Dad, son face numerous drug, weapons charges (Whitley City, Kentucky)

Dad TIMOTHY D. GRIFFIS SR. really believes in father-son bonding with Junior...through 1st degree robbery, illegal drugs, and weapons charges. Gee, whatever happened to afternoon baseball games?

http://www.wkyt.com/wymtnews/headlines/55222987.html

Updated: 9:50 PM Aug 26, 2009
Father, son face numerous drug, weapons charges

WHITLEY CITY – A father and son face numerous drug and weapons charges following an altercation and subsequent search of their McCreary County home on Tuesday.

Timothy D. Griffis Jr., age 26, and his father, 50-year-old Timothy D. Griffis Sr., were each charged with first-degree armed robbery in relationship to a drug transaction after they attacked a person attempting to purchase drugs.

The men were being held on $100,000 cash bonds in the McCreary County Detention Center pending a bond hearing scheduled for Thursday.

“We expect numerous other charges will be filed against these individuals,” said Dan Smoot, law enforcement director for Operation UNITE, noting a large cache of weapons and drugs were found at their homes on Kidd Ridge Road. “Because of the nature of this investigation we have notified ATF agents for possible federal charges.”

On August 24, after the individual had purchased OxyContin, a scuffle ensued where the younger Griffis choked and threatened the person with both a pistol and a knife.

About this time the father, who lives next door, came in and joined in the struggle.

The individual, who received only minor injuries, managed to get away from the attackers and notified UNITE detectives who in turn called McCreary Sheriff Gus Skinner.

Police then went to County Attorney Michelle Wilson and obtained warrants on the men for first-degree armed robbery.

Sheriff Skinner, UNITE detectives and an agent from the Lake Cumberland Area Drug Task Force returned to the Griffis’ homes late Tuesday afternoon and served the warrants.

“Drugs and drug paraphernalia were observed at the time of their arrests, so we left the home and promptly obtained search warrants,” Skinner said.

During the search police found 69 guns – an assortment of shotguns, rifles and pistols – nearly $14,500 in cash, an assortment of OxyContin, Hydrocodone and Suboxone pills, 12 marijuana plants, and various drug paraphernalia including syringes.

“We have had numerous tips on these men,” Skinner said. “The McCreary County Sheriff’s Office is doing what it can to rid this area of the cancer we have with drugs, but without the wonderful cooperation of UNITE and other outside agencies we would have a hard time doing what needs to be done because of our limited manpower.”

For more information about Operation UNITE visit their website at www.operationunite.org.