3pm Update: According to Brown County Sheriff Bobby Grubbs, Brownwood Assistant Chief of Police James Fuller, Early Chief of Police David Mercer, and Tommy Adams of the Brown County District Attorney’s Office, the drug operation “Smorgasbord” has netted a total of 83 defendants, 60 arrests with 110 charges.

Although some defendants remain at large, all agencies agreed that the day’s efforts have been a success.  In a press conference at the Law Enforcement Center in Brownwood, media was briefed with the following information in a release which was accompanied by comments from the Grubbs, Mercer, Fuller and Adams.  The press was also allowed to ask questions.  (See video at the end of article for the complete video of the press conference.)

Sheriff Grubbs noted the lead investigators of this roundup:

• Brown County Sheriff’s Office – CID Investigators Carlyle Gover &  Jason Benefield, and  Sergeant Lana Guthrie, Criminal Division Supervisor over the investigation
• Brownwood Police Department – Detective Aaron Taylor, case agent and Sergeant James Kidd, CID supervisor
• Early Police Department- Sergeant Shawn Dibrell, case agent, and Chief David Mercer

During the course of the roundup and in addition to the arrest warrants, arrest teams took 4 additional persons into custody for drug and other offenses.  Various amounts of drugs were also seized as officers detained or arrested a total of 60 defendants on various drug related charges as of the 2pm conference.

The investigation was developed to combat the growing prescription drug problem and fraud problem in Brown County, officials said.  It was later broadened into the counties of Mills and Coleman.   Many defendants were prescription drug abusers who also trafficked in methamphetamine, marijuana, ecstasy, or heroin, according to Grubbs.  The defendants acquired prominently abused prescription medicines such as Hydrocodone, Xanax, or Oxycodone through fraudulent prescriptions, doctor shopping, or surrogates who fraudulently obtained prescriptions, according to a press release.  The prescriptions were filled and diverted or sold to mostly street-level abusers and young people.

Officials said that the prescription drug problem is not exclusive to the illicit drug problem as many of the prescriptions were financed and obtained through Medicare and/or Medicaid fraud and sold along with other illicit drugs such as methamphetamine, marijuana, or cocaine.  Officers used a number of investigative strategies including undercover, surveillance, technology, and criminal debriefings to target suspects.   This is an ongoing investigation and as information develops other investigations will be initiated.

Sheriff Grubbs commented the following about the drug problem as it relates to our community.

“Brown County is a great place to live and raise a family, but unfortunately, as in other communities, there is a drug problem.  Drug abuse, including prescription drug abuse, fuels most of the crime problems we face today and we must responsibly go after the drug problem.  If not, it will erode the many reasons we love and believe in our community,” stated Sheriff Grubbs.  “I will continue with our ongoing and cooperative efforts to target drug violators with professional and aggressive criminal law enforcement.”

Thanks were extended by Grubbs to the Early Police Department, Brownwood Police Department, and Mills and Coleman County Sheriff’s Offices whose officers invested a great deal of hard work into this investigation.  He extended thanks also to the many agencies, officers and support people who assisted in the round-up.  The following agencies were involved in this roundup:

• Brown County Sheriff’s Office
• Early Police Department
• Brownwood Police Department
• Mills County Sheriff’s Office
• Coleman County Sheriff’s Office
• Brown County District Attorney’s Office
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
• Brown County Constables Office
• Brown County Adult Probation Department
• Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
• Bangs Police Department
• Santa Anna Police Department
• Colman Police Department
• Lake Brownwood Lake Patrol
• Texas Department of Family  & Protective Services-Child Protective Services
• Texas Department of Public Safety-Highway Patrol Service, Aircraft Section, Texas Rangers and Criminal Investigation Division.

Top Photo: One person is taken into custody on Main Street in Brownwood Wednesday during the drug operation.

Below are officials at the press conference with pictures behind them of those in custody as well as those still at large.  Pictured left to right:  BPD Assistant Chief James Fuller, Brown County Sheriff Bobby Grubbs, EPD Chief Mercer, Tommy Adams of the Brown County District Attorney’s Office.

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Tiffany Thomson

Gerald Holloway

Charles Bennie

Robert Chris Bennie

Wynndi Caldwell

Waymond Earl          Middlebrooks

Taylor Scott

Heather Scott

Che Hutchinson

Anontia Killinger

Eleazar Hernandez

Roy Peel

Brian Scott Evans

Nellie Ann Roby-Cramer

Theldon LaMonte Vaughan

Kimberly Cooper

Samuel Delapaz

Bradley Barnhart

Shelia Faye Daniels

Ronald Wise

No Photo Available

Everett Whitely

Heather Mackey

Antonio James Cruz

Orville Boese

Amy Jo Grady

McAndrew Norman

Lisa Richardson

Karly May Cogburn

David Adams

Clayton Douglas Bounds

Jose Estrada

Leroy Moore

Steve Teague

Raymond Reedy

Colin Joseph Dillard

Ronda Renee Howell

Tyler Simmons

Adrian David

Kailey Shanice Adams

Brandon Martinez

Ricky Hodges

Kavin Griffin

Melinda Belveal

Paul Watson

Cathy Brooks

Daniel Herrera, Jr.

Amanda Cagle

Erick Cagle

Tiffany Jo Holland

Carl Stenson

No Photo Available

Denise Sorrells

Randall Ben Watson

Melissa Marshall – in custody prior to operation

Tanner Chamberlain – in custody prior to operation

Abelehza Herrera – in custody prior to operation

Ivan Lopez – in custody prior to operation

Jaqueline Sessions – in custody prior to operation

Justin Phipps – in custody prior to operation

Timothy Thacker – in custody prior to operation

No Photo Available

Thomas Cramer

No photo available

Latisha Rucker

No photo available

Kirstie Durham

Kimberly Wilkerson

Ty Chambers

Jauquin Jimenez

Jacob Paul Keith

Brandi McDaniel

Ruben Salazar

Randall Justice

Tony Benson

Chance Schaefer