A Corbin woman has been arrested after police found a large amount of methamphetamine, firearms and loaded syringes in a child’s playhouse.
Late Sunday night, the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation after a tip was received about drug activity at a residence on Hwy 1223, about nine miles south of London.
Upon searching the property, authorities located three pounds of methamphetamine, loaded and unloaded syringes and firearms, and about $8,000 in cash inside a child’s playhouse. Four children at the residence had “easy access to the playhouse,” according to Laurel County Sheriff John Root.
Police arrested 63-year-old Patsy Hopkins and charged her with trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine), four counts of wanton endangerment, carrying a concealed weapon, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Hopkins was lodged in the Laurel County Detention Center.
Earlier Sunday night, a parallel investigation being conducted by the Knox County Sheriff’s Office resulted in the seizure of a pound of methamphetamine, handguns and cash in a camper parked behind a residence in Gray, a small Knox County community.
Police arrested 44-year-old John Helton, who already had an active drug trafficking warrant out of Whitley County, and 39-year-old Nursilla Helton-Fox, both of Gray, and charged each with trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine). Helton was also charged with possession of a handgun by a convicted felon.
Helton-Fox was lodged in the Knox County Detention Center, while Helton was lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center.
(Headline photo: Patsy Hopkins)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com or 270-259-6000
