According to Pulaski County Sheriff Greg Speck, four men were arrested in separate incidents involving theft of hemp plants on Parkers Mill Road on September 22nd and 23rd, 2019.

At approximately 5:30 am on Sunday, September 22, 2019 Deputies Logan Starnes and Marcus Harrison responded to a 911 call of a property owner holding a burglary suspect at gunpoint on Parkers Mill Road.  Upon arrival at the scene, Deputies found the property owner, Mark Burnett detaining Matthew S. Bell, age 37 of Lewis Bray Road at gunpoint in a field on the property.

Investigation by the deputies resulted in the discovery of a set of bolt cutters and a trash bag full of recently cut hemp.

Mr. Bell was placed under arrest by Deputy Logan Starnes and charged with the following: 1. Burglary, 3rd Degree.  2. Theft by Unlawful Taking or Disp. All Others Under $500. 3. Possession of Burglary Tools.

In a related incident, on Sunday night at approximately 11:25 pm Deputies Starnes and Harrison returned to the property on Parkers Mill Road to a call of a burglary in progress.  Two subjects were located walking on Highway 914 near the property. Both individuals were covered in dirt and hemp residue. After a short investigation by deputies, Christopher S. Walker, age 45 of Chandler Street, Somerset, Kentucky and Christopher L. Decker, age 27 of Bloomfield Road, Taylorsville, Kentucky were arrested.  Both subjects were charged with: 1. Criminal Tresspassing-2nd Degree. 2. Criminal Mischief-2nd Degree. 3. Possession of Industrial Hemp.

Following the arrest of Mr. Decker and Mr. Walker, a search of the area between the property and Highway 914 resulted in the discovery of an individual who was hiding in the weeds.  Jimmy Cook, Jr., age 40 of Grundy Road, Somerset, Kentucky was taken into custody by Deputy Marcus Harrison and Trooper Adam Childers of the KSP. A large hunting knife and a small baggie of marijuana were recovered from Mr. Cook.  During the course of the arrest, Mr. Cook resisted officers and spat on the uniform of Sergeant Richard Smith.

Jimmy Cook, Jr. was charged with: 1. Possession of Marijuana.  2. Criminal Mischief-2nd Degree. 3. Criminal Tresspassing-2nd Degree.  4. Possession of Burglary Tools. 5. Assault 3rd-Pease Officer-Communicable Bodily Fluid.  6. Possession of Industrial Hemp. 7. Resisting Arrest. 

All subjects were lodged in the Pulaski County Detention Center without further incident.