Sweet Home Police arrested seven persons after serving two narcotics-related search warrants on Feb. 19.
At approximately, 7 a.m., police served the warrants at 1237 Nandina St., apartment number No. 1, and 1240 Nandina St., apartment No. 1. These addresses are part of two separate apartment complexes directly across the street from each other.
Police seized methamphetamines, scales, packaging materials and drug records, Police Chief Bob Burford said.
At 1237 Nandina St., police arrested Scott T. Kellum, 55, for distribution and possession of meth and frequenting a place where narcotics are sold or used, and Barbara Jo Hight, 47, for possession of meth and frequenting a place where narcotics are sold or used.
At 1240 Nandina St., police arrested Lisa M. Hayworth, 42; Tracy N. Hayes, 43; Cheri L. Olson, 36; and Timothy R. Delacruz, 48 for possession of meth and frequenting a place where narcotics are sold or used.
While serving the warrants, police also located another man visiting the complex who was sought by police for fraud charges from a November case, Burford said. He was arrested and allegedly found to be in possession of meth and a switchblade knife. The man, Dean “Fredie” Pruitt, 36, was charged with possession of meth, felon in possession of a restricted weapon, possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, computer crime, fraudulent use of a credit card and second-degree theft.
On Jan. 13, police served a drug-related search warrant at one of the complexes, with an address of 1250 Nandina St., apartment number three, and arrested three persons on drug charges.
All seven were transported to Linn County Jail, police said.
Burford expressed concern that these apartments, which are owned by two separate individuals, “have become a haven for illegal activity. Sweet Home records indicate they have responded to this small group of only 14 apartments 83 times in the last year, including 35 disturbances or assaults.”
Linn County Sheriff’s Office and a K-9 unit and law enforcement handler from the U.S. Forest Service assisted with serving the warrants.