By Cassie Walsh
Paris, Tenn.- More than a dozen people were arrested on Thursday night after multiple agencies from local, state and the federal levels conducted a saturation operation in Henry County high crime areas.
The operation was organized by Special Agent Joe Walker with the 24th Judicial District Gang Task Force. Walker retired from TBI and now works with the Gang Task Force.
“We worked aggressive traffic enforcement in conjunction with checking a a lot of people that were on probation or parole…. working aggressively in our higher crime areas,” according to Henry County Sheriff Monte Belew at a Friday morning press conference.
The operation started at 1 p.m. and ended at 10 p.m. on Thursday. Sheriff Belew and Paris Police Department Chief Chuck Elizondo said that several cases are still ongoing and further charges of felony drug and weapons charges will be pending in some of the cases.
“The gang activity is rampant and we try to keep it under control here in Henry County, but they move from county to county. We try to keep a thumb on it and a big saturation like that it helps and we’re working on combating the issues,” Elizondo said.
“We had a lot of various agencies that came together and helped us work Paris Henry County last night and we would like to say thank you to all those agencies,” according to Belew.
In addition to the 15 people that were arrested on various charges, the Tennessee Highway Patrol issued 28 citations with 24 contacts. During the operation two weapons and approximately a half pound of ice and several small amounts of marijuana was seized by police on Thursday. Chief Elizondo and Sheriff Belew said that further investigation will lead to additional charges and more arrests in the future.
“Since the task force has been formed we will be doing more of these saturations more frequently,” said Sheriff Belew. “We will also be going to other counties to assist them as well. We’re all on the same team… they helped us so we’re going to help them.”
Those arrested in the operation during Tennessee Department of Corrections Home Compliance checks were:
• Jordan Wayne Berry, 23, arrested for simple possession of a schedule II substance, simple possession of a schedule VI substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Edricco Lamont Patton, 43, arrested for simple possession of a schedule VI substance.
• Steven Terrance Russell, 42, arrested for simple possession of a schedule II substance and possession of a weapon.
• David Grant McManis, 27, arrested for simple possession of a schedule II substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Victor Tyrone Sims, 28, arrested for possession of a weapon and violation of parole for aggravated assault.
• Ashley Brooke Crank, 25, arrested for possession of a schedule II substance and possession of a schedule VI substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. (arrested at the residence with Berry, not under the TDOC supervision).
• Harrison Leftwich Fisher, 24, arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia.
Other arrests:
• Harley Renae Williams, 22, arrested for driving on a revoked license, possession of a schedule II substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Bobby Gene Madding, 39, arrested under the TDOC for simple possession of a schedule II substance, simple possession of a schedule VI substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Audrey Burns, 44, arrested for registration violation, violation of financial responsibility law and driving on a revoked license.
• Jeffrey D. Teague, 30, arrested for simple possession of a schedule VI substance.
• Kenneth Wharton, 49, arrested for driving on a suspended license and possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Wayne Anthony Travis, 54, arrested for violation of probation.
• Bobby Joe Patton, 52, arrested for sale of a schedule II controlled substance in a school zone.
• Jeffery Garvin Townsend, 59, arrested on a federal warrant for a felon in possession of weapons.
Agencies that participated were the Paris Police Department, Henry County Sheriff’s Office, 24th Judicial District Drug Task Force, 24th Judicial District Gang Task Force, Tennessee Department of Corrections-Office of Investigations and Compliance, Tennessee Department of Corrections-Community Supervision, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway patrol, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson Police Department- Gang Unit, McKenzie Police Department, Hardin County Sheriff’s Department and the United States Marshal’s Service.
Photo: From left, Bobby Madding, Victor Tyrone Sims and Jeffery Garvin Townsend were three of the fifteen people that were arrested in the saturation that police conducted on Thursday night. (Cassie Walsh photo).
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