The 17th Circuit Drug Task served 15 grand jury indictments, many connected to drug distribution, as part of an ongoing investigation in Sumter County on April 19.

According to Task Force Commander Clint Sumlin, 10 of the arrests were made in Sumter County, two were in Mississippi, two are already incarcerated at the Marengo County Detention Center in Linden, and another, Gemayel Colbert, is in a Choctaw County jail.

Those recently arrested in the operation and their charges include the following:

• Broderick Coby, 36, charged with two counts of distribution of a controlled substance.

• Chance Caylor, 21, charged with distribution of a controlled substance.

• Darryl Bias, 37, charged with two counts of distribution of a controlled substance.

• Davonte Crockett, 25, charged with distribution of a controlled substance

• Fredrick Coleman, 45, charged with distribution of a controlled substance.

• Jahmal Jones, 23, charged with distribution of a controlled substance.

• Richard Armstrong, 28, first degree burglary, second degree domestic violence and third degree domestic violence.

• Terrance Lake, 29, charged with distribution of a controlled substance.

• Thomas Robichaux, 18, charged with three counts of distribution of a controlled substance.

• William Walker, 22, charged with distribution of a controlled substance.

• Larry Ware, 31, charged with distribution of a controlled substance.

• Wendy Brown, charged with possession of methamphetamine.

Sumlin expressed gratitude to the agencies that assisted in serving the indictments which included the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, Livingston Police Department, UWA Police Department, York Police Department, Greene County Sheriff’s Office, Eutaw Police Department, Perry County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit, Lauderdale (Mississippi) County Sheriff’s Office and the Kemper (Mississippi) Sheriff’s Office.

The teamwork of the offices played an important role in the operation, according to the sheriff.

“Due to our rural area and limited manpower it is vital that agencies come together for operations like this,” he said. “We depend on each other for assistance all the time in this circuit and this operation is just another example of that.”

Sumlin also said, “I would like to add that the DTF’s major partner in our daily operations is the University of West Alabama Police Department. Chief Manuel serves as an executive board member and UWA is the only agency other than the district attorney who has a full-time agent assigned to the Task Force. Without the partnership with UWA and their dedication to helping keep our community safe, I don’t know where we would be.”

The 17th Circuit Drug Task Force was created by District Attorney Greg Griggers in June 2011 to Combat Drugs and Violent Crimes in the 17th Circuit.

The Demopolis Times reminds readers that all suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

(Editor’s Note: Photographs of all suspects were not available.)