3 Arrested on Prescription Pill Charges

An anonymous tip, which was followed by a McCracken County Sheriff's Department Drug Division investigation, led to the arrest of three Paducah residents on various drug charges Friday.

Constable Tony Veltri received the tip, which was related to illegal sales of prescription pain medications, and passed it along to detectives.

Detectives spoke with the tipster, who wished to remain anonymous, and gathered information regarding a woman who was selling her prescription pain medication. Detectives immediately began investigating and identified the woman as 41-year-old Kari Petty of Broadway Avenue. Police conducted surveillance on Petty as she purchased her prescriptions, and they also observed her selling the pain medication to another person in the parking lot of a local hospital.

Detectives took Petty into custody just before 10 AM, seizing a large quantity of Percocet (oxycodone), Lortab (hydrocodone) and Soma (carisoprodol) tablets. Police also seized an undisclosed amount of cash, which is believed to be the proceeds from illegal drug sales. Petty was lodged in the McCracken County Regional Jail and charged with Trafficking Controlled Substance 1st, 2nd and 3rd Degree.

Just before Noon, detectives turned their attention toward 64-year-old James Burgess of Oaks Road. During their investigation, detectives observed Burgess selling doses of Lortab on the roadside by Exit 3 of Interstate 24. Burgess was taken into custody at a gas station on Cairo Road, where police seized additional doses of Lortab and an undisclosed amount of cash, which is believed to be the proceeds from drug sales.

Burgess was lodged in the McCracken County Regional Jail on charges of Trafficking Controlled Substance 2nd Degree.

The investigation continued Friday afternoon, when Deputy Lindsey Miller stopped a vehicle driven by 37-year-old Emily Haskins of Harrison Street. Haskins was found to be driving on a license that was suspended due to a DUI conviction and without an insurance card in her vehicle. Detectives also found an undisclosed amount of Lortab in her jacket, and she was arrested by Deputy Miller.

Haskins was lodged in the McCracken County Jail for Possession of Controlled Substance 2nd Degree, Driving on DUI Suspended, No Insurance, and various traffic violations.

The investigations are ongoing and more arrests and charges are expected in the near future.

The McCracken County Sheriff’s Department would like to thank the public for tips regarding illegal activity and strive to investigate each tip as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Individuals with information pertaining to illegal drug crimes can contact the drug division directly at 270-444-5157.