Full Notification

(Etowah County, Alabama) Thirty individuals have been arrested on 46 warrants in Etowah County since 5:00 a.m. today, according to Sheriff Todd Entrekin.

The Etowah County Sheriff’s Office, Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), FBI and U.S. Marshals Service are among 10 law enforcement agencies working together to reduce felony and misdemeanor warrants in the county.

Six teams, totaling approximately 45 law enforcement officers, participated in the warrant round-up titled, “Operation Urban Strike”. DEU Commander Rob Savage said the operation has an urban focus and the teams will strike most municipalities in Etowah County.

At the start of today’s operation 63 individuals were wanted for 94 warrants.

Ninety percent of warrants being served are felony narcotic crimes however, some misdemeanor warrants were also being served. Of those warrants, approximately 60% are for distribution and trafficking of various narcotics that include: methamphetamine, synthetics, heroin, cocaine and marijuana.

So far agents have seized two meth labs and small amounts of various narcotics while arresting offenders.

“The large majority of these individuals are repeat offenders,” said Sheriff Entrekin. “We are doing our best to keep these criminals in jail in an effort to make our communities safer.”

Sheriff Entrekin and Commander Savage announced this morning the arrest of 43 year-old Derek Lynn Pierce. The Rainbow City man was arrested Tuesday, May 20th, on two counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance and one count of drug trafficking. He is being held in the Etowah County Detention Center without bond.

“Agents seized about a half-pound of pure meth (ice), valued at approximately $20,000 from his residence, along with $16,619 in cash and eleven firearms,” Sheriff Entrekin said. “This man is a self-proclaimed ‘dooms dayer’. It was extremely disturbing that this amount of narcotics and weapons were found in a busy, residential neighborhood.”

Included in the seizure of assault rifles, long rifles, shot guns and pistols, agents also discovered approximately 5,000 rounds of ammunition at the property located on Rainbow Drive.

Individuals who are aware of a warrant against them are encouraged to turn themselves in at the Etowah County Sheriff’s Office or Drug Task Force.

Agencies involved in “Operation Urban Strike” include: Etowah County Drug Enforcement Unit, Etowah County Sheriff’s Office, Joint Special Operations Group, United States Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, Altoona Police Department, Attalla Police Department, Boaz Police Department, Gadsden Police Department, Glencoe Police Department and the Etowah County District Attorney’s Office.

--END--