Police presence for safety reasons

Two Athens, Georgia man were arrested in Oconee County and charged with crimes as part of a drug investigation conducted by the Seneca police early Sunday morning on highway 11. Chief John Covington says his officers were there as part of a mutual aid request from the Oconee Sheriff’s Department in the vicinity of the Gratifly Festival on Patterson Road. The driver of a Chrysler Concorde, David Jeremy Gillespie, was charged with four drug offenses, including the trafficking of between 100 and 500 does of LSD. Gillespie’s passenger, Stetson Paul Macias, was charged with public disorderly conduct. The police say a drug dog led them to marijuana paraphernalia, powders, and various pills for which no prescriptions were produced. The police reported $380 cash and the automobile seized after being told by narcotics officers that the threshold of the LSD was such that they could seize the car. Later, a statement from the Oconee sheriff’s Office said, “Due to the large numbers of people expected at the Gratifly event over the weekend in Oconee County, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office partnered with other law enforcement and emergency and safety agencies through mutual aid agreements to promote safety for citizens of Oconee County and those who would be visiting our county from other areas.” Statistics from the Sheriff’s Office show 137 vehicle stops, 193 tickets and warnings issued, 160 traffic violations reported. Some noise complaints were received Sunday evening.