30 charged in Izard County drug sweep

It was called “Operation Quarantine Blues,” and it came down hard this week in Izard County on those involved in illegal drugs. 

According to Izard County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Charley Melton, Operation Quarantine Blues is an “ongoing” investigation into illicit drug activity. Melton said many man-hours by Izard County deputies and the members of the 16th Judicial District Drug Task Force have led to charges being filed against 30 individuals in and around Izard County. 

The chief deputy said that information developed from earlier arrests aided in the current investigation. He noted those arrests led to over 10 pounds of meth and $100,000 in drug money being confiscated. 

In a news release, the sheriff’s department released the names of the 30 individuals and the charges being filed against them. The list (posted below) includes individuals from Melbourne, Calico Rock, Batesville, Oxford, Horseshoe Bend, Violet Hill, Norfork, Dolph, Yellville, Pineville, Mountain View, and Evening Shade. 

“The operation is far from over, but much like casting a net on the pond, it was just time to empty the net,” Melton said, noting there are still other individuals under investigation.

“Those absent from the list should be aware that time is on our side, and we will see you soon,” Melton said.

The chief deputy said the sheriff’s department’s number one goal is to make the county safe for all citizens, and he said that takes place by getting offenders off the street. Pursuing drug violations and their satellite crimes of domestic violence, property crimes, fraud, and vehicle accidents is crucial to ensuring the county’s safety, the release noted.

“At the same time, we want to help those who sincerely want to get their lives back on track, restore their families, and become productive citizens,” Melton said.

The chief deputy said department personnel sees first-hand the use of drugs, and how it leads to addiction, destruction of the family unit, and even death. Melton said the department currently has programs in place to help those individuals who want the needed assistance to get themselves away from the drug culture, and rebuild their lives and their family.

“We want to thank the Arkansas State Police, the 16th Judicial Drug Task Force, Fulton County Sheriff’s Department, Stone County Sheriff’s Department, Highway Patrol, Probation and Parole, the Department of Corrections Dog Team, and Arkansas Game & Fish who assisted Izard County with Operation Quarantine Blues,” Melton said.

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All information below via the Izard County Sheriff’s Department:

• Dallas Lee Johnson, 31, of Melbourne, is charged with delivery of a controlled substance, three counts, C felony; and proximity of certain facilities enhancements. Bond was set at $25,000.
• Roger Wayne Langford, 63, of Melbourne, is charged with two counts delivery of a controlled substance a C felony, maintaining a drug premise within a 1,000 feet of a drug-free zone, a B felony, and proximity to certain facilities and habitual offender. Bond was set at $30,000
• Dwayne Spangler, 56, of Melbourne, is charged with two counts delivery of a controlled substance, a felony, and habitual offender enhancement. Bond was set at $50,000. He will also face additional charges of possession of firearms by a certain person a D felony along with habitual offender enhancement.
• Timothy Russell Greer, 49, of Melbourne, is charged with maintaining a drug premise, C felony; three counts delivery of meth, B felony, unlawful use of a communication device, a C felony, and habitual offender enhancement. Bond was set at $50,000
• Matthew James Olson, 51, of Melbourne, is charged with maintaining a drug premise, C felony, two counts delivery of meth, a C felony, and habitual offender enhancement. Bond was set at $20,000.
• James Earl Jones, 53, of Calico Rock, is charged with maintaining a drug premises within a 1,000 feet of a drug-free zone, a B felony, two counts delivery of meth, a C felony, one count delivery of meth, a B felony, and proximity to certain facilities enhancement. Bond was set at $30,000
• Kimberly Lynn Elkins, 28, of Melbourne, is charged with maintaining a drug premises within a 1,000 feet of a drug free zone, three counts delivery of a Schedule III controlled substance, one count delivery of a Schedule II controlled substance, B felony, and proximity to certain facilities enhancement and habitual offender. Bond was set at $50,000.
• John F. Tunnicliff, 61, of Calico Rock, is charged with two counts delivery of meth, B felony, and habitual offender enhancement. Bond was set at $30,000
• Blandon Dillion Elkins, 44, of Melbourne, is charged with maintaining a drug premises within a 1,000 feet of a drug-free zone, one count delivery of a controlled substance, a C felony, and proximity to certain facilities enhancement. Bond was set at $30,000.
• Roger Lee Johnson, 51, of Melbourne, is charged with delivery of a controlled substance, B felony, proximity to certain facilities enhancement, and habitual offender. Bond was set at $30,000.
• Joseph Lynn Lyons, 36, of Batesville, is charged with delivery of meth, a B felony, and habitual offender. Bond was set at $20,000.
• Steven Riffe, 60, of Oxford, is charged with delivery of controlled substance, D felony, delivery of controlled substance, B felony, delivery of controlled substance, C felony, and a habitual offender enhancement. Bond was set at $30,000
• Albert Fredrick Bartlett, 61, of Calico Rock, is charged with two counts delivery of meth, C felony, one count delivery of meth, B felony, maintaining a drug premises within a 1,000 feet of a drug free zone, B felony, proximity to certain facilities enhancement and habitual offender. Bond was set at $50,000.
• Sam Dalton Cox, 20, of Calico Rock, is charged with maintaining a drug premises within a 1,000 feet of a drug free zone, B felony, delivery of a counterfeit substance, C felony, delivery of meth, a B felony, and proximity to certain facilities enhancement. Bond was set at $50,000.
• Tanya Leanne Stanton, 46, of Melbourne, is charged with three counts delivery of a controlled substance, C felony, maintaining a drug premises within a 1,000 feet of a drug-free zone, B felony, proximity to certain facilities enhancement, and habitual offender enhancement. Bond was set at $30,000.
• Cody Lee Stacy, 45, of Dolph, is charged with two counts delivery of meth, a C felony, and habitual offender. Bond was set at $15,000.
• Larry Joe Herring, 42, of Horseshoe Bend, is charged with maintaining a drug premises, C felony, delivery of meth, a B felony, and habitual offender. Bond was set at $25,000.

