Two More Sentenced in “Operation Ice Pick” Meth Trafficking Investigation

June 21, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

Two of nine people indicted a year ago in a special session of the DeKalb County Grand Jury for conspiracy to sell more than 300 grams of methamphetamine stemming from an investigation called “Operation Ice Pick” were sentenced to 20-year prison terms Tuesday, June 20 in DeKalb County Criminal Court.

Judge Wesley Bray presided.

The indictments in June, 2022 against 52-year-old Shawn David Troglen of Charlie Dickerson Road, Sparta and 49-year-old Charles Edward White, Jr. of Johnson’s Chapel Road, Sparta followed an eight month long undercover investigation started by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department into a major local drug trafficking operation. The TBI and other agencies later joined the sheriff’s department in the probe from February to October 2021 in which drug buys were made through confidential informants.

On Tuesday, June 20, Troglen entered a plea to conspiracy to sell more than 300 grams of methamphetamine and received a 20-year sentence to serve. He must forfeit all property seized to the investigating agency and he was fined $5,000. The sentence is to run concurrently with a Putnam County case against him in which he also entered a plea to possession of more than 26 grams of meth and received a 20-year sentence to serve. In that case, Troglen must also forfeit all property and contraband seized to the investigating agency. The 20-year term is to run consecutively to a sentence he is now serving for a parole revocation. He was given jail credit from June 9, 2022 to June 20, 2023.

White entered a plea to charges of conspiracy to sell over 300 grams of methamphetamine, sale of more than 0.5 grams of meth (2 counts), and sale of more than 26 grams of meth (2 counts). White received a 20-year sentence to serve in one case and eight years in each of the other four all to run concurrently with a total fine of $5,000. He must serve at least 35% of the sentence before becoming eligible for parole and he must forfeit all property and contraband seized to the investigating agency. White was given jail credit of 376 days.

Three others indicted from “Operation Ice Pick” in June 2022 were sentenced in DeKalb County Criminal Court back in January 2023 including old Tara R. Treadway of Smithville, 30-year-old Phillip Joe Potter of McMinnville, and 45-year-old Amy L. Hall of Alexandria.

Treadway entered a plea to conspiracy to possess in excess of 0.5 grams of methamphetamine and received a 10-year sentence in the Tennessee Department of Corrections to serve at least 30% before parole eligibility. The term is to run consecutively to a White County Criminal Court case against her and concurrently with a Cumberland County case. She was fined $2,000 and given jail credit of 189 days.

Potter entered a plea to conspiracy to possess over 0.5 grams of methamphetamine and received an 8-year suspended sentence to run concurrently with a Warren County case against him. He was ordered to forfeit any property seized by the investigating agency. Potter was fined $2,000 and given jail credit of 147 days.

Hall entered a plea to conspiracy to sell over 0.5 grams of methamphetamine and received an 8-year sentence all suspended to TDOC probation with release eligibility of 30%. She was fined $2,000.

Cases against four others, 35-year-old Tiffany Jeanette Ford of South Carter Street, Sparta, 53-year-old Eva Louise Dover of Smithville, 32-year-old Paige Lynn Simmons of McMinnville, and 37-year-old Robert H. Murdock of Killen, Alabama apparently remain pending in court.

At the time, Detective Mason Merriman of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department said White was initially the target of the investigation and when it was discovered that he might be a major meth dealer, the TBI was brought in to assist which led to others involved in the conspiracy.

“In February 2021, we began an investigation into Charles Edward White, Jr., and were able to utilize confidential sources to purchase 3.5 grams, or an 8-ball, of methamphetamine from him. From that point on we began hearing his name more and more, and we contacted the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and started purchasing larger amounts just to see exactly how big a dealer he was.” said Detective Merriman.

“Over time, we were able to utilize an undercover TBI agent to make the purchases. Through countless hours of surveillance, we were able to get a T-3 wire intercept to tap into his phones, and through that we were able to learn the names of other people involved in the conspiracy,” Merriman continued.

