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The result of a yearlong investigation by the Drug Task Force finally came to fruition on July 18 as over thirty officers from the Greenville Police Department, the Butler County Sheriff’s Department, and the Alabama Department of Probation and Parole served 45 felony warrants to 38 individuals for charges ranging from distribution of a controlled substance to drug trafficking. Law enforcement had 25 of the 38 individuals in custody by lunchtime on that Tuesday.

Butler County Sheriff Danny Bond said officers put a lot of hours into creating these cases.

“We were proud to be a part of the operation,” Bond said. “What made this operation a success is the working relationship that we have between the county and the city. A lot of times it takes more than just one department to get something done. If we’re all working together for a common goal and for the common good, we will succeed.”

The Second Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office partnered in the joint operation as well. District Attorney Charlotte Tesmer said her office helped with search warrants and revoking bonds on existing offenses.

“I’m pleased that the drug task force and other agencies have worked to make these arrests possible,” Tesmer said. “Our next step is to wait for the drugs that were sent off to the Department of Forensic Sciences to be analyzed and confirmed before we go forward with the grand jury.”

Greenville Chief of Police Justin Lovvorn said these warrants are the result of numerous undercover operations over the past year and excellent investigative work by the Drug Task Force. Law enforcement split into several teams and went to various locations throughout Butler County to facilitate the arrests of those individuals who had felony warrants in a timely manner.  

“I would like to commend all of the agencies involved that made this operation such a success,” said Lovvorn. “It is our duty to work together to keep our citizens safe and this operation is a huge step toward that goal. Our work, however, is never done and we will continue to strive to keep these harmful drugs off our streets and away from our families.”