Wanda English Burnett, Editor

The month of September was a busy one for the Osgood Town Marshal, John Hegge. One investigation led to another and in the end six adults were arrested and four minor children removed from homes.

According to Hegge, events began on September 15 when he served a search warrant at the home of Tammy, 35, and Robert Hogston, 36, on Cherry Street in Osgood. While neither was taken into custody at that time, they were both later arrested on September 20 when police again responded to the residence for a possible drug overdose. Robert Hogston was taken to jail on initial charges of Possession of Controlled Substance and Possession of Paraphernalia. Tammy was taken into custody on initial charges of Possession of Meth and Possession of Paraphernalia. Another person at the residence, Danny Stinson, 54, was arrested on charges of Dealing in a Controlled II Substance, which was Fentanyl.

Further investigation led the Osgood Marshal to Versailles, where two more arrests were made at 711 Dellwood Court on September 18.

Laura Gripshover, 25, was taken into custody on initial charges of Neglect of a Dependant, Possession of Legend Drug, Possession of Paraphernalia. Aaron Hopping, 27, was also arrested on charges of Possession of Meth, Possession of Heroin, Neglect of a Dependent, Possession of a Firearm by Serious Violent Felon, and Possession of Paraphernalia.

Marshal Hegge said that investigation led to yet another residence, this time at 10020 N US 421 to the Robert Michael Parsons residence. A search warrant was secured in reference to a possible meth lab. Parsons, 34, was arrested on initial charges of Manufacturing Meth, Possession of Precursors, Dumping of Clandestine Lab Waste; Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Paraphernalia, according to the marshal.

The marshal noted that he was assisted with these investigations and arrests by the Versailles, Batesville and Milan police departments. He noted that he will continue to fight what he calls an “epidemic” on drugs in this area and is willing to continue to put in numerous extra hours each week to take some of the drug traffic off the streets. “It’s a real problem,” he told The Versailles Republican.