Wanted Man & Property Owner Arrested

By Jessie Williams 

A 65-year-old man residing in Macon County was arrested last week for possession ofmethamphetamine.

According to a report written by Deputy Clinton Friar of the Macon County Sheriff’s Department, he and Officer Jake Ayers arrived at a Pine Wood Trailer Park residence on July 19, 2022, in an attempt to locate David Troutt. 

Mr. Troutt had an active warrant out for his arrest in Sumner County, and was thought to be inside a trailer located in the back of the park property.

The owner of residence, later identified as 65-year-old Ricky Gene Gross, allowed officers inside the trailer where they found Mr. Troutt, along with a crystal substance believed to be methamphetamine and a glass pipe used for smoking meth. Troutt was arrested without incident.

While on the scene, however, Deputy Friar was advised by an individual that there were narcotics being sold at the residence by the owner, Mr. Gross. 

Officers spoke with Mr. Gross, who provided written consent for law enforcement to search the residence.

During their search, officers discovered a black bag that contained a digital scale, multiple baggies and a clear bag containing a crystalized substance, believed to be methamphetamine. 

Mr. Gross claimed the substance was for his personal use.

Also found inside the residence were four glass pipes with white residue on them, a box of zippered sandwich bags and two of the same kind of bags with the corners cut off.

According to law enforcement, individuals who sell narcotics will sometimes use sandwich bags to distribute narcotics by putting the narcotics in the corner of the bags and then cutting the bag and tying the corner up with the drugs inside. 

Mr. Gross was charged with manufacture, delivery or possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond was set at $8,000, and he is scheduled to appear in general sessions court on November 30, 2022.