Tip leads to five arrests in Big Clifty, including one of Grayson County's 10 Most Wanted

On Thursday, Grayson County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jarrod Mudd and Sgt. Clay Boone arrived at a residence on Hardin Springs Road to follow-up on a tip given by a citizen on the location of a fugitive.

Grayson County Sheriff Norman Chaffins said that upon arriving, two suspects fled out of the back of a trailer. Sgt. Boone, though, caught the suspects and took the pair back to the trailer.

Further investigation revealed the presence of multiple marijuana plants, which led to the arrest of 83-year-old Marchmond J. Cottrell, of Big Clifty. Cottrell was charged with cultivation of marijuana (more than five plants) and lodged in the Grayson County Detention Center.

Other deputies arrived to provide assistance due to multiple people being at the residence, according to Sheriff Chaffins, with several others being arrested for outstanding warrants on multiple charges.

Those arrested included, 42-year-old Brian Keown, of Leitchfield, who was on Grayson County’s Ten Most Wanted list for failure to appear on a drug charge. He was lodged in the Grayson County Detention Center on a $10,000 cash bond.

Police have now captured seven of Grayson County’s Ten Most Wanted.

Also arrested was 61-year-old Mark Matthews, of Sonora, a fugitive with a no bond designation. Matthews was wanted on numerous charges and was listed as being armed and dangerous, Sheriff Chaffins said.

Bryan Clark, 37, of Big Clifty, was also arrested on a failure to appear warrant, and 31-year-old Eric C. Hammond, also of Big Clifty, was arrested on a failure to appear warrant for failure to pay fines.

One tip led to the arrest of multiple fugitives and the confiscation of 80-plus marijuana plants.

“We believe that these arrests were the direct result of ‘Operation SheepDog’ that was conducted the previous day in the Big Clifty area,” Sheriff Chaffins stated. “We will continue to do operations like this one until no fugitive or drug dealer is comfortable living in Grayson County.”