'Shake, Rattle & Roll' Operation Nets 11 Arrests, 3 Sought

Newberry County authorities arrested 11 people Monday after a year-long methamphetamine investigation, the Newberry County Sheriff's Office announced.

During the operation, “Shake, Rattle, and Roll,” police discovered that the 11 people attempted to purchase more than nine grams of ephedrine, or pseudoephedrine, per month, according to the sheriff's office.

Police say pseudoephedrine, which is found in many cold and allergy medicine, is one of the main ingredients in the manufacture of meth. 

“While at first glance this seems a minor offense, it should be clear that these drugs are nearly always sought to perpetuate an illegal meth manufacturing lab," Sheriff Lee Foster said in a release. "Meth destroys lives, families, and communities and this is our effort to be proactive in our approach to stop these labs by eliminating the supplies needed to make the drug."

Those arrested include:

• Kenneth Lamar Braswell, 36, 483 Subertown Road, Whitmire 
• Sierra Dawn Braswell, 31, 9 Sweetbriar Road, Gray Court 
• Jessie Lee Ferguson, 26, 2310 Scurry Island Road, Chappells 
• Christopher Lee Gonzales, 40, 137 Oak Hollow, Newberry 
• Michael Wayne Leopard, 36, 483 Subertown Road, Whitmire 
• Lisa Ann Owings, 42, 483 Subertown Road, Whitmire 
• Pamela Marie Owings, 38, 483 Subertown Road, Whitmire 
• JaMichael Lee Owings, 43, 483 Subertown Road, Whitmire 
• Cindy Brank Sutton, 1421 Coleman Avenue, Whitmire 
• Ansel Brad Wallen, 41, 1971 Highway 66, Whitmire 
• Charles Ricky Wilson, 25, 2733 Collinswood Drive, Newberry 

Each are charged with one count of attempting to purchase an excessive quantity of pseudoephedrine. All suspects were taken to the Newberry County Detention Center pending a bond hearing, according to the sheriff's office.

Police are still searching for the following Newberry residents: 

• Paula Dianne Beach, 40
• Johnathon Blake Crumpton, 21
• Christopher Lee Gonzales, 40

Each will be charged with one count of attempting to purchase an excessive quantity of pseudoephedrine, the sheriff's office said.

The Newberry Police Department, Whitmire Police Department and the State Law Enforcement Division assisted in the investigation.