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By Rose Hooper
and Carey Phillips
Cooperation among law enforcement agencies on simultaneous traffic
stops led to the arrest of several Jackson County residents on
drug charges.
"These drug arrests are not my problem," said Jackson
County Sheriff Jimmy Ashe. "They are not Sylva or Cherokee
police departments' problem, either. They are our problem,"
said Ashe, who vows "to work cooperatively to do something
about the problem."
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Bumgarner
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Leonard
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Russell
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Three people were arrested near Taco Bell off N.C. 107 Dec.
27. Roy Eugene Bumgarner, 47, of Holden Trailer Park, Cullowhee
was charged with possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver
cocaine and methamphetamine, felony possession of cocaine and
methamphetamine, maintaining a vehicle/dwelling for controlled
substance, and trafficking in cocaine, amphetamine/meth and methaqualone.
In the car with Bumgarner was Vanassa Easton Russell, 32, Pumpkintown
Road, Sylva, who was charged with maintaining a vehicle/dwelling
for controlled substance, traffic in amphetamine/meth and cocaine
and permitting the operation of a vehicle with no insurance. She
was also charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver
cocaine and methamphetamine and possession of crystalline methamphetamine
and cocaine.
Operating a second vehicle, a 1989 Chevrolet S-10 Blazer, was
Paul Matthew Leonard, 24, of Sleeping Owl Ridge, Cullowhee. He
was charged with maintaining a vehicle for sell of controlled
substance and possession with intent to sell methamphetamine and
cocaine and carrying a concealed weapon.
Bumgarner was arrested in October and charged with two counts
of possession with intent to sell/deliver crack cocaine, two counts
of possession of cocaine, two counts of possession of marijuana
and two counts of trafficking in cocaine along with one count
each of possession of drug paraphernalia, sale and delivery of
marijuana, maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance and
trafficking in marijuana.
During that arrest officers seized more than $100,000 in cash,
which Ashe said was the largest cash seizure of drug-related funds
in county history. Law enforcement personnel also confiscated
drugs and firearms during the October arrest.
Bumgarner pleaded guilty in December to those federal drug charges
and awaits sentencing, which Ashe said could come within the next
2 1/2 months.
He remains in cutody following the most recent charges. Bumgarner
is being held in Jackson County Jail on $550,000 bond.
Russell has been tranferred to another facility but remains in
custody under a $50,000 bond. Leonard posted his $15,000 bond
and is out of jail.
In another vehicle stop, this time a cooperative effort with the
Cherokee Police Department, Ashe said drug charges were filed
against Daniel Glen Keener, 20, of Woodfin Road, Sylva and Christopher
A. Cornett, 23, of Laredo Farm Road, Sylva.
Their 1992 red Chevrolet Camero was stopped Dec. 17 on U.S. 441
near Gateway.
Cornett was arrested and charged with possession of a schedule
II controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
He is free on a $3,000 bond.
Keener was arrested and charged with possession of a schedule
II controlled substance, possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver
controlled substance and maintaining a vehicle/dwelling for a
controlled substance.
His bond was posted at $8,000.
The December drug arrests continued to the last day of the year
when Michael Dean Rhinehart, 31, of Little Rock Circle, Sylva
was charged with possession of methamphetamine, a schedule II
controlled substance, two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia
and with disorderly conduct. He is free after posting a $1,000
bond.
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