The Lewis County Sheriff's Office's armored personnel carrier with its SWAT team rolled through the east end today. / Courtesy photo by Lewis County Sheriff's Office
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
Alleged drug dealers and users were swept up in Packwood and Morton today as the sheriff’s office and friends served search warrants.
Eight people were arrested altogether in what Lewis County Sheriff Steve Mansfield is calling “Operation Merry Christmas”. Three of them were wanted on unrelated outstanding warrants, according to the sheriff’s office.
Mansfield said some 15 or more officers from four agencies participated starting at 9 a.m. at the 100 block of Edmonds Road in Packwood.
The action followed a three-month investigation by the Lewis County Regional Drug Task Force, which had been conducting undercover “buys”, according to the sheriff.
According to a news release from the sheriff’s office:
Arrested were Sherri J. Hamrick, 46, for four counts of delivery of methamphetamine; James D. Hamrick, 29, for two counts of delivery of methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm; and Amaris R. Smith, 21, for possession of methamphetamine. All are Packwood residents.
Two individuals were picked up in elsewhere for warrants. They are Bradley J. Miller, 35, of Packwood, found at the 100 block of Mount Rainier Drive; and Effren E. Barron, 40, found at the 12900 block of U.S. Highway 12.
Mansfield said officers came across a small marijuana grow today, and seized one-eighth of an ounce of suspected methamphetamine.
The news release went on to name:
Venus D. Hamilton, 48, was arrested in Morton on the 900 block of Davis Lake Road for delivery of methamphetamine.
Then law enforcement moved to another location on the 6300 block of U.S. Highway 12 in Morton where they picked up two others.
They are Brandon Piatt, 31, of Glenoma, for four counts of delivery of methamphetamine; and Sheila Schmitt, 44, of Morton, for possession of narcotics.
Mansfield said more arrests are expected in the East End over the next two weeks.
One Packwood resident on Edmonds Road told the sheriff she couldn’t thank him enough for cleaning up the drug dealers in her neighborhood, Mansfield said.
“It’s quite touching to have some hug you and say ‘thank you, thank you, thank you’,” Mansfield said.
The sheriff credited Lewis County Sheriff’s office Sgt. Rob Snaza for putting together the operation.
Assisting the task force and other deputies were members of the Centralia Police Department, the state Department of Corrections and the Washington State Patrol.
All were booked into the Lewis County Jail.
“This Christmas they’ll be spending it in my jail, unless they find a way to bail out,” Mansfield said. “Which, I hope they don’t.”
•••
CORRECTION: This news story has been corrected to reflect the noontime arrests of Brandon Piatt and Sheila Schmitt on the 6300 block of U.S. Highway 12 took place in Morton, not Packwood as the sheriff’s office incorrectly reported to the news media.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Thank God for what happened back then. Truly it saved my life. I am clean now and happily married to Sheila Piatt. I’m just sorry that it took what it took for me to open my eyes. I pray for anyone who is a slave to their addictions. I may miss my beautiful daughter but as far as her mother is concerned, i would rather spend an eternity in prison then to have to ever look upon her or hear from her ever again. Though,I do pray for her. She is just a miserable person and I feel sorry for my daughter for having to live with her. I love you Alexis.
So, here is a summary of what has happened so far:
S Hamrick: Pleaded guilty on 3/16/2012. Sentenced the same day. Currently in the Washington Corrections Center for Women.
J. Hamrick: Pleaded guilty on 1/24/2012. Sentenced the same day. Currently in the Washington State Penitentiary.
A. Smith: No charges, apparently. At least not in Lewis County Superior Court.
B. Miller and E. Barron: Both are having their issues with the courts. They’ll be back…
B. Piatt: Pleaded guilty on 1/25/2012. Sentenced on 3/28/2012. Currently in the Washington Corrections Center.
S. Schmitt: Case is still in Lewis County Superior Court.
V. Hamilton: Case is still in Lewis County Superior Court.
Looks like the courts are starting to listen to the people, and are holding these “people” accountable for what they do.
Brandon I hope this was truely worth it. I hope you never see me or your daughter again. Hi everyone my name is Melissa Piatt and I was Brandon wife back in 2000. I agree that they all got what was coming to them. Brandon chose this life over me and his daughter. I just hope it was worth it. I know me and her have a better life without him and his problems.
