WASHINGTON C.H. — Highland County law enforcement officers took part in an incident week that saw three people incarcerated on drug-related charges stemming from two separate but related incidents in the past week concerning alleged drug trafficking in Fayette County.

According to Fayette County Sheriff Vernon Stanforth, on Friday, Feb. 10, sheriff’s office detectives were conducting surveillance in the 1300 block of Forest Street just outside Washington C.H. when a suspected drug transaction was observed. During contact with a male subject on foot — later identified as Tony Wood, 40, of Dayton — deputies made verbal contact with Wood, who reportedly failed to comply with verbal commands by deputies.

A brief struggle ensued between deputies and Wood before he was taken into custody without further incident. Subsequent to the arrest of Wood for obstructing official business and resisting arrest, a search of his person led to the alleged discovery of suspected illicit drugs. A presumptive field test of the substance showed the presence of a controlled substance.

Following the arrest of Wood and further investigation, a search warrant was obtained for an apartment located at 1325 Forest St., Apt. C, in Washington C.H. During the execution of the search warrant, an undisclosed amount of cash, suspected narcotics and drug paraphernalia items were reportedly located and seized. Wood was incarcerated in the Fayette County Jail and charged with possession of drugs, a second-degree felony, obstructing official business, and resisting arrest.

Wood was incarcerated on a $50,000 bond.

As the investigation continued, detectives with the sheriff’s office — assisted by members of the Washington C.H. Police Department, agents from the U.S. 23 Major Crimes Task Force, the Greenfield Police Department, the Highland County Prosecutor’s Investigative Unit, and the U.S. Marshal’s Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (SOFAST) — coordinated efforts to execute arrest warrants at the Baymont Inn, located at 11431 Allen Rd. NW in Jeffersonville.

During the warrant operation, the person identified in the warrants was allegedly observed arriving at a business establishment being followed by a second vehicle. Detectives observed interaction between the individuals followed by the alleged exchange of a duffel bag.

As law enforcement approached the individuals, the person identified in the arrest warrants as Vercie L. Lark, 41, of Dayton, reportedly discarded the duffel bag and fled on foot from law enforcement personnel, but was captured following a brief foot chase. The individual in the other vehicle — identified as Carla A. Doctor, 51, of Washington C.H. — was taken into custody without incident. Subsequent to the arrest of Lark and Doctor, detectives found the duffel bag to contain multiple pounds of a substance suspected to be methamphetamine, according to Stanforth.

Lark and Doctor were both transported to the Fayette County Jail and incarcerated. Lark was charged with two counts of trafficking in methamphetamine, both first-degree felonies, and was incarcerated on a $200,000 bond. Doctor was charged with one count of trafficking in methamphetamine and was also incarcerated on a $100,000 bond.

Stanforth said he extends his sincere appreciation to the agencies assisting in the operations. He also commended his detectives for their continued efforts in investigating drug trafficking complaints, as well as his patrol deputies who receive and investigate the citizen complaints of suspicious activity leading to the seizure of deadly drugs before they are distributed in local communities.

These cases will be forwarded to the Fayette County Prosecutor’s Office for review with additional charges likely stemming from these investigations, according to Stanforth.