Drug raid leads to arrest

MARLOW, OK (KSWO) - A man from Marlow is out on bond Friday night after officials from the Homeland Security Department intercepted a package addressed to him that contained illegal drugs.

32-year old Morgan Whitecotton was arrested Thursday afternoon at his home in Marlow. The Stephens County Sheriff's Department worked alongside Marlow Police and the District Attorney's Task Force, going undercover to monitor Whitecotton coming and going to and from the residence. Authorities found more drugs in the home including LSD, marijuana, cocaine and items commonly used for drug distribution.

The Department of Homeland Security got involved after customs found a suspicious package entering the country from the Netherlands on July 3.  After investigating, they found it contained a drug called MDMA, which is also known as molly, or ecstasy, and it was addressed to Morgan Whitecotton in Marlow. They called local authorities on Wednesday, and that's when their investigation began.

Undercover investigators monitored Whitecotton's home and then executed a controlled delivery of the package, and waited for Whitecotton to pick it up. Once Whitecotton was seen taking the package inside, law enforcement was able to issue a search warrant. Sheriff Wayne McKinney of Stephens County says Whitecotton lives near a school as well, and he is happy to get Whitecotton off the streets.

"His home was within 2,000 feet of a school," McKinney said, "which makes it even worse. You know, where our young children are going to school. You've got people in and out of this neighborhood, which is a very nice neighborhood in Marlow, in and out of this neighborhood dealing drugs. I'm glad we were able to get it off our streets and get that individual responsible for that in jail where he belongs."

Sheriff McKinney says they are beginning to see a lot more hard drugs around the community, and he's happy to have caught Whitecotton before he was able to distribute his latest shipment.

"I'm pleased that we were able to do it," McKinney said. "No one got hurt, which is the number one goal. But this individual, we were certain that he was trafficking or selling some of these drugs."

Authorities said when they went inside the residence, Whitecotton admitted that the package was his, and that he had purchased it online from overseas. He admitted to having done this about half a dozen times in the past several months. Sheriff McKinney says he was very cooperative, and did not seem shocked.

"He wasn't totally surprised," McKinney said. "Anybody that is committing crimes, I know in the back of their minds, they have to be wondering one of these days there is going to be a law enforcement officer waiting on me."

Authorities confiscated a capsule making machine, and numerous items used to distribute drugs, as well as syringes, liquid steroids, and marijuana pipes.

Whitecotton's bond was set at $100,000, and he bonded out shortly after his arraignment. His next court appearance is set for late August.