'Operation Ice Cream:' 10 arrested in Springhill drug bust

Springhill Police Chief Will Lynd says crystal meth and Xanax bars were used in the reverse... — Springhill Police Chief Will Lynd says crystal meth and Xanax bars were used in the reverse sting operation.

Meetings were arranged for the drug deals at a local hotel, and the arrests were made after the... — Meetings were arranged for the drug deals at a local hotel, and the arrests were made after the deals were done with undercover agents.

SPRINGHILL, LA (KSLA) - Ten people are facing charges following an undercover drug operation Wednesday night in Springhill, the first of its kind in the town.

Operation Ice Cream was headed up by the Springhill Police Department with assistance from the Webster Parish Sheriff's Office, Bossier City PD, Bossier Sheriff's Office, Louisiana State Police, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and sheriff's deputies from Union and Columbia counties in Arkansas.

"Well Springhill is a small department so without everyone pitching in and helping out, it wouldn't have been successful," said Springhill Police Chief Will Lynd.

Lynd explained the operation was a reverse sting using a confidential informant offering meth and Xanax bars. Meetings were arranged for the drug deals at a local motel. Police rented out three motel rooms, two were filled with officers utilizing surveillance equipment borrowed from the FBI. The arrests were made after the deals were done with undercover agents. Only one man resisted an arrest, pulling a knife on officers.

According to Lynd, the sting is all part of a 6 month investigation and two weeks worth of planning.

"You know there are several messages we want to send, number 1, we're not out here trying to hurt anybody, we're just doing our jobs and trying to make a safe community for everyone that lives here," said Lynd.

"Number 2 is if you are going to be in that type of activity, don't come to Springhill, don't come to these surrounding areas because we are doing our jobs," he said.

Chief Lynd says the suspects weren't just from Springhill, but all over northwest Louisiana, including Homer, Sarepta and Taylor, and other areas in Webster, Bossier and Claiborne parishes.

Arrested were:

Marie Morgan, 56, of Taylor, Ar.
Charged: poss. Sch. IV Xanax and meth

Jake Lewis, 33, of Shongaloo, AR
Charge: resisting arrest and poss of meth

Thomas Welch, 34, of Homer
Poss of Meth and poss drug paraphernalia

Lynn Budwah, 31, of Sarepta
Poss of meth

Amanda Bisceglia, 25, of Plain Dealing
Criminal conspiracy to poss Sch II CDS

Ray "Billy" Gordon, 51, of Plain Dealing
Poss. With intent distribute meth

Mack Cox, 37, of Springhill
Poss of meth and poss of drug paraphernalia

Darnell Harris, 25, of Springhill
Poss with intent to distribute

Starla Largent, 28, of Sarepta
Poss of meth and poss of Clonazepam

Lynn Beene, 57, of Leton, La
Poss of meth and drug paraphernalia

All have been booked into the Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center.