“By the end of October 2021, White and his partner, Shawn David Troglen, traveled to Alabama to meet their source, Robert H. Murdock, and picked up 13 pounds of meth, along with a couple of pounds of marijuana.”

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that Chief Deputy Brian Williams and the TBI then arrested White and Troglen at a gas station in Pulaski on their return trip. Officials say that White and Troglen had made the trip to Killen, Alabama, in a Ford F-350 with a motorcycle in the back, but on the return trip White was riding the motorcycle with Troglen following. Fearing they would be unable to stop the motorcycle from fleeing, it was decided to make the arrests when the pair had stopped at a gas station. The pair had been under surveillance all along their trip, with a plane in the air. Investigators seized the drugs, $10,000 in cash, guns, the truck and the motorcycle.

The Alabama DEA was also involved in the bust. A search warrant was executed at Murdock’s home in Killen, Alabama, where another two pounds of meth, marijuana and several thousands of dollars in cash were found.

Later that evening, a search warrant was executed at White’s home on Johnson’s Chapel Road, where an additional 10 ounces of meth was discovered. Eight vehicles, including wreckers and rollbacks, four wheelers, a tire changer, and two Jet Skis, were seized at White’s home that officials say were traded for drugs. That property was later awarded to the Sheriff’s Department.

Authorities say that Troglen had another source for drugs in the Knoxville area, who was also arrested by the DEA. Troglen would order five to seven kilos of meth, which is 2.2 pounds each, and she would bring the drugs to him. From September 15 to October 29, roughly a one-month span, around 43 pounds of methamphetamines was put through DeKalb County, with $325,000 of total revenue.

In addition to DeKalb County the drug trafficking operation drew buyers from Warren, Van Buren, White, and Putnam Counties, with some traveling as far away as Kentucky to pick up drugs. Four states were involved with connections in Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky and Georgia. Authorities believe that the source of the drugs was most likely from super labs in Mexico and estimate that during the eight months of the investigation possibly $1.5 million in drug transactions were made.

After White was out on bond for the arrest in Pulaski, on May 12, 2022, another search warrant was executed at White’s home where more meth and five more vehicles were seized along with some other equipment.

“White and Troglen are the biggest methamphetamine dealers I’ve seen around here in a long, long time,” said Sheriff Ray “I want to commend the detectives and chief deputy here for the work that they put into this case. Detective Merriman spearheaded this case from the beginning, He worked in depth on the case and put in numerous hours from February 2021 on. Even though the case ended in October 2021, there were still a lot of man hours put into the case to get things ready for the grand jury.”

“I also want to thank the TBI and all the other agencies that helped us, along with the District Attorney General’s office for the cooperation we had with them. We’re a small county with limited resources, and this was a multijurisdictional case that led into another state. Without their help we could not have done it,” Sheriff Ray said.

Agencies involved in the investigation included the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, TBI, Middle Tennessee Task Force High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, Office of the 13th Judicial District Attorney General, Homeland Security Investigations, Cookeville Police Department, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, Crossville Police Department, and Warren County Sheriff’s Office.

June 21, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

A motorist found almost a year and a half ago with a bomb and other weapons along with drugs and a large amount of cash had his day of reckoning in DeKalb County Criminal Court Tuesday, June 20.

Judge Wesley Bray presided.

41-year-old Shane Daniel Gray received a total sentence of eight years and was fined $2,000 after entering a plea to possession with intent to sell or deliver over 0.5 grams of methamphetamine on January 4, 2022 in DeKalb County, possession of a homemade explosive device and firearm on January 4, 2022 in DeKalb County, evading arrest on June 27, 2021 in White County, possession of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) with intent to sell or deliver over 0.5 grams on May 18, 2022 in White County, and tampering with evidence on May 18, 2022 in White County. He was given jail credit for 532 days served from January 4, 2022 to June 20, 2023.

