Sheriff Hammack looks on as his narcotics team unloads the goods.
Month Long Investigation Culminates in Major Drug Bust, LIVINGSTON, August 6, 2008 - A multi-agency effort involving the Polk County Sheriff's Office, District Attorney Investigator Mark Jones, Texas Ranger Ron Duff, Precinct 1 Constable Charlie Clack, Department of Public Safety and Polk County Sheriff's Department Investigations Division resulted in a large drug bust that yielded up to 50 lbs. of marijuana. Sheriff Hammack was quick to give all credit to his narcotics team and said they perform their duty with "ferocity". At approximately 9 pm on August 6, 2008 Hammack's team came rolling into the sally port with a literal truck load of freshly harvested marijuana. According to Lieutenant Andy Lowrie of the Narcotics Division, the small field of marijuana was located off of Dillion Road in Big Sandy on Monday at the suspect's deer lease. The suspect is Earnie Eugene Robran, Jr., 54, of Big Sandy. The process of locating the marijuana involved the surveillance of a helicopter from the Department of Public Safety and ground surveilance.
Earnie Eugene Robran, Jr., 54, of Big Sandy
Lowrie, Turner, and Smith put away the marijuana that'll be sent to the Department of Public Safety.
Narcotics Investigators had been staked out at the operation since the pot was discovered on Monday. Lowrie informed PolkCountyToday.com that on Wednesday at approximately 6:30 pm, Robran came walking up with a machete in hand ready to harvest the marijuana. At that point Lowrie, Sergeant Howard Smith, and Deputy Randy Turner moved in to arrest Robran. Robran was arrested without incident and taken to Polk County Jail and booked in. The investigation yielded 42 plants that varied in size from 8 ft. - 12 ft. tall. Evidence at the scene suggests that 12 plants had already been harvested. According to Sergeant Howard Smith, it was an anonymous tip to Polk County Crime Stoppers, who in turn informed the Sheriff's Office of the information, that set off the investigation.
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