Chase Smith

Staff Writer

There have been a number of drug related pleas in Bell County Circuit Court. Many of the charges revolve around the trafficking of drugs, with a couple involving the manufacture of methamphetamine.

Benjamin Ryan Campbell, Middlesboro, pleaded guilty to the charge of criminal attempt to manufacture methamphetamine. He was sentenced to 10 years in the penitentiary.

Willie H. Smith, Pineville, also pleaded guilty to a methamphetamine charge. He pleaded guilty to the charge of criminal facilitation to manufacture methamphetamine.

Smith was sentenced to five years in the penitentiary. If the sentence is probated, he will be placed on supervised probation for five years.

The following sentences were also recently handed down:

• Marcella Southerland, Pathfork, pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and one count second-degree trafficking a controlled substance . Southerland was sentenced to three years in the penitentiary for both trafficking charges.

• Jamie Vaughn, Bimble, pleaded guilty to fourth-degree assault and tampering with physical evidence. Vaughn was sentenced to five years in the penitentiary for tampering with physical evidence and 12 months in Bell County Jail for the assault charge. The sentences will run concurrently.

• Justin Tye, Middlesboro, pleaded guilty to second-degree possession of a controlled substance. Tye was sentenced to 45 days in the Bell County Jail. Tye will also be placed on supervised probation for 24 months.

• Steven L. Turner, Pineville, was charged with two counts of trafficking in a controlled substance in the first and second-degree. He will serve three years in the penitentiary.

• Lindsey Whitehead, Pineville, pleaded guilty to first-degree possession of drug paraphernalia and first-degree possession of a controlled substance. Whitehead will serve two years in the penitentiary for possession of a controlled substance and 12 months in the Bell County Jail for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Whitehead also pleaded guilty to charges involving a second indictment. Whitehead pleaded guilty to the charge of second-degree assault. She was sentenced to five years in the penitentiary on the charge.

• Charles Earl Cinnamon, Pineville, pleaded guilty to the charge of second-degree burglary. Cinnamon was sentenced to six months in the Bell County Jail and will be under supervised probation for five years.

• Barry W. Hurst, Evarts, pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property (over $500) and theft by deception (under $500). Hurst will serve five years in the penitentiary for receiving stolen property and 12 months in the Bell County Jail for theft by deception. The sentences will run concurrently.

• Joshua Lee Buttery, Middlesboro, pleaded guilty to third-degree assault, second-degree fleeing or evading police, third-degree criminal mischief, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. Buttery will serve three years in the penitentiary for third-degree assault. Buttery will also serve 12 months in the Bell County Jail for fleeing or evading police and resisting arrest. He will also serve 90 days in the Bell County Jail for criminal mischief and disorderly conduct. All sentences will run concurrently.

• Jason Glenn Roop, Harrogate, Tenn., pleaded guilty to the charge of third-degree possession of a controlled substance, use or possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana. Roop will serve 12 months in the Bell County Jail for all charges. If the sentence is probated, Roop will be placed on unsupervised probation for 24 months.

• Thomas Scott Walker, Speedwell, Tenn., pleaded guilty to the charge of second-degree possession of a controlled substance, disorderly conduct, public intoxication and third-degree possession of a controlled substance. Walker was sentenced to 90 days in the Bell County Jail for each charge and will be placed on unsupervised probation for 24 months.

• Dusty L. Overton, Middlesboro, pleaded guilty to the charge of receiving stolen property (under $500). Overton was sentenced to 12 months in the Bell County Jail. If the sentences are probated, Overton will be placed on supervised probation for 24 months.

• Jennie Marie Johnson, Calvin, pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree trafficking a controlled substance, one count of second-degree trafficking a controlled substance and trafficking in marijuana (less than eight ounces). He was sentenced to five years in the penitentiary for the first-degree trafficking charge, three years in the penitentiary for the second-degree trafficking charge, and 12 months in the Bell County Jail for the marijuana charge. The sentences will run concurrently.

• Chad Nick Smith, Pineville, pleaded guilty to three counts of theft by unlawful taking or disposition (over $500), second-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana. Smith will serve five years in the penitentiary for the theft charges and 90 days in the Bell County Jail under the remaining charges. Both sentences will run concurrently.

• Eric W. Cupp, Miracle, pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary. Cupp was sentenced to six months in the Bell county jail and supervised probation for five years.

Chase Smith is a staff writer for the Middlesboro Daily News. She can be contacted at ksmith@heartlandpublications.com.