More than 30 arrested on drug charges

A drug investigation by various law enforcement agencies resulted in the arrest of 35 individuals over two days.

The Fort Scott Police Department, the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation Drug Task Force were involved in a narcotics investigation that led to the Tuesday arrest of 30 people who were charged with violating Kansas Statute 21-5707(a)(1), unlawful possession of controlled substance using a communication facility, according to a news release issued Wednesday by the FSPD.

FSPD Capt. Shaun West said Wednesday he could not comment on specifics of the investigation as the arrests were part of an ongoing investigation and the law enforcement agencies are "in the middle of an operation." He did confirm Thursday five more arrests were made Wednesday in the continuing investigation.

West said the charge of unlawful possession of controlled substance using a communication facility involves using a communication device to "facilitate a narcotics transaction."

According to the Kansas Legislature website, www.kslegislature.org, Kansas Statute 21-5707(a)(1) regarding "unlawful manufacture, distribution, cultivation or possession of controlled substances using a communication facility" states that "it shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly or intentionally use any communication facility in committing, causing or facilitating the commission of any felony under K.S.A. 2012 Supp. 21-5703, 21-5705 or 21-5706 and amendments thereto."

The law also states that violation of subsection (a) is a non drug severity level 8, nonperson felony.

West said the 35 arrests took place at different times and locations throughout Fort Scott and Bourbon County. There was not a significant number of arrests at any particular location.

"They were all over the place," he said.

More arrests are likely during the ongoing investigation, the release said.

West said the types and amounts of narcotics involved are different for each case and charges were related to use of an electronic device and "not a specific narcotic." He also said none of the arrests involved drug use or transactions on the premises where the arrests took place.

"These were all warrant arrests," he said. "Some had additional charges based on when we picked them up."

All of the individuals arrested were charged with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Some were taken into custody on additional charges.

According to an arrest report from the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office, Brent M. Stewart, 46, was arrested at 3 p.m. Wednesday by the BCSO on arrest warrants charging him with cultivate/distribute with intent opiates/opium/narcotics/stimulants and possession of opiates/opium/narcotic drugs and certain stimulants. West said Thursday that Stewart's arrest is part of a separate narcotics investigation involving the KBI.

As of Thursday, Stewart was being held in the SEKRCC on no bond.

According to arrest reports from the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office, the following individuals were arrested Tuesday:

* Shane Robert Cooney, 27, was arrested at 11:16 a.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant charging him with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Cooney was released at 1:29 p.m. Tuesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Jason A. Burns, 34, was arrested at 4:05 p.m. by the FPSD on an arrest warrant charging him with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Burns was released at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Dillon Tyler Weddle, 20, was arrested at 2:38 p.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant charging him with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Weddle was released at 5:06 p.m. Tuesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Tyler Lane Weber, 20, was arrested at 4:18 p.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant charging him with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Weber was released at 4:50 p.m. Tuesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Scott Russell Watkins, 37, was arrested at 11:02 a.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant charging him with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Watkins was released at 1:18 p.m. Tuesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Dustin S. Wiley, 27, was arrested at 11:47 a.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant charging him with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Wiley was released at 2 p.m. Tuesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Sandra Leigh Keating, 43, was arrested at 9:49 a.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant charging her with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Keating was released at 11:56 a.m. Tuesday on a $15,000 surety bond.

* Robert Franklin Wilson III, 20, was arrested at 5:42 p.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant charging him with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Wilson was released at 10:15 p.m. Tuesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Jennifer Lyn Houston, 27, was arrested at 11:39 a.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant charging her with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Houston was released at 10:45 p.m. Tuesday on a $15,000 surety bond.

* Avious Bernard Steadman, 32, was arrested at 10:02 a.m. by the FSPD on arrest warrants charging him with possession of certain hallucinogenic drugs and unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. As of Thursday, Steadman was being held in the SEKRCC on a $16,250 surety bond.

