The fates of four more drug offenders, who were apprehended during the county’s largest single-day drug bust, were decided during the latest session of Ashe County Superior Court.

Several other cases involving other offenders from the January bust, dubbed by local authorities as “Operation: Winter Clean-up”, were decided earlier this spring with many of those individuals receiving suspended prison sentences while others were sentenced to the Ashe County Jail.

The results of the last session of ACSC, which took place the week of July 12, were obtained through the Ashe County Clerk of Superior Court’s office.

Damion Okayia Blevins, 17, was convicted of one count of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, felony larceny, felony possession of a Schedule II controlled substance (reduced from a drug trafficking charge), and one count of common law robbery, which was reduced from robbery with a dangerous weapon. He received 25 to 39 months active in the North Carolina Department of Corrections.

Mark Allen Edwards, 25, received the lengthiest sentence of any of the original suspects to date. He was convicted of selling a Schedule III controlled substance, sell of a counterfeit controlled substance, conspiracy to sell a counterfeit controlled substance, and of a habitual felon charge. Edwards was sentenced to 80 to 105 months active in the NCDOC.

Two other offenders received suspended jail sentences and will avoid time behind bars if they abide by the rules outlined for supervised probation.

During the July 12 session of Superior Court, 39-year-old Gregory Kelly Ellison, who was convicted on cocaine related charges, received a sentence of 15 to 18 months in the NCDOC, suspended for 36 months of supervised probation.

Deborah Lynn Dickerson, 46, was convicted of attempt to traffic in opium by possession, and three counts of attempt to obtain a controlled substance by fraud or forgery. She received 19 to 23 months for the NCDOC, suspended for 36 months of probation.

Seven more offenders, who were among the over 20 individuals arrested on a wide array of drug charges, had their cases continued and will have to wait for their day in court. Brian Lynn Brown, 32, of Creston, was indicted on one count of manufacturing marijuana and his trial will begin on October 4.

The cases of 51-year-old Robin McElhaney Brown, Donald Scott Lewis, 33, Johnathon Conley Collins, 28, Kenneth Lee Oliver, 45, and Nancy Jean Ellison have been continued until October. Coty James Collins, 18, also had his case for drug charges continued until October. He is however due back in District Court on August 26 for one count of driving while impaired, and driving after consuming. Those charges stem from a June 30 incident.

Please continue to follow the Jefferson Post and www.jeffersonpost.com for additional updates concerning these cases.