Tip leads to arrest of man suspected of selling drugs
On June 12, agents with the 7th Judicial District Crime Task Force (CTF) received a narcotics tip from Oneida Police Department (OPD) about Damon West, a narcotics dealer from Scott County, allegedly operating out of a hotel in Clinton.
Agents did locate this subject at a hotel in Clinton.
Upon locating West, agents requested assistance from Clinton Police Department for making contact with West and the following investigation.
Law Enforcement made consensual contact with him. West consented to a search of his hotel room as well as agreed to speak to investigators.
A search of the hotel room yielded about six grams of Methamphetamine, ten grams of marijuana, and two firearms.
One of the firearms was deformed in a way to conceal the serial number.
Agents spoke to West and learned that he was in Clinton in order to sell methamphetamine in an area where law enforcement was unfamiliar with him.
Due to one of the firearms having an obliterated serial number, agents have been in contact with other law enforcement agencies in order to determine if one or both of the firearms were stolen or have been involved in any other crimes.
This portion of the investigation remains ongoing.
Chief Becker of Clinton Police Department noted his thanks for the narcotics tip from Oneida Police Department by saying, “Although due to a lack of geographic proximity we do not work with OPD much however, it was a great help to have them in communication with the 7th CTF in order to help address this particular issue.
The presence of narcotics is not just a local issue rather, it is a national issue law enforcement deals with daily.
The interagency cooperation in this case was key in dealing with this portion of the narcotics trade that is affecting the City of Clinton and the community at large”.
The 7th Judicial Crime Task Force is a multi-jurisdictional task force comprised of the 7th Judicial District Attorney General’s Office, Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, Clinton Police Department, Oak Ridge Police Department, Oliver Springs Police Department, and Rocky Top Police Department. The Crime Task Force focuses on drug and violent crime.
The task force is currently led by Director Simon Byrne.
All weights, counts, and identity of substances are pending the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations crime lab results. Charges are pending at this time.