DRUG PROBLEM GROWS IN PRESTON

Troubles Reach Schools; Police Suggest Enforcement Officers

Lt.  Joe Stiles speaks during a press confrence on the murder of Gilbert Joseph Creech.

Cocaine is a problem in Preston County, Preston Sheriff's Investigator Joe Stiles said Wednesday.

"I think anyone in this room could easily make contact with someone and buy controlled substances.  And, when it's that easy, that's considerable," Stiles said.

Stiles said Preston's drug problem is "considerably worse" than it was earlier in his 29-year law enforcement career and extends to the schools.

Stiles offered these views to reporters gathered Wednesday for an update on the March 17 murder of Gilbert Joseph "Frog" Creech, 43, of the Bruceton Mills area.

Creech's murder, which happened in the Bruceton Mills area, was connected to drugs, Stiles said.

So was a case two years ago, when two men were shot during a drug deal off the Bruceton exit of Interstate 68.  The victims lived.  Two Morgantown men were convicted in the case.

Today's drug of choice is cocaine, Stiles said.  Anyone with $50 could easily buy enough to stay high all day, he said, and "they'll steal, they'll write bad checks to get that money."

Prescription pain killers are also a problem, Preston Assistant Prosecutor Paul Estep said.

"We have a number of prescription drug ( offenses ) every term of court, either fraudulent prescriptions or breaking and enterings to get the money to buy them," Estep said.

Prescription drugs stolen during a break-in at West Preston Middle School were sold at Preston High, Stiles said.

The solution, Stiles said, is to have officers dedicated just to drug enforcement.  Preston Sheriff Ron Crites agrees.

Preston County's drug task force was disbanded in 1996.  Since then, drug cases have been investigated by other officers.

"There's definitely a need for somebody to just do drug work," Crites said Wednesday.  "The problem that I have is the current manpower is pretty well swamped doing other investigations."

Crites has 14 deputies.  Of those, one is assigned full-time to Preston High, Stiles is designated as an investigator, and another officer divides his time between DARE, Drug Abuse Resistance Education, and security for the family law court.

"That leaves 11," Crites said.

State Police have six officers assigned to the Kingwood Detachment.  Crites estimates it would cost $100,000 to hire, train and equip three officers devoted to drug enforcement.  That figure would drop some in subsequent years, after equipment was in place.

"If we're going to do it, it would be my desire to have plainclothes officers and unmarked cars," the sheriff said.

Joining a regional drug task force would not be cheap either, he said, because "When you participate in those, they expect you to give money and manpower."