5 arrested during raid won’t face charges

Published 5:00 am Friday, May 6, 2005

Five of the seven suspects arrested during a drug raid inLawrence County Tuesday night at a Virginia Speights Lane residencewill not be charged, authorities said Friday morning.

Johnny Speights, 50, and Robin Calcote Rogers, 32, both of 85Virginia Speights Lane, have been charged with possession of acontrolled substance (methamphetamine) and possession of precursorchemicals with intent to manufacture meth.

Five other adults arrested during the raid will not be charged,said Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics Capt. Mike Aldridge.

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“They were there, but the lab wasn’t in the house. It was on theproperty, but there wasn’t enough evidence to charge them,” hesaid. “They didn’t have any drugs on them. We have to prove theywere involved in it or knew of it, and sometimes that’s hard todo.”

Rogers’ 7-year-old daughter will remain in the custody of theDepartment of Human Services, Lawrence County Sheriff Joel Thamessaid.

Speights and Rogers each were placed on a $40,000 bond after aninitial hearing Thursday morning.

Speights posted his bond Thursday and was released to theLincoln County Sheriff’s Department, where he faces a charge ofconspiracy to manufacture meth, Thames said.

An initial hearing on that charge is expected to be held today,Thames said.

Rogers remained at the Lawrence County Jail, Thames said.

A joint task force of 15 MBN agents and deputies with theLawrence and Lincoln county sheriff’s departments executed a searchwarrant at Speights’ house Tuesday night.

During the search, Speights and Rogers were found in possessionof a “large amount” of meth. A lab and the necessary chemicals tomanufacture meth were also found on the property.

All three agencies had been investigating Speights for the pastseveral years.