Photos: (from left, clockwise) Jamey D. Roof, Michael David Mullins Sr., Richard Kyle Cohn, Andrew Mark Martin, Michael Joseph Kelly, Samuel R. Noakes and Ricky Joe Cluck.
The death of an Izard County man earlier this year ruled a fentanyl overdose has resulted in the arrests of major drug dealers in and around Izard County, according to Chief Deputy Charley Melton.
Authorities started serving warrants Tuesday, after seven individuals were charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Those charged in the federal indictments are:
56-year-old Jamey D. Roof of Mountain Home;
64-year-old Michael David Mullins Sr., aka “Slick,” of Highland;
34-year-old Richard Kyle Cohn of Calico Rock;
42-year-old Andrew Mark Martin of Couch, Missouri;
64-year-old Ricky Joe Cluck of Hardy;
39-year-old Samuel R. Noakes, with a last known address in Franklin of Myrtle, Missouri; and
32-year-old Michael Joseph Kelly of Horseshoe Bend.
All seven individuals face conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to deliver fentanyl. Mullins will face an additional charge of distribution resulting in death.
Melton says, “This is the first time we have been able to directly link a dealer to the death of another person.”
Melton says the federal indictments are a direct result of the Opioid Abuse Program Grant the Izard County Sheriff’s Office obtained earlier this year that funded two additional investigators.
“They started putting together a case file that tied Mullins directly to the deceased, and as a result, additional information led them to others who were possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute.”
When officers determined the investigation was going to lead outside their jurisdiction, the Drug Enforcement Administration was asked to assist.
“Most of these individuals are familiar to area law enforcement officers, but we have never been able to connect all the individuals until now,” Melton says.
Earlier this year, Fulton County placed Kelly under arrest, and a search of his vehicle yielded 154 Ziploc baggies with a white powdery substance testing positive for fentanyl.
Officers also learned that Mullins had made transactions with the deceased on the day he died. The crime lab would rule the overdose death as a result of the fentanyl provided by Mullins.
Additional drugs were found after a traffic stop in Izard County. Officers arrested Roof and Cohn who were in possession of a large amount of fentanyl. Methamphetamine and marijuana were also seized from the vehicle.
Officers also made contact with Cluck who gave them additional information of the drug trade.
Melton says after months of investigations by Izard County opioid investigators, they were able to connect these individuals directly or indirectly to each other.
“We have always known that opioid use is a problem in our communities. The COAP 4 Grant has provided us with additional manpower to focus on this problem. Today, we have seen the results of that and major drug dealers are off the street,” Melton says.
At the time of the news release, all warrants had been served with the exception of Noakes.
“Through these arrests we have obtained additional information that could result in additional arrests,” Melton says.
DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jarad Harper says, “The wreckage caused by drugs affects everyone. Drug dealers breed crime in our neighborhoods and are a danger to our children. DEA will continue to lock arms with our state, local and federal law enforcement partners, including the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Arkansas, in an effort to save lives from drug traffickers distributing fentanyl, and other illicit narcotics in our communities. Our combined efforts will continue to bring those distributing this poison to justice across the state of Arkansas and elsewhere.”
Officers from Izard, Sharp, Fulton and Independence counties, the Special Resource Team, Arkansas Department of Correction, the 16th Drug Task Force and DEA participated in the arrests.
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