A Cherokee County woman wanted on outstanding charges is being extradited to Alabama after she and another suspect were apprehended during a large drug investigation at a Tennessee marina, authorities said Thursday.
According to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were investigating the Harbor Lights Marina in Harrison, Tennessee, on Thursday morning when they came across Jessica Shaw and Justin Brakefield, both wanted fugitives.
Deputies said the couple was hiding inside a boat when law enforcement surrounded the scene.
“After refusing to follow commands, deputies established a perimeter,” the sheriff’s office said. “The suspects later surrendered without incident.”
During a check of the vessel, investigators discovered a stockpile of illegal substances, including:
- 12 grams of fentanyl
- 10 grams of methamphetamine
- 9 grams of THC products
Shaw and Brakefield were arrested and sent to the Hamilton County Jail.
Investigators verified that Jessica Shaw will be extradited to Cherokee County, Alabama, where she is wanted on unrelated charges.
Meanwhile, Brakefield was discovered to have many open warrants in multiple places and is currently detained in Tennessee pending additional judicial processes.
Authorities claimed Brakefield had a criminal past in Alabama, including previous offenses for receiving stolen items and being prohibited from carrying a firearm.
The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office says it is working with Tennessee officials to guarantee that both individuals are prosecuted in their respective jurisdictions.
“We’re grateful for the quick work by Hamilton County deputies in safely apprehending two wanted individuals,” an Alabama law enforcement source said. “This kind of collaboration helps get dangerous drugs and offenders off the streets.”
The bust adds to Alabama’s growing number of fentanyl-related cases, where the synthetic opioid is fueling an increase in overdoses and trafficking arrests.
According to the Alabama Department of Public Health, fentanyl currently accounts for more than 70% of all overdose deaths statewide.
Law enforcement agencies around the Southeast are increasing cross-state operations against fentanyl and meth distribution networks.