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Ken Bolin of the Christians For A Drug Free Clay County UNITE Coalition took part in a special training session held recently at the University of the Cumberlands.

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John Becknell of the Christians For A Drug Free Clay County UNITE Coalition took part in a special training session held recently at the University of the Cumberlands.

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Perry Thompson of the Christians For A Drug Free Clay County UNITE Coalition took part in a special training session held recently at the University of the Cumberlands.

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Joe Neikirk of the Christians For A Drug Free Clay County UNITE Coalition took part in a special training session held recently at the University of the Cumberlands.

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Manchester Police Department receives funds from drug case forfeitures

More than $209,000 in asset forfeiture funds derived from illegal drug activity was distributed to local law enforcement agencies including Manchester Police Department by Operation UNITE.

Jeff Culver, center, represented the Manchester Police Department

Fifth District Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers presented checks to 24 city police and county sheriff’s departments who have participated with UNITE’s law enforcement branch by sponsoring officers. Funds were distributed based upon the length of the agency’s participation. Participating agencies agree to sponsor one or more officers to work as a UNITE detective. The officers, who must go through an application and review process, remain a member of the sponsoring department. UNITE reimburses the department for his or her salary and fringe benefits.

“UNITE’s drug investigative task forces would be unable to function without the strong support of local police agencies,” said Dan Smoot, director of law enforcement. “These officers have made tremendous progress in taking drug-dealers off the streets.”

The money – a total of $209,130.96 – represents 100 percent of forfeited funds awarded by state and federal courts since the inception of UNITE’s law enforcement initiative in January 2004 through September 30, 2006. None of the proceeds have been retained by UNITE and will go back into communities to fight illegal drug activity. Funds were distributed during a special reception and ceremony held at the Hal Rogers Forum in Hazard.

Forfeited assets may be cash or personal property seized as proceeds of illegal drug activity or because it was used to facilitate a crime. The assets are kept until a judge orders them either returned to the owner or ordered them forfeited.

“Being able to seize assets is an effective way to take the profit motive out of crime,” Smoot said. “Supporting participating agencies by returning these proceeds is one way for UNITE to say thanks.”

The investigative arm of UNITE is comprised of 40 detectives, which includes a six-person Pharmaceutical Diversion Unit to investigate individuals who illegally sell legitimate prescriptions, engage in “doctor shopping,” exceed the 30-day purchase limit of pseudoephedrine – the main ingredient in manufacturing methamphetamine – or complaints of illegal activity by medical professionals.

Detectives have jurisdiction throughout all 29 counties in the Fifth Congressional District. Through September 2006 UNITE detectives have:

• Arrested 1,578 individuals

• Placed 2,990 criminal charges

• Achieved a 99.2 percent conviction rate

• Dismantled 42 methamphetamine labs

• Had 50 cases adopted for federal prosecution

• Removed or seized drugs with a street value of $6,342,715.92, including 46,104 pills, 18.968 pounds of cocaine, 11.217 pounds of methamphetamine, 102.075 pounds of processed marijuana, and 4,138 marijuana plants.

• Investigated 11,152 calls made to the Drug Tip Line (1-866-424-4382).

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Graduation ceremonies scheduled for Circuit Drug Court program

Graduation ceremonies for the Clay-Jackson-Leslie Adult Circuit Drug Court program will be held Monday, November 13 at 6 p.m. in the 3rd floor courtroom of the Clay County Courthouse.

The Guest speaker will be Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson. There are 2 graduates from Jackson, 2 from Leslie and 10 from Clay.

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Daviess County residents are stepping up their fight against meth
Rally modeled after Clay County march

On Sunday, nearly a thousand marched at Eastside Park in Washington. Officials say methamphetamine use is incredibly high in the county. The rally is modeled after a similar event in Clay County, KY which attracted more than 3,000 people. Recovering meth addicts and their family members spoke at Sunday's march hoping to prevent others from abusing the drug.

Lynn Clark, a rally participant, says, "It's horrible; there's nothing worse than having a mother that has a child on drugs - especially our daughter because you feel like [as] a mother, there's something you can do to help."

