Drug task force nabs 15
Three Union County residents sold drugs to undercover agents
By JOHN BUCHANAN Sentinel Writer

A year-long undercover investigation by the Appalachian Drug Task Force has yielded three key arrests in Union County, along with another 12 in Towns County. The November 21 arrests were assisted by deputies from the Union and Towns County Sheriff’s offices.

Among those arrested was the son of North Georgia News Publisher Ken West.

Blairsville residents Kenneth Brent West, 36, and Christy Goode, 28, allegedly sold methamphetamine to undercover agents in Union County on more than one occasion prior to their arrest, Brad Parks, commander of the Appalachian Drug Task Force, said Tuesday.

The third Union County arrest was of Sandra Cogean, who allegedly sold prescription drugs and morphine to undercover agents.

West, who has been arrested twice before on drug charges and for aggravated assault, also sold to agents in Towns County. He was arrested in Union County after selling meth from the Colwell Road home of his grandmother, Wanda West, with whom he has lived recently.

“He’s a person that we had information on for selling dope in that area and this was a person that we focused on for the simple fact that he was moving a substantial quantity of methamphetamine, not only in Union County, but also in Towns County,” Parks said.

Christy Goode was also “known to be selling meth for a while,” Parks said. “It worked out so we were able to use some undercover methods to get purchases made from her.”

The arrests of West, Goode, Cogean and the 12 Towns County suspects were facilitated by tips from informants, Parks said. In turn, some of those arrested have provided information that Parks says will lead to more arrests in the future.

There are no known connections between West, Goode and Cogean, according to Parks. “We worked on a lot of individuals in the two counties,” he said, “and these arrests were just the culmination of those investigations. We just got very lucky on the same night.” Parks said the 15 arrests were the most made in a single night since he became task force commander last January. West has history of drug arrests and violence

West, employed as a printer at North Georgia News since the late 1990s, was arrested in December 1989 for possession of marijuana and drug-related paraphernalia. After pleading guilty in 1990, he was sentenced to 12 months of probation and a $500 fine. In October 1991, he admitted to a probation violation after he tested positive for the use of marijuana.

In January 1997, West was arrested for illegal possession of a prescription drug and marijuana, driving under the influence of alcohol, and no proof of insurance. After pleading guilty on all counts, he was sentenced to five years of probation, with the first six months on intensive probation; 200 hours of community service, a total of $2,025 in fines and 48 hours in Union County Jail.

On three occasions—in January 1998 and March and October 1999—he served additional time for probation violations.

In June 1990, according to court documents, West’s “negligent conduct” while driving led to the serious injury of a local woman after he slammed his vehicle into hers. A civil lawsuit brought by the victim was settled in 1992.

West also has a history of violence. In June 2003, he was arrested for aggravated assault on a Blairsville man. However, a grand jury failed twice to formally indict him for the attack. However, in a civil action, the victim was awarded $23,349 in damages by Union County Superior Court Judge Hugh Stone in November 2003. That judgment remains unpaid.