FAIRVIEW — Thirty-seven law enforcement officers gathered Wednesday before daylight in the Fairview Police Department parking lot in preparation for “Operation Cooperation,” an organized drug-related round up.
The officers started the day with 30 names on a list. Later they released names and charges for 15 people who were arrested this morning. They plan to release more information tomorrow. Operation Cooperation brought together officers from the 21st Drug Task Force, the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department and the Fairview Police Department. “We’ve done these in the past - later in the day. This time, I thought maybe we could start a little earlier,” explained Fairview Police Chief Terry Harris at the 5 a.m. briefing.
Operation Cooperation was prompted after a grand jury recently returned 30 drug-related indictments following the culmination of a year-plus investigation into drug-related activity in Fairview and the surrounding area. “Most of these (investigations) have been ongoing for over a year,” Harris said. “Most people don’t realize it takes a long time to make these cases.”
The indictments involved charges ranging from delivery of prescription drugs, marijuana, methadone and cocaine to child endangerment and simple possession. Joey Kimble, director of the 21st Drug Task Force, said 95 percent of the indictments were on felony charges.
“We have used
informants and investigators undercover,” stated Kimble. He
also confirmed such crimes have become more common in the Fairview area.
“We have seen an increase in the Fairview area —
not just in Fairview, but in our entire judicial district,”
said Kimble.
Harris
said that in just the past six months police discovered two houses
where methamphetamine was being prepared.
“This is the first round up this year and there’s
more to come. We want them to know we’re not going to
stop,” he said.
After the 5 a.m. briefing, five teams of officers fanned out across Fairview and one team went into Dickson and Hickman Counties.
The briefing included warnings
about homes on the lists where children might be present, and homes
that may have large dogs or possible meth labs, where there are hazards
from toxic chemicals.
Williamson County Sheriff Jeff Long confirmed that a second round of
drug sweeps was being conducted simultaneously in Franklin and Spring
Hill.
After
the teams left, a new suspect arrived at the Fairview Police Department
about every 15 minutes. Groups of five or more were transported by van
to the Williamson County Criminal Justice Center in Franklin.
During the first three hours of the round up, a total of 18 people on
the indictment list had been located and arrested. Three of those were
found to be already in jail on other charges.
“Sheriff Jeff Long, Director Joey Kimble and I will not tolerate illegal drugs in our city and county,” Harris said. “We are sending the message that you either stop dealing drugs or move out of our county because our investigations on illegal drugs will not stop.”
Charges and the names of those arrested on Wednesday include:
• Sadona Hamlett Smith, 40, of 7203 Sugar Maple Drive in Fairview, one count Delivery Schedule II (Methadone) and two counts of reckless endangerment (children present)