Published: February 20, 2009 11:12 pm      

11 charged in UNITE investigation

LOUISA — A Lawrence County grand jury has indicted 11 on drug charges as a result of an eight-month undercover investigation by Operation UNITE.

Charges against the defendants primarily involve illegal trafficking in oxycodone, according to UNITE.

UNITE detectives, along with Lawrence County sheriff’s deputies and Louisa police officers, served the indictment warrants Thursday morning. Arrested were:

—Amy L. Clay, 25, of Town Hill Road, Louisa, charged with complicity to first-degree drug trafficking.

—Susan L. Clay, 42, of North Lock Avenue, Louisa, charged with complicity to first-degree drug trafficking.

—Jason Edward Cooksey, 34, of Lock Avenue, Louisa, charged with six counts of first-degree drug trafficking, six counts of second-degree persistent felony offender, one count second-degree drug trafficking, one count of third-degree drug trafficking and one count possession of marijuana.

—Travis Hylton, 29, of Southland Drive, Louisa, charged with two counts of first-degree drug trafficking, one count of second-degree trafficking and one count of persistent felony offender.

—Ashley Jenkins, 20, of Country Place Lane, Louisa, charged with two counts of first-degree drug trafficking and two counts endangering the welfare of a minor.

—Angela Null, 23, of Springdale Drive, Louisa, charged with two counts of first-degree drug trafficking.

All of the defendants were lodged in the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center.

Also indicted was 46-year-old Karen Rachel Roberts, of Reubens Branch Road, Louisa, who is incarcerated on other drug-related charges, UNITE said. She will be served with additional warrants charging her with three counts of first-degree drug trafficking and three counts of second-degree persistent felony offender, according to a news release from the task force.

A grand jury indictment is a formal accusation of a crime and does not establish guilt.

KENNETH HART can be reached at khart@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2654.