An undercover drug operation in Stone County has resulted in a man being charged with 12 counts involving the sale and use of illegal drugs.
Within the past year, Lt. Dammon McGilton of the Stone County Sheriff’s office received information that Gary Wayne Smith, 68, had been dealing crystal methamphetamine and prescription pills from his residence in the county.
According to circuit court information, McGilton organized a sting operation that utilized a confidential informant in an undercover capacity to purchase a quantity of crystal meth and Hydrocodone from Smith, mostly from his residence on Oak Grove Loop.
In the court information, McGilton outlined how the informant purchased meth on four occasions and Hydrocodone pills on two separate occasions. Each time the informant turned over the evidence purchased from Smith along with the hidden audio/video recording device used in the sting.
A search warrant for Smith’s residence turned up a bundle of jewelry baggies, two loaded firearms, and a glass meth smoking pipe which field-tested positive for meth residue. One of the firearms appeared to be defaced, with the serial number being removed.
The 12 counts against Smith include the sale of meth, the sale of hydrocodone, using a communications device to set up the buys, the use of meth, and maintaining a drug premises.
Smith’s bond was set at $5,000.
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