4 arrested on drug charges

Four suspects were arrested by Cannon County Sheriff's officers following a drug raid near Morrison.

Taken into custody were Johnny Nathaniel Mitchell, Karry Renee Duke, Linda Sue Wilber and Troy Allen Benson, reported Investigator Brandon Gullett.
Benson, a Manchester resident, was charged with simple possession of marijuana. Duke was charged with promotion of methamphetamine. Wilber was charged with promotion of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Mitchell faces initiation of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The Sheriff's Office launched the investigation after being alerted by the NPLEXE system that Johnny Mitchell had purchased pseudo at Walgreen's at 2401 Old Fort Parkway, Murfreesboro.

"Having heard for several months that Johnny Mitchell was manufacturing methamphetamine in the Orville Duke community of Cannon County," Gullett said.

The investigator then did a drive by of Mitchell's home on Orville Duke Road. He then called Deputy Andrew Colwell for backup.

"I approached the side door and knocked. I was able to see into the residence through the glass in the door and observed Johnny Mitchell come from the rear bedroom area of the residence. Johnny then opened the door and I immediately smelled an order commonly associated with that of a meth lab," Gullett said.

Gullett asked Mitchell about the smell and the suspect responded that "the smell was old, rotted deer meat from last night."

Mitchell was asked if anyone else was in the house and he answered Sue (Wilber) and a family friend. Gullett told Mitchell to ask the two females to step outside.

Gullett then again asked Mitchell about the smell "and was told this time that Sue had burnt coffee in the coffee pot this morning. Johnny stated that nothing was going on and that he don't cook methamphetamine. I then stated to Johnny that I hadn't said anything about methamphetamine."

Mitchell then invited Gullett inside to prove nothing was going on.

The investigator noticed the makings of meth in the corner near a chair including lighter fluid, drain crystals and tubing.

The officer then asked everyone to leave the house so he could obtain a search warrant.

Sheriff Darrell Young arrived at the home and Gullett returned to the Sheriff's Office and typed up the search warrant which was granted by General Sessions Judge Susan Melton.

Returning to the house, a search was conducted with Mitchell continuing to deny meth was being made there.

During that search, the officers encountered Troy Benson in the dark. A clear baggie of marijuana was discovered in his left front pocket.

A hearing on the charges is set for Dec. 22 in General Sessions Court.