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[Local News]

13 Graduate From Drug Court
Julie Maloney, WYMT-TV

Thirteen eastern Kentuckians say their lives are back on track after months of going to court for drug counseling. For some it wasn't easy to admit their mistakes and talk about years of abusing both drugs and their family. But for those who are now clean, they say they're ready to start a new life. Tears and hugs fill the Clay County courtroom as former drug addicts tell stories of addiction.

Secretary of State Trey Grayson was the guest speaker and all the graduates wanted to emphasize that it's never too late to get help, no matter how long you may have abused drugs.

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UNITE Executive Director Karen Engle tells the press UNITE has released federal indictments for 12 individuals and arrest warrants by Operation UNITE for 103 street-level dealers.

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Drug arrests focus on out-of-state pills

A federal, state and local effort to address the problem of out-of-state prescription medications has resulted in federal indictments for 12 individuals and arrest warrants by Operation UNITE for 103 street-level dealers. Among those arrested on federal charges were two licensed pharmacists – Dan Daffron, owner of the Quick Script Pharmacy in Monticello, and D. Greg Jones of Richmond, who operates Rx Express in Russell, Kentucky, near Ashland. Both face multiple charges of unlawful distribution of controlled narcotics.

Also arrested on federal indictments were Adam Justice Palm and Kimberly Monette Palm of Clay County; Roger Dean Combs and Kelly Marie Green of Perry County; and Javed Ashiq, Tonya Lynn Groover and Kurt Francisco Kilgore from Atlanta. Diversion of prescription medications for unlawful purposes has “a significant impact on Southeast Kentucky,” stated Amul R. Thapar, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, during a multi-agency news conference Monday, November 20. “As a team we’ve gone beyond the borders of Kentucky” to reduce drug availability.

“We’ve had enough!” proclaimed UNITE Executive Director Karen Engle. “We’re no longer going to be the doormat for these drug dealers in Eastern Kentucky.”

UNITE targeted street-level dealers in 11 counties on Monday, but officials note that problems exist everywhere.

“Each of the 29 counties covered by UNITE have people selling pills that originated from out-of-state,” said Dan Smoot, UNITE Law Enforcement Director. “We are being flooded with thousands of pills each month from Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee and elsewhere. We will continue until we can tear that pipeline down.”

“The scope of the problem is significant, not only in Kentucky but in other states,” said Robert J. Benvenuti III, Kentucky’s Inspector General. “Kentucky has taken an aggressive step in preventing prescription abuse and diversion.”

A significant “tool” in the reducing drug diversion is the KASPER (Kentucky All-Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting) System, Benvenutti stated. “Other states look at Kentucky as the ‘gold standard’.” He added that a recent trend analysis provided “undisputable” evidence that UNITE’s approach is working.

Several of the federal cases announced Monday began as part of street-level investigations by UNITE. As additional resources were needed the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Attorney’s office were brought in. This multi-agency cooperation, Thapar said, has proven very beneficial and will continue.

Kentucky State Police Captain Joe Williams, of the Special Investigations Division-East, echoed these sentiments. “These people are doing it for money, but other people are dying.”

The attempt to arrest street-level dealers began at 8 a.m. from five locations across the Fifth Congressional District. Most of those wanted are believed to have received prescription medications – primarily OxyContin, Lortab and Methadone – from out-of-state distributors. Several of the cases resulted in arrests for the sale of marijuana.

UNITE and local law enforcement agencies arrested two people in addition to the original list of suspects while serving arrest warrants.

One woman was arrested in Clay County for attempting to destroy evidence and resisting arrest as officers executed a warrant at a residence on Curry Branch Road. Another woman was arrested after police discovered a working meth lab at a home on Ash Moore Road in Oneida.

Assisting with Monday’s arrests were officers from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Cumberland Police Department, Floyd County Sheriff’s Office, Hazard Police Department, Letcher County Sheriff’s Office, Kentucky State Police, Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, Lynch Police Department, Manchester Police Department, Martin County Sheriff’s Office, Morehead Police Department, Neon Police Department, Perry County Sheriff’s Office, Pike County Sheriff’s Office, Prestonsburg Police Department, and Whitesburg Police Department.

The following people were arrested by Operation UNITE as of 5 p.m. on Monday, November 20.

