By SUSAN TEBBEN
GLASGOW — A Park City man that was number one on the Barren County Sheriff’s Most Wanted list was taken into custody Thursday afternoon.
Deputies and detectives with the BCSO and the Barren-Edmonson County Drug Task Force caught Gene C. Johnson, 53, after receiving an anonymous tip. Officers set up surveillance on Potato Cave Road and stopped Johnson at the intersection of Tompkinsville Road and Matthews Road.
Johnson was arrested on a Barren County warrant for
manufacturing
methamphetamine, possession of anhydrous ammonia in an unapproved container, first-degree fleeing or evading police, first-degree fleeing or evading police, first-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, second-degree cruelty to animals and four counts of first-degree wanton endangerment.
Johnson was originally pursued in October 2009 after the DTF and BCSO received a complaint of drug activity at 391 Indian Mill Road, where deputies found two gas tanks containing anhydrous ammonia. Upon search of the property, deputies found drug paraphernalia and other items used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. Johnson and another man fled the scene when deputies arrived, and Johnson was able to escape. He was taken into custody soon after and was also served a Barren County warrant for second-degree assault, first-degree wanton endangerment, harassing communications and third-degree terroristic threatening. A Warren County warrant was also discovered for first-degree possession of a controlled substance first offense, possession of drug paraphernalia first offense, possession of marijuana and being a first-degree persistent felony offender.
James L. Poole, Jr., 37 of Orlinda, Tenn., was driving the car in which Johnson was a passenger at the time of his arrest. Poole was taken into custody on possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia first offense. He was released from the Barren County Correction Center Thursday on $500 cash bond.
Johnson is being held at the jail on $25,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in Barren Circuit Court on March 1.
