Teens Supply Of Oxycontin Busted

CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. -- Narcotics officers say they have shut down a major supplier of prescription drugs to high school and young college students in South Cherokee County.

Three weeks ago the Cherokee Multi Agency Narcotics Squad (CMANS) received information that teenagers were being supplied and abusing the prescription pain killer OxyContin. During that investigation, a significant dealer of the drug was identified according to Cherokee County Sheriff Roger Garrison.

On Friday, they served a search warrant at the home of 49-year old Marc Peyton. Investigators say they learned during the investigation that Peyton's home on Copperhead Road in Acworth was a place teens knew they could get the drug.

Sheriff Garrison said information from a number of undercover purchases of the drug pointed them to Peyton's home. "We think at times he may have been selling 150-pills a week, which is not huge, but it's certainly a major supplier for the region," Sheriff Garrison said.

Peyton and nine others were charged with various drug charges including possession and distribution:

-- Gregory Davis, 35, of Cartersville was charged with possession of a controlled substance and sale of OxyContin.

-- Larry Kines, 49, of Powder Springs was charged with possession of OxyContin with intent to distribute.

-- Craig Jakubczyk, 26, of Kennesaw was charged with trafficking methamphetamine and possession of marijuana.

-- Thomas Knight Jr., 25, of Dallas was charged with trafficking methamphetamine and possession of marijuana.

-- Jason Gazaway, 26, of Acworth was charged with possession of OxyContin.

-- Kelsey Bos, 19, of Woodstock was charged with possession of OxyContin.

-- Jesse Clark, 17, of Boaz, Alabama was charged with possession of methamphetamine.

-- Robert Clark Jr., 20, of Boaz, Alabama was charged with possession of methamphetamine.

-- Robert Clark Sr., 45, of Kennesaw was charged with possession of methamphetamine.

Cherokee County deputies seized 195-prescription pills of OxyContin, methamphetamine and some cash. Sheriff Garrison says Peyton got the pills by faking pain illnesses, and paying other people to fake illnesses to get the prescriptions.

While serving the search warrant a 19-year old female, a 2007 graduate of Woodstock High School was in the residence purchasing OxyContin, according to investigators. The sheriff says two other females pulled up to the house looking to purchase the drug. "They were actually silly enough to pull down the driveway with patrol cars sitting there," Sheriff Garrison said.

OxyContin is a popular pain killing medication that has become popular among teenagers who think prescription drugs are safer. Sheriff Garrison says abusers crush the time-release tablets, making the initial dose more potent. He says sometimes they will mix it with alcohol which is a potentially lethal venture.

The arrests will lessen the availability of the drug in south Cherokee County according to the sheriff. He says other suppliers were identified during the investigation and there may be more arrests.