MONTICELLO — Three Monticello men and a juvenile were arrestedFriday during a drug raid of two homes behind Rod Paige MiddleSchool and attended their initial hearing Saturday morning.

Tommy L. Johnson, 21, Kenterrio Smith, 23, and Ken Horton, 20,were charged with possession of a controlled substance within 1,500feet of a school and possession of crack cocaine within 1,500 feetof a school, according to Sheriff Joel Thames.

Thames said he will discuss the 17-year-old juvenile’s case withyouth court officials Monday and decide charges based on thatdiscussion.

“It is possible he can be charged as an adult,” Thames said,”but for nonviolent offenses, they will usually handle it in youthcourt.”

The three adults appeared before Justice Court Judge DonnieMullins Saturday morning for an initial hearing.

Johnson was denied bail because he was on parole for a priordrug offense. Smith was also denied bail because he was on bondfrom a prior arrest for possession of a stolen firearm. His bond,from the earlier charge, was also revoked. Both men are being heldin the Lawrence County Jail, Thames said.

Horton’s bond was set at $35,000 on the charge of crackpossession and $25,000 on the controlled substance charge, Thamessaid.

The sheriff said his department was tipped to the men by severalcomplaints from local residents claiming the men were allegedlyinvolved in drug trafficking. Two of the men lived in homes rightbehind the middle school.

Thames said after law enforcement officials investigated theclaims, they obtained search warrants for the two homes and raidedthem Friday night.

Thames said they recovered approximately 20 rocks they believeto be crack cocaine, less than an ounce of marijuana and less thana gram of cocaine powder. They also seized approximately $1,400 incash and two vehicles, a Chevrolet Caprice and a ChevroletBlazer.

The sheriff’s office was assisted in the raid by officers of theMonticello Police Department, Pearl River Narcotics Task Force andDepartment of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.