THREE IN A ROW:
KENTUCKY STATE POLICE ARREST THREE PEOPLE ON DRUG CHARGES AT ROADBLOCK CHECKPOINT ON THE MOUNTAIN PARKWAY IN MAGOFFIN COUNTY
HEROIN & METH DRUG BUST MARKS THE THIRD TIME IN THREE WEEKS IN A ROW DRUG TRAFFICKING DISCOVERED AT A STATE POLICE MOUNTAIN PARKWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY CHECKPOINT IN MAGOFFIN COUNTY
MAY 12, 2023 – written by WADE QUEEN
DRUG CONTRABAND: METH & HEROIN SEIZED BY THE KENTUCKY STATE POLICE AT A TRAFFIC ROADBLOCK SAFETY CHECKPOINT ON THE MOUNTAIN PARKWAY IN MAGOFFIN COUNTY.
A Kentucky State Police roadblock set up on the Mountain Parkway in Magoffin County resulted in three people being arrested on drug trafficking charges and other criminal charges in two separate cases.
These drug trafficking arrests marked the third week in a row that a KSP checkpoint on the Mountain Parkway areas in Magoffin County have resulted in the discovery and interdiction of significant amounts of major illegal narcotics.
Kentucky State Police Post 9 troopers arrested three KY. resident individuals; a Floyd County woman and a Taylor County woman; followed by a Pike County man; on Thursday, May 04, 2023; after illegal drugs were discovered during a traffic safety checkpoint.
KSP troopers, along with Post 9 Drug Interdiction Unit conducted a traffic safety checkpoint in the Salyersville community of Magoffin County.
During the safety checkpoint, approximately one pound of suspected methamphetamine, half an ounce of suspected heroin, and drug paraphernalia were seized.
The three persons who were arrested by the KSP in connection to the drug seizures were identified as the following:
Nikki N. Spurlock, 33, of Martin, KY., was arrested by trooper Braxton Whitemore, and was lodged in the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center on the charges of: *TRAFFICKING IN CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, 1ST DEGREE, 1ST OFFENSE – (> OR = 2 GRAMS METHAMPHETAMINE), *NO REGISTRATION RECEIPT, *NO REGISTRATION PLATES, *FAILURE TO PRODUCE INSURANCE CARD, *OPERATING ON SUSPENDED OR REVOKED OPERATORS LICENSE, *GIVING OFFICER FALSE IDENTIFYING INFORMATION, *FAILURE TO APPEAR (16 SEPARATE CHARGES COUNTS).
Magan Ann Kates, 29, of Campbellsville, KY., was arrested by trooper Braxton Whitemore; and was lodged in the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center on the charges of: *TRAFFICKING IN CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, 1ST DEGREE, 1ST OFFENSE – (> OR = 2 GRAMS METHAMPHETAMINE), *POSSESSION CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE 1ST DEGREE 1ST OFFENSE (HEROIN), *FAILURE TO APPEAR, *FAILURE TO APPEAR, CITATION FOR MISDEMEANOR (5 SEPARATE CHARGES COUNTS).
Shawn Webster Holbrook, 39, of Pikeville, KY., was arrested by trooper Billy Ball; and was lodged in the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center on the charges of: *TRAFFICKING IN CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE 1ST OFFENSE (HEROIN), *TRAFFICKING IN CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, 1ST DEGREE, 1ST OFFENSE – (> OR = 2 GRAMS METHAMPHETAMINE), *DRUG PARAPHERNALIA – BUY/POSSESS.
All three suspects remain in the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center in Paintsville on $20,025 full cash bonds each.
The arrest of the latest drug traffickers marked the third week in a row that a KSP checkpoint on the Mountain Parkway in Magoffin County had led to the seizure of drugs being transported from in and around the state.
Previously in the preceding week, two Indiana residents were arrested in Magoffin County, after police say they found numerous drugs in their car after they were pulled over.