As of the press release, the following individuals have not been arrested, according to the Izard County Sheriff’s Department:

• Joshua Allan Clark, 32, of Violet Hill, is charged with two counts of delivery of a controlled substance meth, B felony, and proximity to certain facilities enhancement and habitual offender. Bond was set at $40,000.
• Jessie Ray Bowman, 29, of Norfork, is charged with delivery of meth, proximity to certain facilities, and habitual offender. Bond was set at $30,000
• Angela Marie Dickerson, 43, of Dolph, is charged with delivery of meth, a B felony. Bond was set at $15,000.
• Tena Renee Haynes, 51, of Calico Rock, is charged with two counts delivery of meth, B felony, one count delivery of meth a C felony, maintaining a drug premises, and habitual offender. Bond was set at $40,000.
• Robert Palea Morales, 40, of Horseshoe Bend, is charged with delivery of a controlled substance, C felony. Bond was set at $10,000 bond.
• Kevin Darnell Higdon, 53, of Yellville, is charged with delivery of meth, a B felony and habitual offender. Bond was set at $20,000.
• William Dale Crock, 58, of Melbourne, is charged with maintaining a drug premises, B felony, delivery of meth, a B felony, and proximity to certain facilities enhancement and habitual offender. Bond was set at $50,000.
• Brad Allen Edmonston, 49, of Pineville, is charged with delivery of meth, B felony along with unlawful use of a communication device, a C felony. Bond was set at $20,000.
• Shawn Dee Branscum, 46, of Batesville, is charged with possession of meth, C felony, possession of controlled substance, D felony, possession of drug paraphernalia, D felony, habitual offender enhancement. Bond was set at $30,000
• Cynthia Ilene Skinner, 47, of Melbourne, is charged with possession of meth, D felony, and as a habitual offender. Bond was set at $15,000.
• Ronald Austin Murphree, 38, Mountain View, is charged with possession of meth, D felony, possession of drug paraphernalia, D felony, and habitual offender. Bond was set at $20,000.
• Gary Allen Morrell II, 30, of Batesville, is charged with delivery of meth, B felony, and habitual offender. Bond was set at $20,000.
• Jackie Dale Stevens, 55, of Horseshoe Bend, is charged with delivery of a controlled substance, C felony, and maintaining a drug premises. Bond was set at $15,000.

The sheriff’s department says during the sweep, additional individuals were also arrested. Bond has not yet been set on the following:

• Crystal Thomas, 51, of Oxford, is facing two drug paraphernalia charges — one class D felony and one class B.
• Bobby Gray, 55, of Oxford, is charged with two charges of drug paraphernalia, class D and B. He will also be charged with a felony charge of introduction of a controlled substance into a correction facility.
• Kelly McClellan, 44, of Dolph, is charged with possession of meth, a class C felony, possession of drug paraphernalia with purpose to test or analyze, a B felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia with purpose to use meth, a class D felony.
• Harold Winkle, 51, of Evening Shade, is charged with possession of meth, a class C felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a class D felony
• Joe Alexander, 46, of Oxford, is charged with drug paraphernalia a class D felony.
• Randal Lipford, 57, of Oxford, is charged with possession of a controlled substance and paraphernalia. Both are class D felonies.

All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law or administrative action, and any and all crimes are alleged until a court or regulatory agency finds otherwise.

Image of arrest during Operation Quarantine Blues via Izard County Sheriff’s Department

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