Five people were charged with racketeering in Garvin County District Court on Monday for their alleged participation in an organized network illegally distributing prescription pills in the Lindsay area.
Betty Williams, Matthew Clinton Aaron Johnson, Kalyn Elisabeth Steakly, Karen Alisha Thompson and Fury Stinnett were each charged with three felony counts including racketeering. Johnson also faces an additional charge of possession of a controlled dangerous substance.
Garvin County Sheriff Jim Mullett said his office discovered the network while investigating another unrelated case.
In the course of that investigation, the Sheriff’s Office obtained a warrant to seize and search electronics at a residence in the Lindsay area. Two of the cell phones seized in that search belonged to Betty Williams, 68.
“We believe she was the one that was supplying and organizing the sale and distribution of these pills,” Mullett said.
According to court records, the phones contained multiple text messages between Williams and six other people, including Johnson, Steakly, Thompson and Stinnett, pertaining to selling pain pills prescribed to Williams.
Those prescriptions included Hydrocodone, Clonazepam and Oxycodone, drugs that Mullett estimates to have a street value of $15-$20 per pill.
Court records indicate Williams was selling the pills to individual users and dealers, including those charged Monday.
Mullett said his office is continuing to investigate and he believes there will be more arrests. He also expects the case will expand into other jurisdictions, beyond Garvin County.
“This investigation is ongoing and we’re still in the beginning stages,” Mullett said. “I believe we’ll be visiting a lot more people in the course of our investigation.”
