Dozens Arrested after Drug Investigation - Photos & Video

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.