Laurel County, KY - Sheriff John Root is reporting that: Laurel Sheriff’s Detective Daniel Grigsby along with Detective Sgt. Chris Edwards, Detective Bryon Lawson, Detective Kyle Gray, and Detective James Sizemore arrested 9 individuals between June 19 and June 25 all associated with the burglary of a residence in Crooked Creek.
The burglary occurred on the weekend of May 31 through June 2 where a large amount of items were stolen from a residence along with a SUV taken from that residence.
After numerous leads were developed and an extensive investigation conducted, several search warrants obtained for different residences and a vehicle, numerous stolen items have been recovered by the Sheriff’s office, including the stolen vehicle.
Also, a large amount of Methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia were found during the execution of one of the search warrants.
Also on Tuesday morning (6-25-2019) Sheriff’s detectives located a suspect vehicle they had been looking for and a brief traffic pursuit took place and following a forced stop, 2 suspects being sought for the original burglary were located and arrested.
Specifically----- Laurel Sheriff’s Detective Daniel Grigsby investigated a burglary which occurred at a residence at the Crooked Creek community approximately 4 miles South of London that occurred the weekend of May 31 and June 2 where a large amount of items were stolen from the residence along with a SUV.
Information was developed and a suspect was arrested identified as:
Kennedy K. Hatfield age 35 of Country View Dr., London charged with;
- Conspiracy to commit burglary – second-degree
Information developed and a search warrant was executed at Jonathan House’s residence on Echo Valley Rd., Lily where approximately 18 grams of Methamphetamine and a large amount of drug paraphernalia were located.
Arrested was Jonathan D. House age 47 of Echo Valley Rd., Lily charged with:
- Trafficking in a controlled substance – first-degree – first offense – Methamphetamine
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
- Possession of a handgun by a convicted felon
In addition, three other persons were arrested there and are identified as Nellie L. Lewis age 29 of Sam Black Rd., London charged with:
- Trafficking in a controlled substance – first-degree – first offense – Methamphetamine
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
Cassi C. Colston age 23 of Echo Valley Rd., Lily charged with:
- Trafficking in a controlled substance – first-degree – first offense – Methamphetamine
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
Louis D. White age 22 of Echo Valley Rd., Lily charged with:
- Trafficking in a controlled substance – first-degree – first offense – Methamphetamine
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
As a result of this search warrant information was developed for a another search warrant and the Laurel County Sheriff’s office traveled to 11th St. in Corbin in Whitley County where some of the burglary victim’s stolen property was recovered.
• Early the morning of June 25 information was developed on the whereabouts of the reported stolen SUV where it was found with minor damage at the residence of Christopher Johnson off Boone Avenue in southern Laurel County.
Arrested there was:
Christopher L. Johnson age 42 of Boone Ave., Corbin charged with:
- Receiving stolen property under $10,000
- A Laurel District Court bench warrant of arrest charging failure to appear in court on charges of assault – 4th degree
Randy Thomas Lee Bertrand age 44 of Boone Ave., Corbin charged on:
- A Laurel District Court bench warrant of arrest charging failure to appear in court on charges of driving on DUI suspended license – first offense
• Later in the morning of June 25th, Laurel Sheriff’s detectives developed information on two suspects that were allegedly involved in the burglary of the residence at Crooked Creek and learned they were possibly driving a tan colored Ford Escort. When Detective Sgt. Chris Edwards, Detective Bryon Lawson, and Sgt. Brett Reeves located the vehicle and attempted a traffic stop off South Stewart Rd. in southern Laurel County, the vehicle attempted to flee and following a pursuit the vehicle was forced to a stop on KY 1223 Near Lewis St. and a male driver and female passenger were arrested.
Detective Sgt. Chris Edwards was injured during the pursuit/arrest.
The two arrested individuals were identified as:
Anthony J. Popejoy age 39 of 11th St., Corbin charged with:
- Fleeing or evading police – vehicle
- DUI
- Resisting arrest
- Reckless driving
- Wanton endangerment
- Assault – third-degree – police officer is victim
Alecia B. Rains age 35 of 11th St., Corbin.
A search warrant was obtained and executed on the vehicle where stolen property was recovered in it that had been taken from the burglary.
As a result, both driver and passenger in the vehicle – Anthony Popejoy and Alecia B. Rains were charged with:
- Burglary – first-degree
- Receiving stolen property – firearm
- Receiving stolen property under $10,000
In addition, Anthony Popejoy was charged on:
- A Kentucky parole board parole violation warrant charging absconding parole supervision
- Failure to report to parole officer as directed regarding a conviction in Laurel Circuit Court on a charge of possession of a controlled substance – first-degree – first offense – Methamphetamine
All 9 subjects arrested as a result of this investigation were lodged in the Laurel County Corrections Center.
Photos of accused attached are courtesy of the Laurel County Corrections Center.
Also recovered in other locations during this investigation were a stolen shotgun and a stolen pressure washer belonging to the victim at Crooked Creek. A considerable amount of stolen property has been recovered and numerous persons interviewed with more arrests possible.
Other personnel from the Laurel County Sheriff’s office that assisted on this investigation included: Sgt. John Inman, Deputy Shannon Jones, Deputy Josh Morgan, and Sgt. Brett Reeves.
In addition, Corbin City Police and Kentucky State Police assisted.