I am so sorry you all have to read this crap I will no longer bee the low life she is being.
Thank you to who ever you are for telling the truth on here about me…Just Thank You!!!!!!!Sorry again..But thank you for seeing it in her typing..
i think that you get what you deserve!! lewis county is soo full of drugs its crazy! And the said thing is that the old tweakers are selling and teaching the young ones and everything is going to shit!!
Bahahahahaha isnt it so funny when u know when a bust is going to happen and they still think they r ur best friends lol hope you guys go down hard!!!
* just noticed all my typos….sorry. Heat of the moment =)
Still waiting to see how Susan is going to answer the question(s) presented to her? You have never been shy before lets hear it…..Really wanna now what your reaction is if one of your grandids got ahold of this bad batch???
Thank you NA, I just think everyone should be educated befor passing such judgements. And I have NEVER in my life met a family rich or poor with “perfect” family tree branches.
And I agree Busty a child always needs a mothers support lie I said right wrong or indifferent. But then some people are incapable of love let alone the unconditional kind.
In sabrinas defence she was/is grasping for help for her son…reaching out to her home in Lewis county, I know it is sometimes hard to understand the points Sabrina is making but she is under emence stress as you can imagine. Please bear with her as she is just being a MOTHER and doing anything and everything she can and reaching out to anyone for help, as you can see her father has past away, she just lost her son behind prison walls at the age of 22, and she still believes in him as any MOTHER would, and on top of all that well you can all see Susans own words about her daughter and grandson.
Head up Sabrina you are being a very good mother. YOU know what unconditional Love is. I am sorry some don’t.
Well said, BustyBabe. Support your loved ones when they have these problems, for that might be the only support they have. At the same time, hold them accountable for their actions.
Just remember: denial goes both ways.
im sick of the damn personal business between Susan and Sabrina all over the sirens! ok we get sabrinas,i beleive son killed a baby,well hes in prison AND SAYS HES INNOCENT,,WELL JUST BE BY HIS SIDE AS LONG AS U BELIEVE IN HIM,.SABRINA,, NOW SUSAN,I DONT GIVE A DAMN WHAT LIFESTYLE A CHILD LIVES.,U SUPPORT THEM MENTALLY IF NOT ANYOTHER WAY,I HAVE BEEN CLEAN SINCE 1994 AND DONE SOME SHADY STUFF WAY BACK WHEN BUT MY MOM WAS ALWAYS THERE FOR ME,,SHE BELIEVED IN ME WHEN I DIDNT,,SO QUIT BEING ATE UP WITH ANGER AND FORGIVE ,,BOTH OF U,,,NOW I DONT WANT TO HEAR ANYTHING NEGATIVE FROM U 2 OR IM GOIN OFF AGAIN,,AND I WONT BE SO NICE,,,GOD BLESS ALL OF YALL
I like what “Are you kidding” has to say. Well said.
I personally have had the inconvience of knowing two of these people who were arrested and believe they deserve to stay behind bars forever however hoping and praying everyday that these officers will read this i now state: maybe they should look at their city workers who have worked there years and so seem to run a brady bunch life on the outside but oh no fooled ones let me tell you where to go next using your selfish excuses to get caught back in meth ater years of being clean and then trying to now ruin lives and relationships remember how you felt when you lost someone close yourself and you are now doing it to other families! You are the girlfriend of a dealer,user, and city worker himself because they dont call UAs you both should be ashamed “recruiting” more company in your extracurricular activity if thats what you want to call it!!!! so to one grow up and raise your kid and the others… Just wait
And if this” Bad Batch” was to be ingested by one of your grandchildren Susan, would you feel the same? Just curious?
Susan, you don’t even know who the hell I am …yet I know who you are very well. And I am NOT a “druggie”. I am a mother and a grandmother that knows and will ALWAYS protect and love them NO MATTER WHAT!!! Unconditional love, you have a clue what that means? Your daughter has been clean for YEARS!!! IF she is a bit scatter brained right now it is due to the pressures she is under, her son proclaims he is innocent and at 22 is in prison for life and she has lost what she had as a mother also. I would be a bit of a scatter brain to if my son went to prison for MURDER on that it is possible you framed him for. I am glad you enjoy my comments why don’t you look into the words in my comments and get a frickin clue!
