Crittenden County Grand Jury met last Thursday and indicted seven individuals on various charges, most of them were drug related. A theft charge against Victoria King was dismissed.
Four of the seven individuals were indicted following an undercover drug-buying operation that included a confidential informant.
Those indicted were as follows:
•Rodney Barnett, 36, of Fredonia on three counts of trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 yards of a school by complicity. The charges stem from undercover buys on three dates during the fall of last year. According to court records, a digital camera was used to record the transactions. The indictment alleges that Barnett, in conjunction with Tanya K. Moodie (also indicted), sold 20 doses of Xanax to a cooperating witness on Oct. 20, 2007. The charges indicate that the informant paid $1 per dose for the pills. Additional buys were allegedly made on Nov. 16 and Dec. 15. Police records say that on those dates, the informant purchased 30 doses Xanax and 16 doses of Nurotin for $60 in November and 26 doses of Xanax, 11 doses of Adderall and eight doses of Nurotin for a price of $100 in December. All of the alleged buys were made at a home in Marion with 1,000 feet of a school.
•Tanya K. Moodie, 63, of 608 Blackburn Street, Marion was indicted on the same charges as the above defendant. Police records say that Moodie and Barnett were both involved in the same alleged drug sales to the informant.
•Michael E. Hillyard, 49, of 535 East Bellville Street was indicted on four counts of trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 yards of a school, second-degree, second-offense trafficking in a controlled substance by complicity, and being a first-degree persistent felony offender. Hillyard, court records say, sold marijuana and Lortab tablets to an undercover informant on five dates in the fall of 2007.
•Joseph Lee Shewmaker, 34, of 109 Sterling Lane, Marion was indicted for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and third-degree trafficking in a controlled substance. Court records allege that Shewmaker sold drugs to a confidential informant, including six doses of Percocet and eight doses of Valium.
Thomas Michael Tackwell, 29, of 630 Country Road, Grand Rivers was indicted for second-degree burglary. Police records allege that Tackwell broke into a home in Marion and stole a Sentry fire safe on Dec. 4, 2007.
•Lenoard D. Tolley, 32, of 228 Keeling Street, Marion was indicted for flagrant non-support for being behind by $16,905.02 in child support.
•Kevin Ray Curry, 31, of 510 Henry Road, Fredonia was indicted on a charge of first-degree possession of a controlled substance which police allege was methodone, a schedule II narcotic. Court records say that on Feb. 28, Curry was observed on the ground beside of his vehicle which was parked on the side of the road in the Caldwell Springs community.
Many of you have looked at the Balloon Dude video posted at The Press Online. Of course, the Balloon Dude is Jerry McDonald and his wife, Angel, is a preschool teacher at Crittenden County Elementary. Last week, the preschool students brought their dads and grandfathers to class for a special day. As part of the event, the group released dozens of balloons -- courtesy of the Balloon Dude.
