Blounvtille man faces array of drug charges | Latest Headlines | heraldcourier.com – Bristol Herald Courier

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Keith Vestal
BLOUNTVILLE. Tenn, — A Blountville man is facing multiple drug charges involving illegal drug distribution.
Keith Vestal, age 42, of Blountville, was arrested by the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Unit, according to a written statement.
Vestal was arrested and charged with Manufacture, Delivery, Sale, or Possession of Methamphetamine, Resisting Arrest, Evading Arrest, Expired Registration, Driving While License is Suspended or Revoked, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. In addition, two outstanding arrest warrants for Violation of Probation and Failure to Report to Jail were served on Vestal.
On Sunday, February 6, deputies observed Vestal operating a vehicle on Sullivan Gardens Parkway in the Kingsport area. Deputies knew of outstanding arrest warrants for Vestal and also that he did not possess a valid drivers license.
Deputies approached Vestal in a business parking lot and he attempted to flee from officers on foot. Vestal was unable to outrun deputies and upon being taken into custody, resisted arrest. He was found to have 22 grams of what is believed to be crystal methamphetamine, a glass smoking pipe, and $9,618 in cash on his person, according to the statement.
A search warrant was obtained for Vestal’s vehicle. Upon conducting a search of the vehicle, investigators located 122 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 116 grams of marijuana, 4 grams of heroin, 4 grams of cocaine, 2 LSD stamps, 4 suboxone strips, 77 ½ pills of various types, multiple items of drug paraphernalia and three loaded handguns. $570 in additional cash was also located inside of the vehicle. The street value of the drugs located inside of the vehicle was $11,751.00.
The SCSO currently has an investigator in its Special Operations Unit that serves on a federal task force with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Due to the nature of the charges and Vestal’s criminal history, our ATF task force officer is pursuing federal charges against Vestal.
The federal charges are Possession of 50 Grams or more of Methamphetamine with the Intent to Distribute, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
Vestal remains housed in the Sullivan County Jail with no bond. The $10,188 in total that was found in Vestal’s possession was seized along with the vehicle that he was driving, according to the statement.
dmcgee@bristolnews.com | 276-645-2532 | Twitter: @DMcGeeBHC | Facebook.com/david.mcgee.127
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Keith Vestal
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