Eight people were arraigned Wednesday on charges that arose from a six-month drug investigation in Monroe County.

Sheriff Charles R. Black Jr. said a dozen people total were arrested as a result of the probe, which involved making multiple controlled drug buys with the help of confidential informants. Three other people are still being sought.

"It just branched out from one buy to another to another, which is only a very small piece, I should say crumb, of the pie," Black said.

The sheriff said the individuals weren't all directly affiliated with one another but generally ran in the same circles.

The eight people arraigned on Wednesday were indicted by Monroe County's December grand jury and arrested this week, starting Monday, Black said.

According to court records, those arrested were:

Junior R. Adkins, 55, of 105 Monroe St., Woodsfield, charged with a third-degree felony count of aggravated trafficking in drugs, specifically Oxycontin, on July 22. A specification with the indictment says the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school.

Byron J. Daggett, 25, of 39657 Bettinger Ridge Road, Caldwell, charged with one third-degree felony count of aggravated trafficking in drugs, specifically MS Contin, on Oct. 17. The grand jury determined the offense was committed in the vicinity of a juvenile.

Jose E. Gonzalez, 37, of 114 East Court St., Woodsfield, charged with one third-degree felony count of aggravated trafficking in drugs, specifically Oxycodone, on July 22, in the vicinity of a school.

Tasha L. Harrigan, 24, of 51978 State Route 145, Beallsville, charged with one fourth-degree felony count of trafficking in heroin on Aug. 11. According to the indictment, the offense occurred near a school.

Warren A. Jones, 45, of 51535 State Route 26, Jerusalem, charged with two fourth-degree felony counts of trafficking in marijuana (on Sept. 10) and Vicodin (on Sept. 11). Specifications with both charges indicated they were committed in the vicinity of a juvenile.

Arville E. Rutter Jr., 36, pf 40942 State Route 800, Woodsfield, charged with one fourth-degree felony count of trafficking in drugs, specifically Vicodin, on Oct. 20, in the vicinity of a school.

Joshua K Shrewsbury, 26, of 50856 Headley Ridge, Beallsville, charged with one third-degree felony count of aggravated trafficking in drugs, specifically MS Contin, on Oct. 17, in the vicinity of a juvenile.

Denis R. Stewart Jr., 37, of Barnesville, charged with one second-degree felony count of complicity for allegedly aiding or abetting in the trafficking of drugs.

Bond information for the suspects was not immediately available from Monroe County Common Pleas Court.

Black said the county will seek restitution from the suspects for money used in the drug buys. About $3,500 of that came from the sheriff's budget, along with another $700 or $800 from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.

The identity of the three other individuals indicted will not be released until they have been served, according to a release from the sheriff's office.

Black said the arrests show that anyone who thinks there isn't a drug problem in Monroe County is mistaken.

"It's too easy to obtain, especially these scripts (prescriptions) nowadays, and it's too profitable," he said.

Four other individuals were indicted in November as a result of the investigation.

One of them, Charles McCloskey, 40, of Headley Ridge Road, Beallsville, pleaded guilty on Nov. 12, according to the release. Common Pleas Court Judge Julie Selmon to four years in prison on each count with the sentences to run concurrent with one another. He was also ordered to pay restitution upon release.

Melissa McCroskey, 37, of Headley Ridge Road, was originally charged with one count of complicity. However, she entered a guilty plea to an amended count of possession of drugs and was sentenced by Selmon to three years of community control. The relationship between Charles and Melissa McCroskey, if any, was not specified in the release.

Also indicted in November were Kevin McCort, 36, of 43101 Maple Drive Beallsville, on five counts of trafficking in drugs, and Linda Gregg, 53, of the same address, on five counts of complicity.