ELKO, Ga. — Houston County law enforcement searched an Elko home, arresting seven people and seizing suspected drugs from an alleged "trap house" Friday morning, according to Houston County District Attorney William Kendall.
It happened around 9:45 a.m. at 332 State Route 26 in the southwest region of the county.
Kendall said the property "became a place of interest of criminal activity in Elko" due to the volume of community tips and concerns about the area.
"We found multiple people living in various sheds in part of the residence here located at this compound," Kendall said.
Some of them, he said, were arrested on drug charges, "which include possession with intent and then three who had outstanding warrants in other states and other counties," including Dooly County and Texas, Kendall said.
The district attorney's office worked with Houston County Sheriff Deputies and special deputy sheriffs assigned to the counter-narcotics task force to search the home sitting beside a cotton field.
"There have been two shootings this year here, there has been illegal drug activity that's been reported, and complaints have been made by surrounding neighbors and people in the community," he said
One of the shootings was connected with the Crisp County deputy killed in July.
Croshawn Gerard Cross was charged with the murder of Deputy Tyee Browne and other crimes.
"Despite his life sentence out of Crisp County, we are still prosecuting him for crimes committed here before killing Deputy Browne," Kendall said.
That includes Burglary in the First Degree, Theft by Taking, Aggravated Assault (two counts), Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Felony (two counts) and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, according to a partial copy of the indictment.
"He is charged with shooting at the 332 residence," Kendall said.
More details about the alleged connection between the house and the death of Tyee Brown could not be shared, the district attorney said, because the investigation is pending.
When 13WMAZ reached out to the Crisp County Sheriff's Office, they said they weren't aware of the Elko arrests or the possible connection.
The second shooting was connected to a man shot in the leg at the residence in September.
Kendall said there are "plenty of places in the county" that are known as "trap houses."
"Where people here have user amounts of methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, things like that," he said. "Quite frankly, they're kind of a nuisance."
One resident says he doesn't think the issue is getting better.
"There always seemed to be different vehicles and people over there than I had seen over the years," David Thames said. "I think that it's just gotten worse."
Thames grew up in Henderson. He spent nearly 30 years in Atlanta before returning home seven years ago to help out with his family's farm.
He knew the man shot at the address in September. He says the person who lived at that residence lived with other people.
"One guy who lived there that's been there for a long time, I've known who he is for quite a while. He works with my family," he said.
Thames said he would hunt wild hogs and share them with the acquaintance who lived at the "trap house," but he doesn't know what his involvement with the alleged crimes is.
He also said he did not go to the home regularly, but he did notice it change over time as he visited his acquaintance once in a while.
"I noticed it seemed a lot more sketchy," Thames said. "I felt a lot more uneasy, being there more than I had before saw some people that I didn't recognize. They told me they didn't know the guy I was looking for even though I knew that's where he lived."
Four men and three women were arrested and taken to the Houston County Detention Center.
When 13WMAZ requested the mug shots from the Houston County Sheriff's Office of those arrested, they said, "At this time, we are not aware of any arrest at the trap house. We have no further information on the incident you are referring to."
But Kendall says arrests were made.
"It's commonly known people who use drugs often look older than they actually are," the district attorney said. "It would appear that most of everybody taken into custody this morning was at least in their late twenties, ranging up to their 50s and early 60s."