Franklin County Sheriff Shannon Oliver announced a massive arrest warrant operation in the county last week, with 50 people being picked up what the office described as operation “Direct Impact.”
That operation, though, apparently caught up at least one individual in error. Stacy Hester, of Red Bay, was picked up and booked into the Franklin County Jail on Tuesday before being released when it was determined she should not have been arrested. Franklin County Assistant District Attorney Jeff Barksdale confirmed to The News that Hester is not facing any charges.
“She (Hester) does not have a pending case with our office,” Barksdale said.
It is not known how such an error could occur, but Barksdale said the District Attorney’s office has been working through a backlog of cases, with more than 750 referrals just last year. Part of that backlog was being addressed with the latest operation.
Per the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department: Numerous law enforcement agencies were involved in the narcotics arrest warrant operation in Franklin County and the surrounding area. Investigators with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and Russellville Police Department assigned to the ALEA Region E Drug Task Force conducted an extensive narcotics investigation in the region with the assistance of other area narcotics units. The investigation was conducted for approximately one year and is still ongoing.
Working with the Franklin County District Attorney’s Office the investigation was titled “Direct Impact,” reflecting the direct strike this operation took to the local drug distribution community. The investigation resulted in over 80 Grand Jury indictments / arrest warrants being issued for subjects involved or related to the investigation.
The operation as of today has resulted in 50 subjects being arrested and booked into the Franklin County Jail. Six additional felony drug charges were made during the operation as well as 3 individuals taken into custody that were wanted by other agencies. Numerous other arrests are expected and will follow as investigators follow up on further leads and information regarding the whereabouts of the remaining wanted subjects.
Red Bay and west Franklin County area residents arrested include:
- Dallas Terry, Red Bay – Conspiracy to Commit Controlled Substance Crime
- Brandy Brooks, Golden, Miss. – Chemical Endangerment of Child
- Madison Davis, Hodges – Chemical Endangerment of Child
Others arrested Tuesday in the investigation include:
- Alton Witt – Possession of Controlled Substance
- Jeremy Motes- Drug Trafficking, Possession of Controlled Substance
- Cornelius Spangler- Drug Trafficking, Possession of Marijuana 1st
- Alysia Uzdil- Chemical Endangerment of Child, Possession of Controlled Substance
- Horace Mullins- Drug Trafficking
- Joni Baker- Promoting Prison Contraband- Drugs
- Andy Fisher- Distribution of Controlled Substance
- Thomas Hatton- Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
- Kimberly Lafine- Possession of Controlled Substance
- Frankie Vandiver- Distribution of Controlled Substance
- Jason Thomas- Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
- Axcel Lastra- Possession of Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute
- Jerry Mcgee- Possession of Controlled Substance
- Pamela Suggs- Drug Trafficking
- Peter Steien- Possession of Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute
- Tamra Smith- Conspiracy to Commit Controlled Substance Crime
- Shane Riddle- Distribution of Controlled Substance
- Joshua Cameron- Possession of Controlled Substance, Burglary 3rd, Theft 1st
- Christie Ford- Distribution of Controlled Substance x 2
- Steven Pennington- Distribution of Controlled Substance
- Jessica Brackin- Probation/Parole Violation – Drug Offenses
- Robert Terry- Probation/Parole Violation- Drug Offenses
- Tevin Cross- Drug Trafficking, Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Marijuana 1st
- Jerry Green- Escape 1st – Drug Offense
- Moises Lucas- Possession of Controlled Substance x 2. Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
- David Jackson- Distribution of Controlled Substance
- Silvester Tolentino-Hernandez- Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Paraphernalia
- Willie Hamilton- Drug Trafficking
- Skylar Hall- Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
- James Coleman- Distribution of Controlled Substance
- James Fuller- Possession of Controlled Substance
- William Vandiver- Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia x 2
- Raymond Perez- Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
- Cassie Cummings- Chemical Endangerment of Child
- John Whitlock- Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
- Jeffery Baker- Possession of Controlled Substance, Arson, Escape 1st
- Payton Fretwell- Possession of Controlled Substance x 4, Attempt to Elude, Resisting Arrest
- Sabrina Johnson- Probation / Parole Violation- Drug Offense
- Angela Perrigin- Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
- Steven Pierce- Distribution of Controlled Substance
- David Presley- Possession of Controlled Substance x 2. Possession of Marijuana 2nd
- Erica Strickland- Drug Trafficking
- Justin Williams- Chemical Endangerment of Child
- Brooke Michael- Chemical Endangerment of Child
- Jason Bray- Possession of Controlled Substance x 2, Carrying Brass Knuckles
- Huruy Gebrewalde- Distribution of Controlled Substance
The operation was a collaborative effort involving the following participating agencies: Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County District Attorney’s Office, Russellville Police Department, Red Bay Police Department, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency – State Bureau of Investigation, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency- Region E Drug Task Force, Alabama Board of Pardons and Parole, Alabama Department of Corrections – K9 Unit, Alabama Department of Conservation- Enforcement Division, Alabama State Fire Marshal’s Office, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Colbert County Sheriff’s Office, Colbert County Drug Task Force, Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Marshal Service- Gulf Coast Fugitive Task Force.
