Contraband seized during the arrests (Credit: Laurel County Sheriff's Office)
LONDON, KY - Laurel County Sheriff John Root is reporting that: Laurel Sheriff's Detective Robert Reed along with Lt. Chris Edwards arrested two individuals on Thursday afternoon October 6, 2022 at approximately 4:10 PM.
The arrests occurred off Old Whitley Road, approximately 3 miles South of London while deputies were investigating a vandalism and theft which had occurred earlier where allegedly two individuals were observed on surveillance video in the parking lot of Victory Baptist Church cutting holes in the gas tanks of two church vans.
The vehicle was observed to be a red Chevrolet pickup and two suspects were observed on the surveillance video. The Laurel County Sheriff's office posted a press release with photos of the suspect vehicle and the suspects.
This information was put on the Sheriff's Office Facebook page, sent out on the new app that the Sheriff's Office has provided to android and iPhone owners and sent to local media.
Within less than an hour numerous tips were received from Laurel County citizens.
Sheriff's investigators armed with this information were able to quickly locate the red pickup truck and the two individuals allegedly involved in the theft and vandalism which occurred at Victory Baptist Church.
The two individuals were found in possession of several needles and Methamphetamine during the arrest.
The two arrested individuals were identified as: Ashley Cope age 29 of North Laurel Road, London, KY and Natasha Scott Age 27 of Old Union Church Road, London, KY
Ashley Cope and Natasha Scott (Credit: Laurel County Correctional Center)
Ashley Cope was charged with:
- Criminal mischief – first-degree
- Two counts of criminal trespassing – third-degree
- Possession of a controlled substance – first-degree – first offense – Methamphetamine
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
Natasha Scott was charged with:
- Criminal mischief – first-degree
- Two counts of criminal trespassing – third-degree
- Possession of a controlled substance – first-degree – first offense – Methamphetamine
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
In addition, this subject was charged on a Laurel District Court bench warrant of arrest charging failure to appear for arraignment on charges of:
- Theft by unlawful taking – shoplifting
Also, the subject was charged on a Laurel District Court bench warrant of arrest charging failure to appear in court for arraignment on charges of:
- Operating on suspended or revoked operator's license
These two individuals were lodged in the Laurel County Correctional Center.
Photos of the accused are courtesy of the Laurel County Correctional Center.
Assisting on the investigation and arrests were: Lt. Chris Edwards, Deputy Travis Napier, Deputy Skylar McFarland, and Detective Robert Reed who is also the case officer.
Laurel County Sheriff John Root stated that the arrests were a great teamwork effort between the citizens of Laurel County and the Laurel County Sheriff's Office using social media as a tool to identify possible suspects resulting in investigators developing information on the suspects whereabouts and in a quick arrest of the two individuals involved.
Pictured top is the seized contraband and the rightside photos are of the pickup truck that was located and impounded by the Sheriff's Office and two accused being escorted out of the Sheriff’s Office by Detective Robert Reed for transport to the correctional center (Credit: Laurel County Sheriff's Office).