* William Gerod Wiggans Jr., 28, was arrested at 10:16 a.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant charging him with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Wiggans Jr. was released at 12:07 p.m. Tuesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Gary Lee Wiggans, 27, was arrested at 12 a.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant charging him with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Wiggans was released at 9 p.m. Tuesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Courtney Renee Sisney, 23, was arrested at 2:58 p.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant charging her with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Sisney was released at 4:56 p.m. Tuesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Avery Allen Johnson, 21, was arrested at 1:02 p.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant charging him with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Johnson was released at 2:36 p.m. Tuesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Monica Irene Rice, 22, was arrested at 4:11 p.m. by the FSPD on arrest warrants charging her with giving a worthless check; value less than $1,000 and unlawful possession of a controlled substance by a communication facility. Rice was released at 5:11 p.m. Tuesday on a $7,500 surety bond.

* Courtney Breann Johnson, 28, was arrested at 11:25 a.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant charging her with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Johnson was released at 11:54 a.m. Tuesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Justin David Messerschmidt, 27, was arrested at 2:32 p.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant charging him with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Messerschmidt was released at 4:18 p.m. Wednesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Dustin E. Crays, 27, was arrested at 1:33 p.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant charging him with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Crays was released at 3:59 p.m. Tuesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Matthew C. Fleming, 32, was arrested at 10:40 a.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant charging him with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. As of Thursday, Fleming was being held in the SEKRCC on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Quintin Duran Grant, 31, was arrested at 9:58 a.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant charging him with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Grant was released at 11:46 a.m. Tuesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Laeci J. Hall, 21, was arrested at 11:25 a.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant charging her with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Hall was released at 2:02 p.m. Tuesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Janae Dee Willard, 23, was arrested at 9:37 a.m. by the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office and charged with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Willard was released at 4:57 p.m. Tuesday on a $15,000 surety bond.

* Jack David Ham III, 22, was arrested at 11:13 a.m. by the FSPD and charged with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Ham was released at 1:19 p.m. Tuesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Nathan Scott Carey, 25, was arrested at 12:30 p.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant charging him with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Carey was released at 3:13 p.m. Tuesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Joshua M. Schoemig, 35, was arrested at 1:52 p.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant charging him with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Schoemig was released at 5:07 p.m. Tuesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Dakota Ray Buckman, 24, was arrested at 1:56 p.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant charging him with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Buckman was released at 4:19 p.m. Tuesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Cody A. Woodall, 22, was arrested at 2:38 p.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant charging him with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Woodall was released at 4:40 p.m. Tuesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Austin Tyler Arnold, 24, was arrested at 3:28 p.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant charging him with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Arnold was released at 4:20 p.m. Tuesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Hunter Lee Deckard, 19, was arrested at 6:20 p.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant charging him with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Deckard was released at 7:01 p.m. Tuesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Samantha Lee Tucker, 20, was arrested at 8:50 p.m. by the FSPD and charged with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility. Tucker was released at 10:15 p.m. Tuesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

The following individuals were arrested Wednesday as part of the investigation and charged with unlawful possession of controlled substance by a communication facility:

* Gregory Scott White, 28, was arrested at 1:14 p.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant and was released at 6:20 p.m. Wednesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Andrew Levi Woods, 23, was arrested at 1:40 p.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant and as of Thursday was being held in the SEKRCC on a $15,000 surety bond.

* Linda Marie Jones, 52, was arrested at 3:38 p.m. by the FSPD on an arrest warrant and as of Thursday was being held in the SEKRCC on a $15,000 surety bond.

* Montana Hunter Williams, 21, was arrested at 3:20 p.m. on an arrest warrant and was released at 8:05 p.m. Wednesday on a $5,000 surety bond.

* Joseph Lee Chambers, 38, was arrested at 12 a.m. Wednesday by the FSPD on an arrest warrant and was released at 8:45 p.m. Wednesday on a $5,000 surety bond.