Crowds Gather for Seized Items Auction

Major Family Run Drug Operation Busted In Morgan And Washington Counties

UPDATE: 9/22/2012

From RV's to boats and jet skis, crowds gathered at McLeish Auction House all hoping to bid on some big ticket items not normally up for grabs here.

Laykin, a young customer at the auction house hopes to win big. "Probably like a little tape measure."

This isn't your typical household items auction. People are bidding 40 thousand dollars for the stuff sold here.

"If the price is right. Everything seems to be going pretty expensive but we'll see" says, Forrest Hawkins.

The reason these are hot items? The RV's, boats and jet skis you see here are all stuff seized from a major drug bust and are all being auctioned in one location on the same day.

"It was a huge million dollar marijuana operation that was centered in Morgan County. We had been working on the investigation through our major crimes task force for the last three years. About a year ago, we executed a search warrant and the items you see here were seized during that time," explains Washington County Sheriff Larry Mincks.

One of those big ticket items is a 55 Chevy, and it's stirring up a bidding war before the auction even starts.

Richard Seckman says, "I'd like to get the Chevy. I'd like to buy it for my wife."

"I want to bid on the car," says Laykin.

And after a long day of auctioning off some of the biggest stuff people in the valley have ever bid on, the sheriff's office will collect the estimated one point three million dollars to be used for future drug busts.

"We have to use various investigative tools and that's constantly changing, the technology and some of the cameras that we have are outdated and recorders and a lot of things we use becomes outdated, computer equipment things like that. So the money will be used for good modern technology," says Sheriff Mincks.

Sheriff Mincks adds the money for technology is divided between the all the departments supporting the major crimes task force. That includes The Morgan and Washington County Sheriff's Offices, The Marietta Police Department, and the BCI & I.

All the stuff you saw that was sold on Saturday was seized from the same family busted in 2009.
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UPDATED: September 21, 2012

Nearly a dozen cars, jet skis, a boat, ATVs, mowers and much more.
A warehouse is stocked full of vehicles and tools its all being auctioned off Saturday September 22 at 10 a.m.

It's all stuff seized as a multi-county, multi-state, multi-million dollar drug bust.

The Washington County Sheriff's office says it's all from a family operation of importation of marijuana into the Washington, Morgan County area.

Some stuff lingers from a 2009 bust from the same family but most comes from the final bust just last year in 2011.

The Major Crimes Task fForce seized over 200 pounds of marijuana, 800-thousand dollars, and as well as vehicles, tools, and jet skis.

"With a warrant we seized all the items that you see but also we seized $757,000 in cash and three brief cases that was contained in a storage bin out in Bartlett, Ohio," explains Washington County Sheriff Larry Mincks. "The items are going to be sold today and they will be distributed according to a formula that has already been arrived upon."

All money made from the auction will go towards future drug investigations for Morgan and Washington County and Ohio BCI and I. "That is what it's designated for, be used for equipment, undercover operations and things like that," explains Sheriff Mincks. "It does not go into personnel salaries it will be for further drug investigations in this area."

The auction will be happening Saturday, September 22 at 10 a.m. at the McLeish Auction house in Marietta.

One other auction, from the same bust, of household goods brought in around $40,000 already.

Another auction of firearms and more outdoor equipment will be held in mid to late October.

For more information (pictures and detail of items) on this auction or up coming auctions visit:
www.auctionzip.com

You can also call- 740-373-3000
Or Email- kjmcleish@ee.net

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April 24, 2011--

Six people have been arrested and over 200 Lbs. of marijuana seized after a major family run drug operation is taken down in Washington and Morgan counties.

According to officials, agents from the Major Crimes Task Force executed six search warrants (five in Morgan County and one in Washington County) as the result of a three year investigation into a major trafficking organization operating in Morgan and Washington County. The organization was allegedly transporting marijuana from the western part of the United States into Morgan and Washington County.

Search warrants were executed at:

The residence of Hank H. Holloway,56 years old, in Chesterhill;

The residence of 20 year old Nicole Pauley Holloway in McConnelsville;

The residence of 30 year old Michael Adkins in Chesterhill; and,

Multiple Storage Units in Morgan and Washington County.

Law enforcement officials seized was 200 pounds of marijuana, $800,000 in cash, ten vehicles, two Jet Ski's, one camper, one motorcycle, 87 various firearms.

Hank H. Holloway, 43 year-old Marsha Holloway, 33 year-old Kelly Adkins, 20 year-old Nicole Pauley, 30 year-old Micheal Adkins, and a seventeen year old juvenile were all arrested in connection to the drug ring. Those individuals will be officially charged on Monday morning.

Total assets to be seized (including the residence of Hank Holloway) are anticipated to exceed one million dollars.

The investigation is ongoing.