KCAT, as I have stated and told Sabrina many times and here is proof you are a complete stranger and you can see through the way Susan speaks what kind of person she is. I can assure you Sabrina is clean just highly upset her son is sitting in Prison for a horrible crime he swears he didnt commit. As a mother I hope I never find myself wearing Sabrinas shoes. She is very strong, she gets that from her late father Bill.
Susan its my opinion that your world must be very lonely and sad. I am NOT judgemental I simply pointed out some facts. From your own statements. Even KCAT a stranger to you seen it.
Hey, like the idea of making a bad batch of METH and then giving it away. But like I stated before don’t just put them in jail send them to Afganistan…one rifle, one bullet, and all the Meth they want. And “AREYOUKIDDING” you seem to be the most judgmental person I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading comments from. You are the worse kind of druggie!!!
My daughter has been doing drugs since she was 12 years old and to whoever said they would never turn on a child or grandchild no matter what they did….think twice because what my grandson did to a little 3 year old is absolutely horrendous. You need to see his autopsy pictures to fully understand and then you still can’t understand how anybody could do what was done to his little body. It made Sabrina go insane. She can’t accept what Todd did and has to blame someone and that’s me. So bash me all you want to people, I can’t fight a druggies lies, don’t want too but please give to any Organization for Battered and Abused children in your area in Dominick Boyd’s name. He doesn’t deserve to be forgotten
I don’t know any of these people but from my perspective it seems like this family has a serious problem of seeking attention in any form. Susan Sargent, no matter what my kids or grandkids ever did, drugs, murder, whatever, you could not pay me enough to go on a public forum and badmouth any one of them, it’s very undignified and truly does make you look like a horrible person. Sabrina Lamberton if you believe that your mother has framed your son for murder, then you need to get clean (assuming what they say is true and you do drugs, I don’t know), educate yourself and do something worthwhile to help your son. I used to be in the drug world too, and was married to one of the biggest dealers in the county and was constantly “harassed” by the police. Funny thing though, once I got out of it and stayed out of it they quit harassing me. 15 years now and haven’t had 1 problem.
I say you are sick and twisted!!! And I hope and pray you dont ever have child that tries drugs and gets a free batch!!! And as for a claim to fame….naw I am just real and I dont judge people unless I have all my facts straight. Drug users are people to as well as any other type of addict, can you honestly say that in your perfect world that you dont have an addict of any sort in your family tree. Each addict has there own story, there own reasons, there own personal demand. And I not in a claim to fame have also seen many addicts clean up and become productive! Not that everyone does and there is always the ones that wont. but nobody wants to be an addict. Why before you continue to pass judjement attend some AA meetings, go to a rehab facility and here from the “druggies” get a dose of facts and reality, just saying these are someones loved ones…and it could someday be one of your own, not that I wish that upon anyone! I happen to have a sister that is so far gone on Meth and booze I dont know that she wil ever get better. And I have done everything I can to help her, but I can’t get the law to help me because even in her state of mind they say she has a right to choose. Her mind is so impaired she doesn’t know anymore. its sad and I hate every bit of it I miss my sister. And I hate that she is such an addict, but I pray she doen’t get the bad batch either because we do love her!!!!! So as far as your bad batch, I think you are highly uneducated on this subject!
for people who have ‘known these people all their life’ … great claim to fame! The idea to vote out the crooked in Lewis County? haha.. great idea. Anywhere that it is o.k. for a drug dealers children to harass another child in school because their parents quit and do not buy from them anymore has way deeper problems than the judges. Until people start stepping up and literally taking out the trash, this shit will keep happening. so, in my opinion, everyone should arm themselves, and run these bitches out. Quit waiting for the underpaid, overworked police to do it for you. The best thing for Lewis County would be a giant load of badly mixed meth. I saw a guy on tv, in prison for manufacturing meth. He deliberately made a bad batch, and GAVE IT AWAY. Killed untold people.. What did he have to say for himself?? He was getting out in 2 years, and going to do it again. You see, they can’t charge him with murder, only manufacturing drugs, (although technically, he gave them away, so no selling charge either!)… Whadya say we import this guy to Morton??
