Sheriff: Agency nets 2 suspected of drug trafficking
Jul. 23—Two people accused of drug trafficking remain in custody at the Cooke County Jail.
John Phillip Hughs, 61, and Pamela Davis Parker, 58, were arrested Tuesday, July 20, after Cooke County Sheriff's Office deputies executed a search warrant around 9:45 p.m. at a residence in the 300 block of Rosedale Street in Gainesville, Sheriff Ray Sappington announced in a news release issued Thursday, July 22.
The home had been identified as being involved in the illegal sales of narcotics, which were being distributed throughout Cooke County, the release states.
Investigators found about 18 grams of methamphetamine, scales and packaging consistent with illegal drug trafficking, according to law enforcement officials.
Sappington said 18 grams of meth is worth around $1,000.
Deputies also seized 13 firearms with an estimated conservative worth of $13,000 to $15,000, he said.
Hughs was charged with manufacturing or delivery of a controlled substance Penalty Group 1 more than four grams, less than 200 grams. His bond was set at $50,000.
Parker faces charges of manufacturing or delivery of a controlled substance Penalty Group 1 more than four grams, less than 200 grams and for bringing a prohibited substance into a correctional facility, the release states. Her bonds total $75,000.
Both individuals have a lengthy criminal history, according to county jail records. Parker's dates back to 1999 and Hughs dates back to 2000.
Sappington said the investigation has been ongoing for about three weeks and federal charges could be pending upon further investigation.
Information needed to obtain the search warrant came from a joint effort between the CCSO and the Gainesville Police Department, according to the release.
"I'm very proud of the men and women here at the Cooke County Sheriff's Department who do extraordinary work on a daily basis," Sappington was quoted as saying in the release. "Anytime we remove illegal drugs and criminals with firearms from the streets, we make the entire county a safer place to live."
