Sixty-one people were indicted by the Pickett County Grand Jury on January 7, 2013 for drug charges. According to a release from the District Attorney’s Office, 48 have already been convicted in criminal court. Some of the remaining 13 defendants continue to litigate their cases, including one case set for a jury trial. Other individuals have pled and have not yet served their sentence. A few charges were nullified and one case was dismissed due to the defendant’s death.

Sentences for offenders have ranged from probation to incarceration in a local jail or prison. Probated sentences have ranged in length from 11 months and 29 days to ten years. Additionally, fines, restitution and court costs were ordered to be paid.

Assistant District Attorney General Owen Burnett stated, “I wish to commend Sheriff Dowdy, Investigator Johnson, and every other officer for the work resulting in the largest drug roundup in Pickett County history. The conviction of dozens of people for drug charges resulted from Sheriff Dowdy’s commitment to present quality cases for prosecution. The convictions allow courts to sentence defendants more severely if they re-offend.”