wife told
authorities she had a drug problem.

Hayes said Krost stated on the tape that he was killing the children to get
back at his wife and he didn't want her to have anything. Hayes said one of
the characteristics of crystal meth use is paranoia.

Krost killed his three children, ages 10, 8 and 4, and then hanged himself.

Krost also killed the family's pets, including two dogs, three cats and a
snake.

Hayes described the scene as the most gruesome he has seen in the 31 years
he has been in law enforcement.