Suspect had history of trafficking; police say narcotics confiscated in arrest

COALTON, KENTUCKY — A South Point man was arrested early Friday in Boyd County on multiple drug charges after deputies said he was found with large quantities of narcotics.

According to a press release from the Boyd County Sheriff’s Department, Elvis Rister was arrested in Coalton at about 1:30 a.m. and was charged with first degree trafficking in controlled substance (heroin), first degree trafficking in controlled substance (methamphetamine), first degree possession of controlled substance (cocaine), first degree possession of controlled substance (methamphetamine) and first degree possession of controlled substance (heroin).

Deputies said 21 grams of heroin, 68 grams of crack cocaine, 28 grams of cocaine and 82 grams of crystal meth were confiscated during the arrest.

Rister was taken to Boyd County Jail.

The Boyd Sheriff’s Office said they received information from other agencies that Rister was bringing the narcotics from a supply source in a major city. The investigation is ongoing.
Rister pleaded guilty in May 2015 to three counts of trafficking in drugs. He was sentenced to two years in prison, $2,500 in fines and a driver’s license suspension by former Lawrence County Common Pleas Judge Scott Bowling.

South Point Police Chief Chris Mahjer said police have raided Rister’s residence at Garden Point in South Point twice for suspicion of drug activity.

“He was not, on both occasions, the main target,” Mahjer said. “But, in the first raid, we were able to charge him.”

Mahjer said the second raid occurred while Rister was in prison.

He said police have “kept their ears open,” which led to more information and Rister’s arrest on Friday in Kentucky.

“We have a good relation with Boyd County Sheriff (Bobby Woods),” Mahjer said. “We all have the same problem with drugs.”

He said many suspects in drug activity are known to police on both sides of the river and tend to “float back and forth.”

“It’s easy to jump across the bridge,” Mahjer said. “It’s 10 minutes to Ashland. The problem is getting to everyone.”

He said Friday’s arrest was due to joint efforts between the departments.

“It’s advantageous to work with other agencies across the river,” he said. “A drug dealer lived in our town at the time and they had the opportunity to help.”

South Point Mayor Jeff Gaskin commended law enforcement for their work in the arrest.

“They work on drug problems in South Point all the time,” he said. “Just because you don’t see drug busts every day in South Point doesn’t mean that they’re not at work on it every day.”