Sabrina, you are welcome. Hold your head up girl. Your dad would be proud of your strength.
Please note that this woman Susan can not even address the issues that I have put in front of her, she rather blames VHamilton for everything instead “in a nut shell”. Susan try owning the shit you make! I have nothing more for this Susan Sargent.
Thank you so much for HELPING me, an KNOWING me & my sister & brother.Who ever you are…You have hit it right on the nose she is evil wicked an MEAN she has done something she is covering up….Her closet is so dark an full. She will pay for what she has done. There is definatly something wrong with her.. I am happy go lucky an she is a very un-HAPPY person. Tracey I am so SORRY an I will make this up to you. You all need to delete her she blocks an talks about you all to her 1 friend with that has a mental problem..you also hated. But to all on here you will here not another word about this CRAZY women…Aunt Kay so sorry!!!!!!!!!!Tracey so so so SORRY Grandma Marie was RIGHT an so was DAD……. you get tired of her lies we all can have her banned from here……
Are You Kidding:
Sabrina’s story all goes back to Venus Hamilton. In a nutshell!!!
Susan did you really just suggest that Bill was going to go blow off his own daughters head? I think you need a reality check, as Sabrina is the apple of her fathers eye, as well as her first born son. Lady it is my opinion that you have some serious issues, maybe some mental ones as well because as a mother and a grandmother I am totally disturbed at what comes out of your mouth and the thought process that you have…You do realise that it is your baby girl and your first born grandson that you are slandering in a public forum….I think your actions speak alot about you. And correct me if I am mistaken but I do believe you yourself were pretty tight with both VHamilton and her mother…..I would say “back off” as you say your daughter said to you I would say GET A LIFE AND STOP TRYING TO RUIN EVERYONE ELSES.
Maybe try taking a parenting class, or a class on human compasion and morals!! I hope you get the help you need. How sad that with such a dirty closet of your own you must pull everyone elses dirty panties out for all to see, Maybe you better check the bottom layer of your closet and dig your way out from the bottom, it may humble you!
George, Venus Hamilton has been doing drugs and selling drugs for years over there. At one time my late husband wanted to blow her head off along with his own daughters because of what they were doing to their kids. Looking back, I’m beginning to wish he had. My daughter turned her first born into a Sociopath and he’s now in prison in Boise doing Life without parol for the beating death of a 3 year old little boy last March. He’s 22 years old and his life is over. Doesn’t pay to do drugs when you’re pregnant and keep doing them after they’re born. Venus Hamilton isn’t anybodies friend. Not her Mothers or her kids. Not anybodies!!! She’s narked on every single so called friend to keep out of jail and they still “Like” her? Get real!!
I just received a text message from the daughter warning me to back off (back off what?) cause Lewis County people “Hate” me. Like I care if the Lewis County druggies like me? I have real good friends over there and they keep me posted on these people. There are more of them than listed too.
Lewis County residents keep fighting for your rights and get these people put away…forever! Or give them a rifle, one bullet, and drop them off in Afganistan.
I’m not sure who is worse, the Gestapo or the Zombies, they all lie, cheat, and steal from the honest man. Maybe they’ll cancel each other out and let the rest of live in peace some day.
Susan, there is another thread in here based on the news story that Venus Hamilton and Denise Salts (yes, THAT Denise Salts, the very one who was in the house the night of those brutal murders where she survived) were caught selling drugs (I think the official term is “delivery of a controlled substance”) to undercover officers and informants.
Salts still has her case pending in the court system. Apparently, the attempt on her life wasn’t enough to persuade her to get away from the drug scene… and this isn’t the first time she has been through the system.
In the case of Hamilton, the charges from that incident were “dismissed without prejudice”, which means that the charges may be brought up again. The thread in question, there was one person who was saying things like “My mother doesn’t sell drugs, because if she did, then she wouldn’t have to stay with friends and bum rides from everyone…” or “My mother has been through the system before, and she is clean!” Even Hamilton was chiming in on that one, talking about how the cops in this county are so unfair, crooked, etc… (gee, we all knew that, but we don’t get caught doing illegal stuff…).
Hamilton has posted bail.
J. Hamrick is still in jail.
S. Hamrick has posted bail.
Miller is still in jail.
Barron has posted bail.
