Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Drug Charges Placed Against Iron City Man

   An Iron City man was charged with possessing marijuana with the intent to sell it, during a drug operation conducted by the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department and St. Joseph Police Department early Saturday morning.

   Timothy Dean Tidwell, 44, of 137 Chestnut Street, Iron City, was arrested at his home shortly before 2:00 a.m. According to reports filed through the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department, agents made their way to the home to follow up on information regarding drug activity.

   Deputies report that when they made contact with Tidwell, they explained that they needed to take his marijuana because it was illegal. He went to his bedroom closet, they report, and retrieved approximately one ounce of the substance from a pants pocket. He then went to an outbuilding beside the house where he removed another ounce from a desk drawer, along with some scales. Deputies report he then lead them to a second outbuilding where he pulled marijuana from a soap dispenser of a washing machine.

   During a search of the home, deputies report finding in plain view in a rear bedroom a bag of marijuana, a pipe made of a soda can, and a pair of hemostats. These items were seized, along with $2,440 in cash from Tidwell’s wallet. According to deputies, Tidwell admitted the money had been derived from selling marijuana. He allegedly told deputies he had sold the drug “because he had doctor bills and no job and needed to support his family.”

   In addition to the marijuana for resale charge, Tidwell was charged with the crime of possession of drug paraphernalia. He has been scheduled an initial General Sessions Court date of July 16.

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