Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam and Police Chief Sterling Owen today named Officer Jeremy Maupin the July Officer of the Month for the Knoxville Police Department. Officer Maupin has been with the department since January 2001.

Chief Owen said the drug investigation began in 2006 when Officer Maupin and agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began purchasing federally prosecutable amounts of crack cocaine from a local drug dealer. These purchases led to the court authorized wiretaps of five different telephones. By listening to the wiretaps, investigators were able to identify and neutralize a huge drug trafficking organization based out of Atlanta, GA. That organization was responsible for delivering 25 kilograms, or $50,000.00 worth, of cocaine into the Knoxville area since January 2007. In addition, the illegal organization imported thousands of ecstasy tablets, many handguns and rifles, and hundreds of pounds of marijuana into Knoxville.
Chief Owen said, "The organization was highly structured and was growing at an alarming rate until their arrests on May 3. Currently, twenty defendants have been arrested with additional arrests expected in the near future."

These arrests have also resulted in the seizure of large amounts of cocaine, ecstasy, marijuana, and multiple firearms. Five drug houses in the city of Knoxville have also been shut down. Additionally, the process to seize assets including real property out of state and in the Knoxville area continues.

DEA Special Agent Bethel Poston said, "Without the involvement of Officer Maupin in this case, it would not have been the success that it was."

Chief Owen said, "We commend Officer Maupin for his commitment to help keep Knoxville a safe place for all residents. Through his work in this investigation, this drug trafficking organization will no longer be able to victimize our citizens."

Officer Maupin will receive a signed certificate from the mayor and chief along with a free dinner from the Olive Garden.