PRESTONSBURG - Law enforcement officials set their sights on 11 individuals suspected of trafficking drugs in Floyd County during a roundup conducted by Operation UNITE on Thursday, March 13.

The arrests followed an approximately 4-month undercover investigation, said UNITE Law Enforcement Director Dan Smoot. Detectives purchased a variety of drugs, including OxyContin, Methadone, Hydrocodone (Lortab/Lorcet), and marijuana.

One of the suspects, Virgil Cross, was arrested by the Floyd County Sheriff's Office on Friday, March 7, and lodged in the Floyd County Jail.

Officers with UNITE, the Prestonsburg Police Department, Floyd County Sheriff's Office and Kentucky Bureau of Investigation joined forces at 8 a.m. Thursday in a coordinated effort to serve arrest warrants on the other individuals - at least one of whom is believed to be in another state.

In addition to roundup, police followed up on 12 drug complaints and received permission to conduct four searches.

At one location officers discovered illegal prescription drugs and cited 27-year-old Bobby L. Hall, of Goebel Branch, Prestonsburg, for three misdemeanor charges -- second-degree possession of a controlled substance, third-degree possession of a controlled substance and prescription drugs not in their original container.

As of 3 p.m. Thursday the following individuals had been arrested as a result of this investigation:

• Jerry R. Allen, age 54, Airport Drive, Hager Hill, second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Nancy Brow, age 36, Cliff Drive, Prestonsburg, two counts second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and three counts trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 yards of a school.

• Virgil Cross, age 31, Town Branch Road, Prestonsburg, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Ronnie Hamilton, age 46, Cliff Drive, Prestonsburg, four counts second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and four counts trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 yards of a school.

• David J. Stephens, age 29, Cliffside Apartments, Prestonsburg, two counts second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

For more information about Operation UNITE visit their website at www.operationunite.org .

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In 2003, Fifth District Congressman Harold "Hal" Rogers (R-Somerset) worked to create Operation UNITE, a regional anti-drug initiative empowering citizens groups and community leaders in 29 southern and eastern Kentucky counties. UNITE, which stands for Unlawful Narcotics Investigations, Treatment & Education, seeks to fight the drug epidemic by expanding drug awareness and education programs to keep people from using drugs; coordinating drug treatment and outreach programs for those who are already addicted; and operating regional undercover law enforcement task forces for interdiction and prosecution of those dealing drugs. Rogers has directed $36.6 million in federal funds to the counter-drug initiative over the past five years. For more information contact Karen Engle toll-free at 1-866-678-6483.

Drug Tip Hotline - 1-866-424-4382/Treatment Referral Hotline - 1-866-90-UNITE (1-866-908-6483)