Multi-County Meth Bust Leads To 14 Arrests, 2 Cherokee Men

CANTON, GA — Two men from Canton were part of a multi-county meth bust that ended in 14 arrests.

On Monday, Pickens County deputies and agents of the Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad executed search warrants at five locations in Pickens County. These warrants were based on a three-month-long investigation into the sale and distribution of methamphetamine in the Jasper area.

The investigation involves a loosely organized group of individuals who were importing methamphetamine into the Jasper area. As Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad agents began to follow leads and conduct surveillance on the targets of the investigation, they were able to determine that the criminal enterprise reached from Southern California to Jasper.

Warrants were executed at 236 Martin Road, Jasper; 1186 Bethany Road, Jasper; 231 Salacoa Vista, Jasper; 915 Hill City Road, Jasper and 623 Fuller Mountain Road, Jasper. Officers recovered seven stolen guns, small amounts of marijuana and pills and about seven ounces of suspected methamphetamine. Law enforcement officers arrested 14 people on charges filed in Pickens County.

Those arrested include:

• Michael Smith, 28, of Canton, possession of meth with intent to distribute
• Hayden Howard, 28, of Canton, possession of meth with intent to distribute
• Vicky Ponder, 55, of Jasper, possession of meth
• Robert K. Privette, 55, of Jasper, violation of Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organizations and trafficking meth
• Angela Patterson, 39, of Ball Ground, possession of meth
• Kevin Biermann, 64, of Jasper, violation of Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organizations, possession of meth, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a schedule 4 controlled substance
• Marvin Ray Waldroup, 51, of Jasper, violation of Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organizations and trafficking meth
• Tony Pettigrew, 53, of Jasper, on obstruction and trafficking meth
• Diana Hamby, 48, of Jasper, conspiracy to traffic meth
• Dakota Estes, 29, of Jasper, possession of meth
• Amanda Estes, 27, of Jasper, possession of meth
• JoAnn Flowers, 51, of Jasper, possession of meth with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony
• Barry Morgan, 59, of Jasper, violation of Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organizations
• Anthony Baker, 58, of Jasper, violation of Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organizations, possession of meth with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and meth trafficking charges

Additional warrants are outstanding for individuals in Cherokee County and in Tennessee.

The Pickens Sheriff’s Office has recently partnered the Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad to conduct drug investigations in Pickens County. Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad Agents are tasked with the goal of disrupting organizations and sources of supply in the Cherokee/Pickens Area.

The Pickens Sheriff’s Office, the Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad, the Cherokee/Pickens Multi-Agency SWAT Team and the Georgia State Patrol Aviation Unit worked together to safely execute these warrants all across the county.