Acworth traffic stop leads to nine arrests Monday at ‘disorderly house’

A traffic stop Monday afternoon by a Cherokee Sheriff’s Office deputy led to a drug squad search and nine arrests at an Acworth house law enforcement has become very familiar with, sheriff’s office spokesman Jay Baker said Tuesday.

At about 1:30 p.m. Monday afternoon, a deputy attempted to pull over a vehicle driven by Joshua Henry Green that the deputy said had not stopped at a stop sign. The vehicle did not stop right away, but drove a distance and pulled into the driveway of 5988 Kemp Drive, Acworth.

Since July, deputies had been to that house eight times and made 13 arrests, Baker said, bringing the total to 22 arrests with the nine made Monday. That record led to seven of the nine arrestees being charged with keeping a “disorderly house,” considered a public nuisance.

“The owners have been warned several times that they are accountable for what goes on in this home,” Baker said. “They gave their consent to search the house.”

Law enforcement was at the house from 1:30-7:30 p.m. Monday. And, while the homeowners gave consent for a search, the Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad obtained a search warrant and joined in the operation.

The afternoon began with the traffic stop, in which the deputy said Green threw some methamphetamine on the ground after the pulled over. Two other people who had been standing in the yard, fled into the house and were dis-covered trying to dispose of methamphetamine in a toilet, Baker said.

After the owners Kenneth and Leonard Bates gave their consent to a search, and deputies discovered two other people in the basement, who were arrested on drug charges.

Baker said several of those arrested are known to be affiliated with gangs. The house is located within a mile of Oak Grove Elementary School.