In a prepared statement, Sheriff Patrick Ray said at the time concerning the DeKalb County case that “On January 4, 2022 while patrolling on Sparta Highway (Highway 70 east) a deputy observed a car traveling with a head light out. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, who was found to be Shane Gray. After checking the man’s driver license for validation, central dispatch advised the deputy to use caution with the suspect due to him being wanted out of Warren County for reckless endangerment and evading arrest. While the deputy was placing Gray under arrest, Gray advised the deputy he had a handgun in his waist band. After Gray was taken into custody, the deputy conducted an inventory search of the vehicle and found a shotgun, revolver, and a homemade explosive device. There were additional materials that could be used for making more explosives. The deputy also discovered approximately 100 grams of methamphetamine with a street value of $10,000; 2.4 ounces of marijuana along with several baggies, digital scales, and pipes. The officer further seized $3,786 dollars in cash and Gray’s 2002 Audi A5. There were over 300 rounds of ammunition with the weapons,” said Sheriff Ray.

“The Tennessee Highway Patrol Bomb Squad was summoned to take custody of the explosive device and destroyed it at the scene. The Smithville Fire Department and DeKalb County Emergency Medical Services were also placed on standby due to the severity of the scene with the explosive device and the Smithville Police Department assisted in the case,” Sheriff Ray concluded.

June 20, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

A suspected drug dealer recently convicted for the possession of more than 300 grams of methamphetamine stemming from an April 2021 investigation was sentenced in DeKalb County Criminal Court Tuesday, June 20.

30-year-old Brandon Tylor Mulac received a sentence of 60 years as a career offender to serve at least 60% of the term before he is eligible for parole. Mulac, who is incarcerated, is expected to seek a motion for a new trial.

Judge Wesley Bray presided.

On Wednesday, May 17, a jury of seven women and five men found Mulac guilty of methamphetamine possession (300 grams or more) with intent to sell or deliver. Mulac was also fined $75,000. The jury found Mulac not guilty on a second charge of fentanyl possession with intent to sell or deliver.

Mulac was represented at trial by Smithville attorney Brad Hannah.

According to Greg Strong, Assistant District Attorney General, who spoke with WJLE after the trial, the DeKalb County charges against Mulac stemmed from a Smith County investigation where Mulac was found with drugs during a traffic stop in April 2021. Authorities there learned that Mulac had more drugs at a residence in Smithville and they contacted the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department.

“We received information from the Smith County Sheriff’s Department that they had found Mulac in possession of a large amount of methamphetamine during a traffic stop there. Through that investigation we learned that a large amount of methamphetamine could be found in a house here on South Mountain Street where we believe Mulac had been staying. We obtained a search warrant based on that information and did find a large amount of methamphetamine at that residence,” said Strong.

“A co-defendant with Mulac, Logan Sullivan was also charged with the same offenses that night because she was at the house when the search warrant was served. She is now deceased,” Strong said.

“After Mulac was charged in Smith County, we had him arrested on a grand jury pickup indictment in 2021.

The Smith County case is still pending against him where he faces a Class-A felony,” Strong continued.

“We (prosecution) called six witnesses during the trial, all law enforcement officers and experts of the TBI crime lab. The defense called one witness who testified that Mulac did not live at the South Mountain Street residence where the meth was found but all the other information we had, pointed to the fact that Mulac did live there. The defense also contended that we (prosecution) didn’t prove that Mulac was in possession of the meth,” said Strong.

Based on his criminal record, Strong said the DA’s office sought maximum punishment for Mulac.

“We (prosecutors) filed a notice that Mulac is a career offender mostly for a history (total of 13 prior convictions for either aggravated burglary or aggravated assault offenses in Rutherford County),” said Strong”.

“I want to thank the Smith County Sheriff’s Department and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department for building a good case to go forward with and the cooperation both agencies showed. They both participated in the search warrant and a big thanks goes to both of them,” said Assistant DA Strong.