April 12, 2018

SIX ARRESTED MONDAY MORNING ON DRUG CHARGES IN PAINTSVILLE APARTMENT

LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS SAY DRUG PROBLEM IS WORSENING IN PAINTSVILLE AND THE ENTIRE AREA, ESPECIALLY THE USE OF  IV SHOOTING WITH SYRINGES

APRIL 11, 2018 – written by WADE QUEEN

PAINTSVILLE, Ky.  — The Paintsville Police Department along with the Johnson County Sheriff, arrested six people early pre-dawn Monday morning, April 9, on drug-related charges. The six suspects taken into custody consisted of 4 Paintsville residents, 2 men and 2 women, along with a man from Sitka in Johnson County, and a woman from Lawrence County.

According to a press news release report from the Paintsville Police Department, on the morning of Monday, April 9, 2018, at around 3 A.M., Paintsville Police Captain Jonathan Holbrook received information from a complaint call, regarding suspicious activity, in which the caller gave information about heavy “traffic” going in and out of an apartment located on 6th Street in Paintsville. 

Captain Holbrook along with Paintsville officer Zach Stapleton and Johnson County Sheriff Deputy Jerry Wiley responded to this location scene and went to the apartment in question, which was Apartment #719. The officers did what was called a “knock and talk” where the police will knock on the door and request to speak with the individual who owns or in this case rents the residence. 

The renter gave the officers permission to search the residence and during the search the police officers found 10 syringes, some hidden and some uncapped and a few of the syringes had a white liquid or a clear crystal-like subatance, believed to be methamphetamine, and others had blood inside. 

Officers also found a bag with a crystal substance inside, believed to be methamphetamine.

Officers found 2 children at the residence, a 6 year old and a 2 year old. Social Services was called to the residence and the children were placed into a safe environment with family members.

“Approximately 10 syringes were found, several of them uncapped and dangerous to both the officers and apartment residents, as it looked like it possibly had meth and maybe blood in the syringes where they had been used,” said Keith Maynard, Public Information Officer for Paintsville Police Department.

A total of 6 people were found at the apartment and were arrested at the drug scene, and all have been charged and identified as the following:

Christ L. Fannin, 48, of Painstville,  was arrested and was charged with:  • POSSESSION CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE 1ST DEGREE, 1ST OFFENSE (METHAMPHETAMINE), • CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE ENDANGERMENT TO CHILD, 4TH DEGREE, • WANTON ENDANGERMENT-1ST DEGREE-POLICE OFFICER, • DRUG PARAPHERNALIA – BUY/POSSESS.

Ricky D. Tackett, 51, of Sitka, Kentucky,  was arrested and was charged with:  • POSSESSION CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE 1ST DEGREE, 1ST OFFENSE (METHAMPHETAMINE), • CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE ENDANGERMENT TO CHILD, 4TH DEGREE,  • WANTON ENDANGERMENT-1ST DEGREE-POLICE OFFICER, • DRUG PARAPHERNALIA – BUY/POSSESS.

Jonathan E. Fairchild, 33, Paintsville, Kentucky,   was arrested and was charged with:  • POSSESSION CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE 1ST DEGREE, 1ST OFFENSE (METHAMPHETAMINE), • CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE ENDANGERMENT TO CHILD, 4TH DEGREE,  • WANTON ENDANGERMENT-1ST DEGREE-POLICE OFFICER, • DRUG PARAPHERNALIA – BUY/POSSESS.

Kelcey Caldwell, 25, of Lomansville, Kentucky; from in Lawrence County was arrested, and was charged with: • POSSESSION CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE 1ST DEGREE, 1ST OFFENSE (METHAMPHETAMINE), • CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE ENDANGERMENT TO CHILD, 4TH DEGREE,  • WANTON ENDANGERMENT-1ST DEGREE-POLICE OFFICER, • DRUG PARAPHERNALIA – BUY/POSSESS.

Ian N. Toth, 31, of Paintsville, Kentucky, was arrested and was charged with:  • POSSESSION CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE 1ST DEGREE, 1ST OFFENSE (METHAMPHETAMINE), • CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE ENDANGERMENT TO CHILD, 4TH DEGREE,  • WANTON ENDANGERMENT-1ST DEGREE-POLICE OFFICER, • DRUG PARAPHERNALIA – BUY/POSSESS.

Joanna Desanzo, 20, of Paintsville, Kentucky,  was arrested and was charged with: • GIVING OFFICER FALSE IDENTIFYING INFORMATION, • THEFT OF IDENTITY OF ANOTHER W/O CONSENT, • POSSESSION CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE 1ST DEGREE, 1ST OFFENSE (METHAMPHETAMINE), • CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE ENDANGERMENT TO CHILD, 4TH DEGREE,  • WANTON ENDANGERMENT-1ST DEGREE-POLICE OFFICER, • DRUG PARAPHERNALIA – BUY/POSSESS. 

All 6 drug suspects were lodged in the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center in Paintsville. Captain Johnathan Holbrook of the Paintsville Police department is the lead investigator in this case.

Law enforcement officials in Johnson County say that the drug problem is getting worse in their local ( and other surrounding) area, particularly with meth use continuing to rise.

Paintsville police officials say evidence of intravenous drug use can be seen all throughout the city. They were quoted in regional news outlets with the following statement:

“It’s an everyday thing. We’re always getting a call; a couple calls a day whatever it might be just here in Paintsville, of people finding used needles lying on the ground at their back doors. We find them everywhere, it’s pretty bad right now.”