Kentucky State Police had set up a roadblock at mile marker 70 on the Mountain Parkway on Wednesday night, April 26, when they spotted a car with excessive window tint take the nearby exit.
An officer pursued and spotted the car turning around in a driveway. The officer stopped and got out of his car to talk to the driver, when the car swerved and sped away, nearly hitting the officer.
Another trooper showed up soon after and blocked the road, stopping the car.
Police officers then removed the driver, Gardner L. Webb, 30, of Clarksville, Indiana; and his passenger, Amanda Lynn Artyamsoal, 26, of Sellersburg, Indiana; from the car. A search of the car, nearby ground and Amanda Artyamsoal’s purse turned up heroin, marijuana and several types of pills; all of which Amanda Artyamsoal claimed ownership of the drugs.
The Indiana drug couple were charged with the following:
Amanda Lynn Artyamsoal:
- TRAFF IN CONT SUB, 1ST DEGREE, 1ST OFF – (> OR = 10 D.U. DRUG UNSPECIFIED),
- POSSESSION CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, 1ST DEGREE, 1ST OFFENSE HYDROCODONE,
- POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA,
- TAMPERING WITH PHYSICAL EVIDENCE,
- FLEEING OR EVADING POLICE, 1ST DEGREE (MOTOR VEHICLE),
- WANTON ENDANGERMENT-1ST DEGREE-POLICE OFFICER
Gardner L. Webb:
- FLEEING OR EVADING POLICE, 1ST DEGREE (MOTOR VEHICLE),
- WANTON ENDANGERMENT-1ST DEGREE-POLICE OFFICER,
- EXCESSIVE WINDSHIELD/ WINDOW TINTING.
The Indiana couple were transported to the BSRDC in Paintsville; whereupon Gardner Webb was released on bond from the jail the next day, while Amanda Artyamsoal was eventually able to post her bond and was released from the jail in early May.
Finally, back on April 13, three residents from Pike County, KY., two men and a woman, were arrested on drug trafficking charges, after state police found a large amount of meth in their car during a roadblock in Magoffin County last week.
According to the Kentucky State Police Post 9 in Pikeville,KY., troopers on Thursday evening, April 13, were conducting a checkpoint at mile marker 70 on the Mountain Parkway, when a car driven by Nicholas Wayne Coleman, 53, of Elkhorn City, KY., came through into the roadblock.
Troopers reported they spotted a loaded syringe in the passenger floorboard of the car and asked to search the vehicle. Upon looking inside, troopers found a half-ounce of heroin and fentanyl under the driver’s seat and found a pound of meth in the trunk.
Nicholas Coleman and his two passengers, identified as Tiffany Roberts, 26, of Pikeville, KY., and Harley Tubbs, 23, of Sidney, KY., all denied knowledge of the drugs.
The trio were all arrested by KSP troopers Tracy Salyor and Billy Hall,and they were each charged with the following:
Nicholas Wayne Coleman was charged with:
- TRAFFICKING IN CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, 1ST DEGREE, 1ST OFFENSE – (< 2 GRAMS METHAMPHETAMINE)-[2 SEPARATE CHARGES COUNTS),
- FAILURE TO PRODUCE INSURANCE CARD, *NO REGISTRATION RECEIPT.
Tiffany Roberts was charged with:
- TRAFFICKING IN CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, 1ST DEGREE, 1ST OFFENSE – (< 2 GRAMS METHAMPHETAMINE),
- FAILURE TO APPEAR (2 SEPARATE CHARGES COUNTS).
Harley Tubbs was charged with:
- TRAFFICKING IN CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, 1ST DEGREE, 1ST OFFENSE – (< 2 GRAMS METHAMPHETAMINE),
- POSSESSION CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE 1ST DEGREE 1ST OFFENSE (HEROIN).
All three were transported to and lodged in the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center in Paintsville, where all three offenders remained incarcerated.
Drug tips can be reported to investigators at Kentucky State Police Post 09 in Pikeville, KY. by calling (606) 433-7711. Callers can remain anonymous.
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