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Henry County Information Led to First
of Two Major Busts
A rental truck loaded with marijuana. Photo
by DTF agents.
MCKENZIE, Tenn. Drug Task Force
officers, based in McKenzie, the Tennessee
Bureau of Investigation, and the Hardin
County Sheriff's Department made a major
drug bust in Saltillo, Tennessee last Friday
night. This was the second major bust at the
600-acre rural farm of Thomas Gooslin and
wife, Tamera, who are still incarcerated
following the discovery of an underground
marijuana-growing lab late in February. The
first bust was the result of information
from an informant in Henry County to local
officials.
Seized during the second raid Friday, March
21, was in excess of $100,000 cash and more
than 550 pounds of marijuana transported in
a rental van. DTF Agent Chuck White said the
money and drugs are currently locked up at
the TBI offices in Jackson. He said the
large stash of drugs and cash was just too
much to count during the raid.
Among the items additionally seized during
Friday night's raid were: an old school bus
loaded with tools, a Mack truck, a
fifth-wheel trailer with a Bushhog, and a
late-model Chevrolet truck with $20,000 cash
in the glove compartment.
An access door to the underground storage
tank where the drugs were hidden. Photo by
DTF agents.
Residents in and around McKenzie may have
noticed this farm equipment, dozers,
trackhoes, and an old school bus in the
impound lot of the 24th Judicial Drug Task
Force in the downtown area.
Arrested Friday were: Frances E. Lynch, age
53, of Lebanon, Kentucky, James Cremeans,
Jr., 46, of Mechanicburg, Ohio, and Jesse
Gooslin, Jr., 53, of Galloway, Ohio. Jesse
is the brother of Thomas, who was arrested
earlier in the month.
DTF Director Steve Lee said the arrests were
the result of an informant.
The large stash of cash and the processed
marijuana were buried in underground tanks.
Agent White said 15 officers from the
various agencies participated in the raid.
In early March, an investigation, which
originated in Henry County, led officers to
Saltillo where they found a huge tank about
15 feet underground housing 1,048 marijuana
plants, as well as assorted equipment for
growing, all of which was seized. During the
three-day search, which took place Thursday,
February 28 through Sunday, March 1,
officers were on the scene 24 hours a day
and also confiscated three pounds of bagged
marijuana, methamphetamine pipes, three
tractors, one bulldozer, one trackhoe, six
other vehicles, 15 guns, various chainsaws,
weedeaters, welding torches and assorted
tools and $4,500.00.
Henry County Sheriff Monte Belew said the
farm looked inconspicuous enough with lots
of donkeys and other animals. Cedar trees
had even grown over the underground tank
that held the massive operation. The tank
was found about one hundred yards behind
Gooslin's residence.
After court hearings on the seizures, the
items will be placed for public auction on
www.publicnoticeauction.com. White said
the procedure may require up to 180 days
before the items can be sold at auction. |
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