Laurel County Man Arrested in Meth Trafficking Investigation Following Search Warrant Execution

LONDON, Ky. — A high-risk drug search warrant executed by the Laurel County Sheriff's Office in collaboration with the DEA led to the arrest of a London man and the seizure of a significant quantity of methamphetamine on Tuesday, May 13, 2025.

According to Sheriff John Root, the operation was the result of an undercover investigation conducted by the department's narcotics and general investigation detectives. Law enforcement officers arrived at the residence on Newts Way, approximately four miles south of London, around 12:20 p.m. to serve the warrant.

Upon arrival, deputies encountered resistance as the suspect initially refused to exit the residence. Laurel Sheriff's Capt. Chris Edwards utilized a police cruiser PA system to communicate with the individual and ultimately persuaded him to surrender peacefully.

During the execution of the warrant, detectives discovered approximately 6.5 ounces of methamphetamine, which was taken into evidence. Authorities also reported that the suspect attempted to destroy some of the drugs by flushing them down the toilet, but was unsuccessful. Additional items recovered from the scene included drug paraphernalia such as glass pipes with residue and digital scales.

The suspect, identified as Timothy Hampton, 35, of Newts Way, London, was taken into custody and is facing multiple charges, including:

Further investigation revealed that Hampton was already wanted on two outstanding warrants. One was a Kentucky Parole Board mandatory reentry supervision violation warrant, charging him with absconding parole supervision and failing to report to his parole officer in connection to a prior conviction for receiving stolen property valued over $10,000. The second was a Laurel District Court bench warrant for failure to appear on a separate charge of possession of a controlled substance, second-degree, first offense.

Hampton was lodged in the Laurel County Correctional Center. The case remains under investigation by the Laurel County Sheriff's Office and DEA.