MARTIN COUNTY, KY, MAN ARRESTED ON DRUG CHARGES WHILE BEING SERVED UNRELATED WARRANT FROM ANOTHER STATE BY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
SECOND MAN AT THE RESIDENCE ARRESTED ON PROBATION VIOLATION WARRANT
AUGUST 25, 2026 – written by WADE QUEEN
KENNETH ALLEN ROSE (PHOTO TOP), 34, OF INEZ, KENTUCKY; WAS ARRESTED ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, ON DRUG CHARGES, WHEN FENTANYL & METH (PHOTO MIDDLE) WERE DISCOVERED IN HIS HOME WHILE HE WAS BEING SERVED AN OUT OF STATE WARRANT. A SECOND MAN AT THE RESIDENCE, VERNON SLUSS (PHOTO BOTTOM), 55, OF PILGRIM, KY., WAS ARRESTED AFTER HE WAS FOUND TO HAVE AN ACTIVE WARRANT FOR A FELONY PROBATION VIOLATION.
The Martin County Sheriff Office made a surprise discovery when they seized suspected fentanyl and methamphetamine Friday evening, August 21, while serving an out of state warrant at a residence in Inez.
Martin County Sheriff John H. Kirk and deputy John C. Kirk went to the Fitch Branch Road home of Kenneth Allen Rose, 34, to serve a warrant from Wayne County, West Virginia.
According to the arrest citation written by deputy John Kirk, he observed Kenneth Rose through a window, sitting on a couch in the living room. An unidentified woman allowed the officers inside after they knocked on the door.
Deputy John Kirk said he saw Rose slide an object underneath a coffee table as they entered the residence.
The deputies arrested Kenneth Rose and placed him in restraints, then retrieved the object Kenneth Rose allegedly tried to conceal.
“It was a clear bag containing a substance believed to be fentanyl,” deputy John Kirk wrote in the arrest citation.
Deputies also identified another man inside the residence as Vernon Sluss, 55, of Pilgrim, KY. A records check showed Vernon Sluss had an active warrant for a probation violation.
While deputies were taking Vernon Sluss into custody, deputy Kirk said he observed a larger clear bag containing a white crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine.
Kenneth Allen Rose was charged with:
*POSSESSION CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE 1ST DEGREE FENTANYL;
*TAMPERING WITH PHYSICAL EVIDENCE;
*FUGITIVE FROM ANOTHER STATE – WARRANT REQUIRED.
Vernon Sluss is facing a charge of:
*PROBATION VIOLATION (FOR FELONY OFFENSE).
“The sheriff and I are thankful that this arrest led to the drugs being confiscated and taken out of circulation,” deputy John Kirk said in an interview statement. “Fentanyl is a powerful and dangerous drug that has led to many overdoses, some of which were fatal, here in Martin County. Every drug arrest matters, and every drug arrest means we have taken one more step in the right direction.”
The suspected drugs will go to the lab for analysis, deputy John Kirk said.
Sheriff John Kirk urged residents to report suspected drug trafficking by calling his office at 606-298-2810.
“We can only take our communities back if we all do our part,” Sheriff John Kirk said. “There’s little that goes on in Martin County that someone does not witness. Please remember that we don’t need to know your name. We only need the information you can provide about the drug activity. The life you save by helping get the dealers off the street could easily end up being your own family member.”
