The luck of the Irish eluded five suspects who were charged with peddling green crack on St. Patrick’s Day.

 

Agents with the Major Crimes Task Force conducted two controlled purchases of at the residence of 47 year old Kenneth Epps of Sunset Lane in Marietta. Agents twice observed Epps approach a van registered to 44 year old Paula Hadley of Marietta and return with crack cocaine.

 

After the second sale was completed a uniformed officer from the Marietta Police Department conducted a traffic stop near Glendale Road. Hadley admitted to her part in the sale. Three other passengers in the van are also facing related charges. 31 year old Julie Hupp was charged with complicity to traffic in cocaine, 48 year old Richard Haught Jr. was charged with possession of less than one gram of cocaine, and 19 year old Tytus Shields was arrested for an active warrant in Columbus for receiving stolen property and failure to appear.   

 

For his involvement in the drug sales, Epps was charged with two fourth degree felony counts of trafficking in cocaine.  Hadley was charged with two counts of trafficking in cocaine as well as possession of cocaine. 

 

The crack seized during the arrest was colored with green food coloring in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day and also in an effort to avoid police detection.