The Washington County Sheriff's Office performed a drug sweep Tuesday, arresting seven people, all for crimes related to drug trafficking.
Officers also picked up four individuals as part of the same sweep over the course of the past week, said Major Brian Schuck of the Washington County Sheriff's Office.
The arrests were an attempt to round up individuals who were indicted secretly last week.
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JASMINE ROGERS The Marietta Times
Brent Deeter, 33, of Marietta undergoes a pat down by Lt. Ben Arnold of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. Deeter was one of seven people brought in today as part of a drug sweep which targeted individuals who were secretly indicted last week. Four additional people were arrested over the last week, and more arrests will likely follow, said Washington County Sheriff Larry Mincks.
"We do this as to not tip off the defendants that they are about to be arrested," said Washington County Prosecutor Jim Schneider.
Secret indictments are not a common occurrence in Washington County. It has been approximately two years since anyone was indicted in secret and even then it involved fewer people, said Schneider.
The Sheriff's Office performed the arrests as part of one large sweep so defendants can not anticipate their arrests and flee or hide, said Washington County Sheriff Larry Mincks.
"These are likely all members of the local drug culture," explained Mincks.
Most of these cases also involved the use of an informant, whose identity would be compromised if an arrest was made directly following the crime. People agree to be informants for the Sheriff's office for reasons ranging from a contempt for drug dealers or due to plea agreements, said Mincks.
It is best to make optimum use of the informant before making arrests that would inevitably reveal his or her identity, he said.
"It is a matter of using the ability of the informant to make as many buys as we can," said Mincks.
Once the defendant is arrested, the indictment is made public. Those arrested as part of last week's secret indictments are as follows:
Brent E. Deeter, 33, of 407 Fourth St., Apt. B, Marietta, was arrested for a fourth-degree felony count of trafficking in cocaine and a fourth-degree felony count of trafficking in marijuana in the vicinity of a juvenile.
Orval E. Bradfield, 47, of 1308 Williamson Ave., Apt. 4D, New Matamoras, was arrested for a fifth-degree felony count of trafficking in hydrocodone and a fifth-degree felony count of trafficking in marijuana.
Chase L. Simmons, 27, of Alderman St., Marietta, was arrested for a fourth-degree felony count of trafficking in hydromorphone.
Nicholas J. Durbin, 28, of Alderman St., Marietta was arrested for a fourth-degree felony count of trafficking in Fentanyl, a fourth-degree felony count of trafficking in amphetamine and a fourth-degree felony count of trafficking in morphine.
Terry Lamp, 41, of 2209 Washington Blvd., Belpre, was arrested for a fourth-degree felony count of trafficking in Oxycodone.
Jodie D. Miller, 29, of 27360 State Route 7, Lot 17, Marietta was arrested for two fifth-degree felony counts of trafficking in cocaine.
Andrew M. Steele, 20, of 1419 Lancaster St., Apt. 100B, Marietta, was arrested for two fourth-degree felony counts of trafficking in marijuana in the vicinity of a school, and one fourth-degree felony count of shipping or preparing marijuana for distribution.
Amy M Leedy, 23, of 9552 State Route 550, Vincent, was arrested for one fourth-degree felony count of trafficking in heroin.
Kevin M. Hess, 25, of 3740 State Route 26, Marietta was arrested for one fifth-degree felony count trafficking in heroin.
Jesse S. Books, 30, of 836 Pike St., Apt. 10, Marietta was arrested for one fourth-degree felony count of trafficking in oxycodone.
Mona C. Chestnutt, 52, of 12020 Waterford Road, Waterford, was arrested for one fifth-degree felony count of cultivation of marijuana.
