CROSSVILLE CHRONICLE

Michael Wayne Dietz, 49, Bartlett Road, Cookeville, remains free under $30,000 bond following his arrest last week on multiple charges of sale and delivery of cocaine, possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine, conspiracy to sell or deliver and casual exchange of cocaine.

Also charged with various counts of selling and delivering cocaine in the same case is Lori Michelle Smith, 29, Lee Ave., Cookeville. She remains free under $10,000 bond.

Investigators allege Dietz took orders and shopped for drug buyers. 13th Judicial Drug Task Force Director Bob Terry said the Task Force and Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) had been investigating Dietz for the past year.

On May 10 undercover agents allege they followed Dietz from the Cookeville area to a housing project in Nashville where"we contend he met with his source and purchased approximately one ounce of cocaine," Terry said.

As the suspect returned to Cookeville on I-40, Dietz was stopped by a Tennessee State Trooper and drug agents, one ounce of a substance identified as cocaine was seized, and Dietz was charged with possession of cocaine and released.

"We are alleging that we have now arrested the person who has been a distributor to some of the people we feel are long-standing significant players in the drug trade here," Terry told the Herald-Citizen last week.

"And this arrest does not in any way close the investigation. The agents have developed significant leads and we expect to be making more presentments to the grand jury in the near future. We've uncovered a lot of names that look like they might be tied into this."

Three cars, all Hondas, belonging to Dietz and Smith, were seized in connection with the case and state medical authorities have been notified of the case because Dietz is a practicing dentist.

Dietz through an office spokesperson said last week that he was consulting with his attorney before responding to the charges. He did say that he disputes some information being released by investigators in the case.