Piatt is still in jail.
Schmitt has posted bail.
Smith had the charges dismissed.
So, 7 of the 8 arrested (so far) have had charges leveled against them, with 3 of them remaining in jail at the present time.
Wonder who got out before Christmas? What a shame. None of them deserve Holidays. Can hardly wait to read what VHamilton has to say on this site. WHAT A WASTE OF SKIN THEY ALL ARE!
I’m still waiting for people to chime in saying things like “They set me up” or “My mother doesn’t do that sort of thing” or other nonsense like that….
Looks like a few of them got out before Christmas. LOOK OUT, east side has their eyes on you.
It would be really nice of the law enforcement task force would clean up the whole county. Get them off the mtns, valleys, and hollers straight to prison. We need to pull together as a community and we can help the law do their jobs. It’s time to come out of our caves with our clubs! There is power in numbers and prayer. who’s in?????
What good did it do to put them in jail when the next day they are out on the street. A waste of tax payers money I guess they can sell a few more drugs.shame on the system
I am glad the sheriff office is finally cleaning up packwood
they are getting what they deserve. They have ruined many lives.
Only they need to get more of them from our town we don’t need them here thanks goes out to the sheriff department keep up the good work.
I got a call this morning from a friend in Morton who told me about the drug bust over there AND IT MADE MY CHRISTMAS!!! Kudo’s to all law enforcement officers who arrested Venus Hamilton and all her little druggie friends. She has destroyed more lives and never cared. She came over here (Grangeville) a couple summers ago to visit Sabrina Lamberton (my daughter) (another a life lost) and informed me she would NEVER stop doing drugs as she LOVED them. I asked her if she ever looked in a mirror. Poster woman for NOT doing Meth if ever there was one. Judges PLEASE keep her in prison for the rest of her life. She doesn’t belong in society, has nothing good to add to the community she lives in. In other words she’s the lowest form of humanity and who wants her living in their neighborhood? I don’t!!
@ notajoker….. Nicely said!!! and ditto!!
Someone should start keeping a running tab on which judges are cutting these drug dealers loose. And, which ones are not giving them maximum time. Then come election time vote out the ones who are putting drug dealers back in our communities and keep the judges who are taking their responsibilities seriously.
We choose who sits on the bench. Time to start keeping track of who’s doing their jobs.
Maybe the people of Lewis County will start to wake up. Realize that this is no longer sleepy hollow.
The likes of John Booth and the rest of the tweekers living in our backyard better figure out that our law enforcement people have answered the call.
Now the citizens need to get behind the cops and help put a stop to the violance, the drugs and the trash that calls Lewis County home.
Good job to the officers… A note to the courts.. please don’t put these people back on the streets till after the new year. Let us enjoy our hollidays.
I seem to remember having “VHamilton” come into this very website demanding that her name be redacted from every story about her, claiming “defamation of character” or some other stuff like that. There was all sorts of talk about how her cases were always thrown out of court, how she was “set up”, all sorts of excuses… and not once would she own up to any of it and say “yes, I’m taking personal responsibility for my actions.”
I’m glad that they caught all these folks, and hopefully, none of them will be permitted to bail out until after the new year (Welcome to reality, people. Get used to holidays behind bars!), and hopefully the courts won’t plea bargain with any of them.
Time to let the druggies know that they aren’t welcome here any more.
So did every witness against him. They pretty much told on themselves as well as Booth. The other shoe sure did fall fast!
The only good thing to say about John Booth is he sure spilled a lot of names and places where he did his drug money collecting.
Yep yep. VHamilton is the one who was arrested last spring with the Salts chick. When will these tweekers ever learn? That shit doesn’t make you smarter you know?! Kudos for cleaning it up cops. Now just keep sweeping west!
sniches get stiches and even cops hate sniches cause there all punks
Wasn’t VHamilton going on and on about how evil the Sheriff’s Office is and how they keep harassing her.
I don’t claim to be the smartest person out there, but if you get arrested for the same thing over and over again then I, the common person, would have to think that there may be something that she is doing.
Oh and I also fully expect VHamilton to be commenting on this around 2 AM when all non”energetic” people are sleeping. That is, when she gets out.
Oh and thank you Lewis County Sheriff’s Office for one of the best Christmas Presents so far.