• Gib Botkins, age 72, Greasy Road, Manchester, two counts second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Kenneth Wayne Bowling, age 53, Crane Creek Road, Manchester, trafficking in marijuana over 8 ounces but less than 5 pounds.

• Daniel Brown, age 32, Chop Bottom Road, Manchester, second-degree possession of a controlled substance and two counts trafficking in marijuana.

• Lisa Brown, age 25, Williams Road, Manchester, two counts trafficking in marijuana.

• Amanda Brumley, age 37, Green Street, Manchester, first-degree possession of a controlled substance.

• Carl Helton, age 40, Ash Moore Road, Manchester, two counts manufacturing methemphetamine, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance second offense, trafficking in marijuana less than 8 ounces second offense, and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon.

• Christy Helton, age 38, Ash Moore Road, Oneida, manufacturing methamphetamine.

• Charles Henson, age 35, Matt Henson Road, Oneida, first-degree possession of a controlled substance and trafficking in marijuana less than 8 ounces.

• James Henson, age 26, Crawfish Road, Manchester, two counts first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Roger Jarvis, age 24, Estep Lane, Manchester, second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and trafficking in marijuana.

• Sondra Jones, age 26, Gregory Branch Road, Manchester, tampering with physical evidence. She was also charged by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office with resisting arrest and fourth-degree assault.

• Edward Roberts, age 31, Curry Branch Road, Manchester, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance second offense.

• Amos Sizemore, age 36, Beech Creek Road, Manchester, trafficking in marijuana over 5 pounds.

• Carolyn Guth Sizemore, age 44, Bales Creek Road, Manchester, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Mary Lou Sizemore, age 59, Curry Branch Road, Manchester, two counts first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance second offense, third-degree trafficking in a controlled substance second offense.

• Monroe Sizemore, age 67, Greasy Road, Manchester, two counts first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and persistent felony offender.

• Ramona Sizemore, age 32, Beech Creek Road, Manchester, trafficking in marijuana over 5 pounds.

• Bertha Spurlock, age 56, Hogskin Road, Manchester, six counts first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• William Ward Turner, age 58, Curry Branch Road, Manchester, three counts first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

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Christians for a Drug Free Clay County

Christians for a Drug Free Clay County meet every Saturday at 8:30 AM at the Community Church for planning sessions and prayer. Everyone is invited.

Community Church is located accross the road from Clay Building Supply and next to IGA at Frog Level. For more information you may call 606-598-8871.

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Clay County Church Activities[/size][/url]

[Church News]

Drug Town Miracle has World-Wide Effect
By Wendy Griffith, CBN News

CBNNews.com - MANCHESTER, Kentucky - Last fall, we brought you the amazing story of a Kentucky drug town that was transformed by the power of God. Little did anybody know the huge impact this story would have on cities and towns all over the world. It was the march seen around the world. In May, 2004, nearly 4,000 people came out to march against drugs in the small town of Manchester, Kentucky.

The pastors repented before God and their communities for allowing the darkness to settle in. The drug dealers were put on notice: "get saved or get busted."

They'd had enough. Over the next 12 months, they saw dramatic changes in their town -- drug arrests went way up, drug dealers and users started coming to church and getting free from their addictions, and the story of Manchester was seen around the world on the 700 Club.

Pastor Doug Abner of Community Church said, "About two hours after the story of Manchester aired the first time live, we started getting telephone calls."

Pastor Abner keeps track of all the states that have contacted him - 33 so far - and hundreds of towns.

"Not only did we hear from people in the U.S., but we got e-mails from New Zealand, France, Wales, England, and British Columbia.just mind-boggling," said Abner.

Nearly every request was the same: "Help us do in our town what you did in Manchester."

Pastor Mike England of Tri-State Christian Center in Blue Ridge, Georgia, said, "We were blown away, because we knew we had a serious, serious methamphetamine problem. We have other drugs too, but meth is just overwhelming. We had no idea how to battle it - or deal with it. We saw that video and we got hope that somebody might have an answer about how to attack it!"

Pastor England showed the 700 Club story to his church.

"I didn't even preach because the floor of the church was just littered with people weeping and weeping after seeing that video, and I wasn't going to touch that because that's a holy thing." After that - my wife decided we needed to come here and see for ourselves," England explained.

