Halls drug bust brings federal drug, firearms charges against 10

A four-month investigation in Halls resulted in a dozen arrests and the seizure of $44,986 in U.S. currency, an additional $15,000 to $20,000 in personal possessions, 10 vehicles, a large amount of crack cocaine and a small amount of marijuana from five locations in Halls on Friday. The investigation, execution of search warrants and arrests were made by officers of the Halls Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department, the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the U.S. Marshals Service. From left, Lauderdale County Sheriff Steve Sanders, Deputy James Jones, Narcotics Investigator Terry Williams, HPD officer Jason Winchester and Halls Police Chief Ricky DeSpain. [Click to enlarge]

The Halls Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department worked together to conduct the investigation, which resulted in search warrants executed at five locations in Halls on Friday morning.

A press release from United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee Lawrence J. Laurenzi states that a federal grand jury returned a 17-count indictment charging 10 individuals with violating various federal narcotics and firearms statutes.

According to Narcotics Investigator Terry Williams of the Halls Police Department, the results of the investigation also included the seizure of approximately $45,986 in U.S. currency, an additional $15,000 to $20,000 in personal possessions, 10 vehicles, a large quantity of cocaine, a small quantity of marijuana, 14 bottles of illegally distributed Wild Irish Rose grape wine, four firearms, ammunition, two sets of digital scales and a vacuum sealer from the Halls locations.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol and U.S. Marshals Service aided HPD, TBI, ATF and LCSD officers in executing the warrants and making the arrests.

These 10 vehicles, located on the back row of a parking lot near the Halls Police Department, were confiscated as part of a large drug bust in Halls on Friday, March 27. The trailer behind the vehicles, on loan from Hutcherson Scrap, holds an additional $15,000 to $20,000 in personal possessions taken in the raid that resulted in a dozen arrests. [Click to enlarge]

Ten Halls residents were charged in Count One of conspiring with each other to possess with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of crack cocaine in and around Halls in violation of Title 21, USC, Section 846. Individuals charged include Derrick Cliff, 38, R.C. Bostic, 61, Edwin Mark King, 26, Andrea McClindon, 21, Jessy Napper, 31, Scottie Terry, 46, Thomas Piphus, 46, Wayne Bostic, 51, Grady Pitts, 32, and Eugene Currin, 48.

In the press release, Laurenzi said violations of this statute carry a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison.

The indictment also alleges that each of the defendants, on varying dates between December 2008 and March 2009, either distributed or possessed with the intent to distribute crack cocaine. Depending on the amount of cocaine, the defendants may face up to a life sentence in federal prison.

McClindon and King are additionally charged with one count each of Felon in Possession of a Firearm, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years in federal prison.

Assistant United States Attorney David Pritchard is handling the case for the government.

Williams said the investigation began with cases made for the 10 defendants by the Halls Police Department and picked up by federal officers.

This large bag of crack cocaine is now off the streets of Halls due to the conclusion a four-month investigation involving six law enforcement agencies on Friday. [Click to enlarge]

Era Currin and Tony Finch, both of Halls, were also arrested, with Williams stating that more arrests will be made in the investigation.

"We are going to continue to serve the town of Halls and protect our citizens," said Halls Police Chief Ricky DeSpain. "And we are going to have a zero tolerance on drug dealings in the city. We want the drug dealers to be aware that they need to get out of town. That we are not going to tolerate it any more."

"If you are dealing drugs in our community, we have a problem with that," said Williams.