Searches net drug arrests in PV - Pauls Valley Daily Democrat

bporterfield@pvdemocrat.com — Searches of two Pauls Valley homes have resulted in a whole slew of arrests on allegations of illegal drug activity.

Unrelated searches conducted by officials from the Garvin County Sheriff's Department over the past few days finished with a total of nine arrests and more could come later.

In one search a single resident was taken into custody after authorities found a large amount of marijuana.

The other search resulted in eight arrests as methamphetamine is believed to have been sold from the local house.

Sheriff Larry Rhodes said it was some tips that led deputies to the marijuana bust, while an old fashioned investigation was at the heart of the meth related arrests in the local Jackson Hill area.

"On the hill field deputies did some good work," Rhodes said on Monday. "That led to a search warrant, the methamphetamine and the arrests of several people.

"Hopefully we're making a little head way into illegal drugs around here. We've had a number of significant arrests just in January," he said.

Arrested last week was Carl Edward Prince, 63, also known as Sambo, during the search of his home in the 400 block of North Earl by county deputies and Pauls Valley police.

Officials found about a half pound of marijuana inside the house, along with several items commonly used in the distribution of the illegal drug. About $1,300 in suspected drug proceeds were also seized.

The three felony charges filed against Prince on Friday adds to his lengthy felony conviction record dating back to 1967.

Prince's criminal past included nine convictions in Garvin and Pontotoc counties, including former convictions for the selling of marijuana.

The arrest of Prince by Sheriff Rhodes has an ironic twist in that Rhodes' stepfather, former Garvin County Sheriff Bill Branch, handled Prince in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

A separate narcotics investigation led by sheriff's deputies ended with the service of a search warrant at a Jackson Hill residence.

Deputies with the assistance of PV police officers served a "no knock" warrant in the 1400 block of Denson.

The resident, identified as Brenda Blakeley, 53, was arrested on multiple drug related charges, while seven other people, two on outstanding arrest warrants, were also arrested in conjunction with the investigation.

About one-half ounce of methamphetamine was found inside the residence during the search.

The residence was found to have a counter surveillance system in place, which included cameras and multiple monitors and a police scanner was in use at the house.

"The investigation into suspected narcotics activity at the Denson Drive address was successful in part by the long hours and hard work of field deputies Jared White, Shane Rich and Chaz Pyle with the assistance of Undersheriff Jim Mullett and Captain Travis Crawford," Rhodes said.

Rhodes reminds the public if anyone sees what they believe to be drug related activity they should call the sheriff's office or Garvin County Crime Stoppers.