And that's just what they did. After a surprise visit to Manchester, Pastor England and his wife just showed up on Pastor Abner's doorstep. Then the Englands headed back to Georgia, where they helped organize the first-ever march against meth. In August, some 3,000 residents of Fannin County, Georgia took to the streets. The local news covered the event.

In Longview, Texas - a similar story of desperation. Shannon Smallwood's family was almost ready to give up, after struggling for years with a family member hooked on crack cocaine.

Smallwood said, "I just flipped on the TV and the 700 Club was on, and I saw this community marching, concerning drug abuse in their city. And what God did in that city was just amazing and miraculous, and pretty much I said, 'God, would You do that in our city?'

Shannon's prayer was answered. In May, hundreds of residents in Longview, Texas donned red-T-shirts in what they called "The Big March."

Their theme: "The Battle is the Lord's - taken from 2nd Chronicles, Chapter 20.

Participant Roger Carr said, "Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the battle is not yours, but God's - tomorrow, march down against them."

And in Oceana, West Virginia, sometimes referred to as "Oxy-ana" because of the drug problem associated with the pain killer Oxycontin, two marches were held after hearing about what God did in Manchester.

"We had over 550 people march and it was awesome," said Debbie Davis. "The Word tells me that God is no respecter of persons -- if He can do that in Manchester, Kentucky, than He can do that in Oceana, West Virginia."

Nobody could have imagined that so many towns, so many lives, would be inspired - even changed by a single story. And, that a town -- once hopeless when it came to its drug problem --could give hope to so many who need it.

"What I saw on TV that day gave me hope," Texas march organizer Smallwood said.

Amanda Tornberg, a former drug user, said, "I believed that I would never be anything more than the hopeless junkie that I had been for so long, but God spoke to me and He said, 'You know what, when you were still in your sins, Christ died for you.'"

"You cannot underestimate the value of hope in the community," said England. "Churches are letting down the walls and seriously starting to work together…The government agencies and the churches are working together for the first time ever -- that's never happened."

Not only that, but England says that since the march, calls to the county's drug-tip hotline are up 10 percent. A good indicator, he says, of things to come.

And in Manchester, two 1/2 years after the march -- the area once known as the pain killer capitol of the nation is now seeing a dramatic dip in the number of pain killers prescribed by doctors -- and there's more.

Pastor Abner said, "We've been told by drug dealers who've now been set free by Jesus, that if they were still dealing drugs they wouldn't even stop in our town and buy gas because the climate has changed so much."

And Abner says that he's grateful for how God used the 700 Club to share their story.

"The 700 Club totally changed our lives," Abner said, "in that, every day, we get to do things in the Kingdom because people saw that. And every time it's been re-run, we get telephone calls. We've got a couple of dvd's now; we always send the story of Manchester out. And we follow that up with calls and we pray for them and the communities on Sat. morning. I really believe what's going to happen is that eventually the fire is going to move across our nation, and we're going to have a tremendous revival in America again."

England said, "When we saw that video, we saw a community where the church was actually making an impact. And after visiting here, I am convinced now - this is reproducible in any community in America. And this may be the key for the church really impacting America nation-wide."

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Traffic stop leads to drug arrest, recovery of stolen UNITE shirt

Floyd Dean Shannon Begley’s decision to speed on Interstate 75 Tuesday afternoon has cost him much more than a speeding ticket. The 28-year-old Leslie County resident was arrested Wednesday on drug charges. In addition, Begley faces a possible federal weapons violation charge and state charges for receiving stolen property. Also arrested was Begley’s 27-year-old girlfriend, Heather Smith, who was charged with second-degree hindering apprehension.

The series of events leading to the arrests began along I-75 about 4 p.m. Tuesday, November 28.

Kentucky State Police Trooper Monte Owens, from Post 7 in Richmond, conducted a routine traffic stop on Begley’s vehicle as it sped along the interstate. When Trooper Owens approached Begley he was wearing a camouflage green Operation UNITE shirt complete with law enforcement emblems. When asked about the shirt Begley said it had been given to him by his uncle who worked for UNITE. After being cited for driving 15 miles per hour over the speed limit Begley was allowed to continue on his journey.

