BEATTYVILLE – A traffic stop resulting from a drug complaint led to the arrest of three southern Ohio residents on Saturday, August 9.

Law enforcement officers received a tip that the individuals had brought prescription pills to a source in Beattyville.

A Lee County Sheriff’s deputy spotted the trio’s Dodge Neon in the city limits. Officers from UNITE, the Beattyville Police Department and Kentucky State Police were called to assist.

After receiving consent to search the car police discovered a quantity of marijuana, Methadone, Percocet and Lortab along with $7,753 in cash.

“We believe these individuals had already made their delivery and were in the process of leaving town,” said Dan Smoot, law enforcement director for UNITE. “Most of the prescription narcotics that we’re seeing in this region are coming to Kentucky from Ohio or Detroit.”

“We have had 188 calls to our Drug Tip Hotline (1-866-424-4382) from Lee County residents,” Smoot said. “These tips have been very helpful in building cases. I encourage more citizens to report suspected drug activity so we can further reduce the amount of drugs being sold illegally on our streets.”

Charged were:

• Jessica Bowling, age 27, of Carlisle, Ohio, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Steven Sizemore, age 31, of Troy, Ohio, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Amber White, age 28, of Troy, Ohio, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

All three were lodged in the Three Forks Regional Jail, but have since been released on bond.

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