Seven Suspects Arrested In West Tennessee On Federal Drug Trafficking Charges

Jackson, TN – A task force made up of agents from the DEA, FBI, and U.S. Marshals Service, and law enforcement officials with the Dyer County Sheriff’s Department, Dyersburg Police Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Tennessee Highway Patrol, arrested seven people on federal drug trafficking charges in an early morning round-up today.

This morning’s arrests are the result of a year-long investigation in which law enforcement officials have seized illicit narcotics, U.S. currency, firearms, and drug paraphernalia.

A federal grand jury in Jackson, TN returned the indictments on February 23, 2015, but they remained under seal until today’s arrests. Each indictment contained counts alleging violations of the Controlled Substances Act.

The suspects arrested during the operation were:

•Miracle Pounds, 36, of Dyer County (already in state custody)
•Brian Whitt, 37, of Dyer County
•Robert Troy Anderson, 48, of Dyer County
•Christopher Dean, 40, of Dyer County (already in state custody)
•Amy Junior, 42, of Dyer County
•Nicholas Patterson, 42, of Dyer County
•Jonathan Murphy, 37, of Dyer County (already in state custody)

The charges in the indictments stem from the defendants' participation in a conspiracy to distribute and to possess ice and methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

“Over the last several years, we have seen an increase in the number of cases involving ice, a highly toxic and dangerous substance,” said U.S. Attorney Edward Stanton III. “Ingestion of ice, which is methamphetamine with at least 80% purity, and crystal meth causes profound and almost immediate physical, mental and emotional consequences, while the production process can also be deadly. This case demonstrates our commitment to riddingWest Tennessee of this menace.”

Brian K. Chambers, the Resident Agent in Charge of the DEA Memphis Resident Office, said of the case, “Methamphetamine continues to ravage many communities in our nation. Because of the positive results yielded in this case, other methamphetamine manufacturers in the affected region are being put on notice that DEA and its law enforcement partners will not tolerate their continued efforts to distribute this insidious drug.”

“I would like to thank our state and federal partners for their assistance in this investigation, which resulted in the arrests of those alleged to have been involved in criminal drug activity. I am proud of my officers’ efforts, and the Dyersburg Police Department will continue to aggressively investigate drug use and sales in our community,” stated Chief of Police Steven Isbell.

Dyer County Sheriff Jeff Box, said, “The success of this operation is attributed to the combined effort and hard work of all agencies involved in this task force partnership. I want to commend our Task Force Agents, DEA, TBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for being partners in the detection, investigation and prosecution of those who seek to advance criminal activity. This combined effort will continue to advance our highest priority of protecting the citizens in our community by investigating and prosecuting those who violate state and federal laws regarding drug trafficking and other criminal activity.”

The case was investigated by members of the DEA Jackson Post of Duty, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Dyer County Sheriff’s Department and Dyersburg Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Beth Boswell on behalf of the government.

The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.