“Upon further investigation by the KSP it was learned that Begley does not have an uncle who works for UNITE and that the shirt had been stolen from one of our detectives within the last month,” said Dan Smoot, UNITE law enforcement director.

“At this time there is no evidence to indicate that Begley ever attempted to impersonate a UNITE officer,” Smoot noted, adding he did not try to pass himself off as a police officer when stopped by Trooper Owens.

Additional investigation revealed that Begley was wanted by Clay County officials on a 2004 indictment warrant for first-degree possession of a controlled substance (OxyContin). About 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, UNITE detectives accompanied by troopers from KSP Post 13 in Hazard, went to Begley’s residence on Highway 421 in the Rockhouse community of Leslie County to serve the outstanding warrant.

“Smith, who lists the same address, lied to officers about Begley being at home,” Smoot said.

Police found nine OxyContin 80mg pills and seven Xanax pills “in plain view,” which led to additional charges of first-degree and second-degree possession of a controlled substance, Smoot said.

“The drugs gave us probable cause to obtain a search warrant for the home,” Smoot continued. “During the search we found a 30-caliber carbine rifle that had been illegally modified. We have turned this case over to the ATF for possible weapons violation charges.”

The stolen camouflage shirt was also recovered. The Kentucky State Police is conducting this investigation and a receiving stolen property charge is likely, Smoot said.

Both Begley and Smith were lodged in the Clay County Detention Center.

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Clay County traffic stop leads to coacaine charge

A man already facing cocaine charges in two counties was arrested on new drug charges following a traffic stop in Clay County on Tuesday, January 16. James L. Johnson, of Lauren Paige Lane in Hazard, was charged by Operation UNITE with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, second-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, and reckless driving. He currently has cases pending in Perry and Powell counties.

The 35 year old Johnson was traveling west on the Hal Rogers Parkway about six miles from Manchester when he passed a UNITE detective doing "between 90 and 100 miles per hour," said Dan Smoot, director of law enforcement for UNITE. The detective notified the Clay County Dispatch Center and a deputy was dispatched. Just after 8 p.m. the sheriff's deputy stopped Johnson's green, 1999 Dodge minivan on the parkway inside the Manchester city limits. When officers approached the van they spotted a .38 special revolver on the passenger seat. He was immediately placed under arrest for reckless driving without incident.

A subsequent search discovered more than 15 grams of suspected cocaine, approximately 3 grams of marijuana, a Hydrocodone pill and nearly $6,000 in cash ­most in the van's center console. Johnson was lodged in the Clay County Detention Center in lieu of a $25,000 cash only bond and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Monday, January 22, in Clay District Court. This is the third time in the past 16 months that Johnson has run afoul of the law.

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Bridge 41 program Working To Keep Kids Drug Free
Reporter: Jenna Emenhiser

It's a program designed to keep kids off drugs and out of trouble. The Bridge 41 program in Manchester teaches kids boxing through education and mentorship’s. Marty Wolfe has been boxing for more than 25 years and is now teaching kids how to box through the Bridge 41 program.

"What we want to do is be positive for the kids and have something they can look up to and make low risk choices," Wolfe said.

Those choices mean staying away from drugs, something Wolfe says he has first hand experience overcoming.

"If we can stop it before it starts, we got a good chance that they don't never have to go through the horrors of addiction that I did," Wolfe said.

And young boxers, like Robert Smith, say this program saved him just in the nick of time.

"It gave me a better focus on life and stay on contact with something I want to do," Smith said.

He says that focus includes being drug free.

"I was on drugs a while back but now that I've got something to do I don't have time for them," Smith said.

Others say the boxing and mentorship program has improved their lives as well.

"I was making very bad grades and when I come here with them, they started helping me out a little bit and they improved a lot," said T.J. Sizemore.

"Marty, he's a good dude. If I had anything to talk to him about, I'd go talk to him anytime I need him," said Lonnie Adams.

Bridge 41 is open for any school age kids on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 4 to 6 pm. If you would like to be a Bridge 41 volunteer or donate to the program, contact Ellen Nicholson at 606-813-1777.

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