Blount County Sheriff James Berrong said today that two Oliver Springs’ residents were arrested and charged in connection with a meth operation late Friday.
Anthony David Vann, 24, Oliver Springs, and Karen Renea Drummond, 39, Oliver Springs, were taken into custody Friday evening in Townsend.
Vann is being held at the Blount County Correctional Facility on bonds totaling $194,237 on the following charges: promoting methamphetamine manufacture, manufacture of a Schedule II controlled substance (methamphetamine), possession of a Schedule II controlled substance (methamphetamine) with intent to resell, felony reckless endangerment, evading arrest, aggravated assault, leaving the scene of a an accident with damage, driving on a suspended license, and violation of the registration law. Vann will face his charges in Blount County General Sessions Court at 1:30 p.m. May 3.
Drummond is also being held at the Blount County Correctional Facility on bonds totaling $61,000 on the following charges: manufacture of a Schedule II controlled substance (methamphetamine), possession of a Schedule II controlled substance (methamphetamine) with intent to resell, and possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance (Xanax). She will also face her charges in Blount County General Sessions Court at 1:30 p.m. May 3.
The following chain of events led to the arrests. With intelligence gathered over a two week period regarding Vann, investigators with the Fifth Judicial Drug Task Force received additional information late Friday afternoon that Vann was attempting to purchase medication containing pseudo-ephedrine – an ingredient required to manufacture methamphetamine – from area pharmacies. The investigators spotted the vehicle – a maroon Hyundai Elantra – and identified the license tag. The suspect matched the physical description they had of Vann.
They continued to follow him and attempted a traffic stop on East Lamar Alexander Parkway near Heritage High School. Vann failed to stop, and after a short pursuit, with Vann driving erratically and crossing the median several times on East Lamar Alexander Parkway, they terminated due to safety concerns. At one point during the pursuit, Vann struck a vehicle of belonging to one of the investigators. Vann’s vehicle continued toward Townsend.
A short time later, Blount County Communications received a call of an abandoned or wrecked vehicle on Old Walland Highway. A check of the vehicle by Sheriff’s Office deputies determined that it was the vehicle investigators pursued a short time earlier. Vann was not in the vehicle. A tracking K-9 was called to the scene, and a track led to the banks of Little River.
Meanwhile, narcotics investigators spotted a suspicious vehicle – a black Honda – with Roane County tags, pulling off Cameron Road in Townsend onto East Lamar Alexander Parkway. Knowing that Vann was also from Roane County, they followed the vehicle back onto Cameron Road to Rudd Road, and finally to a cabin at the dead end of Rudd Road.
At around the same time, Sheriff’s Office deputies took Vann into custody as he was walking toward Townsend on Old Walland Highway. He was taken to the Blount County Correctional Facility.
Five people, including Drummond, who is a known associate of Vann, were at the rental cabin. A consent to search the cabin turned up a non-operating meth lab, along with a jar containing meth oil.
Vann is also wanted on warrants in Knox and Roane counties.

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