Media

Hotel Closed As Public Nuisance, 11 Indicted On Felony Drug Trafficking Charges

Select a text size:
Normal	Large

Release Date: July 17, 2008

Fonando Andrew	Harry Pearson	Louis Adams
Marcus Belcher	Timothy Adams	Calvin Freeman

(Additional Photos At Bottom of Page)

Shelby County District Attorney Bill Gibbons and Shelby County Sheriff Mark H. Luttrell, Jr. announced Thursday that deputies in the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics and Street Crimes Bureaus arrested or attempted to arrest 11 individuals who were indicted earlier this week for felony drug charges following a year-long undercover investigation at an east Memphis hotel, just off Interstate-40. 

The D.A.’s Office also filed a nuisance petition against the owners of Traveler’s Inn, located at 1776 Whitten Road, and a judge issued a temporary order to close the property as a public nuisance. Sheriff’s deputies secured the property Thursday morning after serving arrest warrants against those indicted. 

A hearing has been scheduled for July 22 regarding the nuisance action.

The state Grand Jury for Shelby County on Tuesday returned 15 criminal indictments against the 11 individuals for numerous counts of sale of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture, deliver, or sell.  Most charges were for the sale of crack cocaine, but some included heroin, marijuana, hydrocodone (a prescription medication for severe pain commonly sold as Vicodin, Lortab and Lorcet), oxycodone (a prescription medication for severe pain commonly sold as Percocet) and diazepam (a prescription anxiety medication commonly sold as Valium).  The amount of narcotics allegedly sold or possessed resulted in mostly class B felonies, but indictments were also returned for C, D, and E felonies. These cases will be handled in criminal court by the D.A.’s Gang and Narcotics Prosecution Unit.

The Sheriff’s Office 12 month undercover investigation into alleged drug sales at Traveler’s Inn started in May 2007.  During that same time, deputies responded to 139 calls for reported criminal activity at the hotel including burglaries, thefts of property, domestic violence, prostitution and drug sales. From these calls, deputies arrested 28 individuals, including employees at the hotel and various hotel customers. On March 15, 2008, deputies discovered a meth lab inside the room of an individual who was arrested for promoting the manufacture of methamphetamine.  According to the petition filed in the nuisance action, undercover deputies purchased drugs from individuals on the premises at least 20 times since May 7, 2008.  The petition goes on to say that Traveler’s Inn is "a haven for drug activity" and "it is clear that management knows of the problem."

"I commend the deputies in our Narcotics and Street Crimes Bureaus for their outstanding work on this case.  We believe the closing of this hotel and the indictment of these 11 people will significantly reduce crime not only in this part of Shelby County, but in the neighboring communities of Memphis and Bartlett.  Let this be a warning to those involved in organized criminal activity. You will be arrested and your property may be forfeited," said Sheriff Luttrell.

"We will not hesitate to go after business owners who ignore—and in some cases even condone—drug trafficking, prostitution, and other crimes occurring on their properties.  Such owners need to understand they are subject to being shut down and having their personal property forfeited and sold at auction," warned District Attorney Gibbons.

Tennessee law states that the District Attorney General has authority to bring a civil action against any establishment deemed a nuisance.  The statute defines a nuisance, in part, as "any place in or upon which… unlawful sale of any regulated legend drug, narcotic or other controlled substance…quarrelling, drunkenness, fighting, or breaches of the peace are carried on or permitted."

The District Attorney’s Office, working with investigations brought from various law enforcement agencies in Shelby County has filed nuisance petitions against the owners of more than 100 properties—both residential and businesses—under the Tennessee nuisance law. Some nuisance actions have resulted in permanent closure of the properties. Others have reopened under consent orders to alleviate the nuisance.

^ Return to Top