EVARTS - Nine individuals arrested last summer as part of a new initiative by Operation UNITE to help citizens reclaim their neighborhood from drug dealers were rearrested Tuesday, May 22, during a larger roundup in Harlan County.

"We had been flooded with complaint calls from residents of Mining Camp Road in the Verda community telling us these people were still selling drugs," said Dan Smoot, law enforcement director for UNITE. "A year ago - before we launched Operation Hot Spot -- they would have been too afraid to get involved. Now they proudly display UNITE yard signs with the drug tip line and drug treatment line phone numbers."

"I believe this sends a strong message that UNITE is serious about stopping the destructive practice of drug dealing and giving residents renewed hope for their community," Smoot stated.

Mike Luttrell, manager of UNITE's Kentucky River Drug Task Force, said most of the cases along Mining Camp Road involved the sale of crack cocaine, while the other cases were primarily prescription medications such as Hydrocodone, Tylox, Oxycodone and OxyContin.

Assisting UNITE detectives with Tuesday's operation were officers from the Harlan County Sheriff's Office; Harlan, Evarts, Lynch and Cumberland Police Departments; and the Kentucky State Police.

As of 3 p.m. Tuesday police had arrested 22 of the 31 individuals wanted on drug trafficking charges originating from an investigation conducted primarily during the last quarter of 2006. In addition, the Harlan County Sheriff's Office arrested one individual on drug charges and the Harlan Police Department arrested an individual for driving under the influence of drugs.

During the initial Hot Spot enforcement effort on July 14, 2006, police agencies teamed up to arrest 18 individuals. Ten of those individuals were wanted in Tuesday's roundup. Those arrested Tuesday were:

• Earlene Adams, age 40, Mining Camp Road, Evarts, two new counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance to go along with two counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance from 2006.

• Priscilla Cargle, age 27, Mining Camp Road, Evarts, one new count of second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance to go along with one count of second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance from 2006.

• Robert Cargle, age 69, Mining Camp Road, Evarts, five new counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance to go along with three first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and one trafficking in marijuana charges from 2006.

• Randall Cottrell, age 20, Mining Camp Road, Evarts, one new count of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance to go along with two counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance from 2006.

• Reggie Cottrell, age 22, Mining Camp Road, Evarts, one new count of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance to go along with a first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance charge from 2006.

• Heather Hobbs, age 24, Mining Camp Road, Evarts, one new count of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance to go along with a first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance charge from 2006.

• Scotty Middleton, age 21, Mining Camp Road, Evarts, one new count of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance to go along with a first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance charge from 2006.

• Mariola Osborne, age 61, Mining Camp Road, Evarts, one new count of second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and a second-degree persistent felony offender charge to go along with a first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance charge from 2006.

• Dennis Vick, age 42, Mining Camp Road, Evarts, three new counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance to go along with a first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance charge from 2006.

Police are still searching for 42-year-old Thomas "D Magic" Clark on charges of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Clark, who was arrested on the same charges in 2006, is believed to have returned to his native North Carolina.

This was the fourth time in the past 10 months UNITE has conducted a major drug roundup in Harlan County. After the initial Hot Spot enforcement effort, police conducted a follow-up November 9 "on the other side of the creek" in response to citizen complaints. Then, on March 22, UNITE conducted another Hot Spot enforcement in the Tri-Cities area.

Others arrested Tuesday and lodged in the Harlan County Detention Center were:

• Betty Burgan, age 33, of Louellen, Evarts, trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 yards of a school.

• Charles M. Cole, age 34, Keister Street, Evarts, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Phillip Cox, age 39, Hamblin Road, Evarts, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Debra Greene, age 29, Highway 1137, Cawood, trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 yards of a school and second-degree persistent felony offender.

• Rita Gail Harris, age 49, Ray Street, Harlan, sale or transfer of a simulated controlled substance.

• Robert Martin, age 25, Garden Street, Harlan, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Amy Poindexter, age 26, Rain Street, Harlan, two counts first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Jamie Brooke Potter, age 31, Brittans Creek Road, Kenvir, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Michael Reddington, age 43, Highway 215, Evarts, trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 yards of a school.

• Manning Sizemore, age 42, General Delivery, Wallins, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance. (Picked up last week.)

• James Skidmore, age 38, Highway 1137, Cawood, three counts trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 yards of a school.

• Eddie Ray Taylor, age 46, Water Tank Road, Closplint, four counts first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and tampering with physical evidence.

• Linda Taylor, age 41, Water Tank Road, Closplint, two counts first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

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

* * * * *

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 $33.1 million in federal funds to the counter-drug initiative over the past four 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)