A early-morning raid Friday in Newport led to discovery of a man hiding under a home's trap door, drugs, cash and ammo, authorities said.
The raid occurred about 7 a.m. at a home on wooded Fox Chase Road in Newport. Taking part were the Cocke County Sheriff's Office, the TBI, Newport police, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.
They had a search warrant for the property, according to Maj. Chuck Evans of the Cocke County Sheriff's Office.
Newport and Cocke County officers "penetrated" a front window and tossed CS gas into the home.
About a minute later, Aspen Denton, 25, Dior D. Nathan, 28, and Audrey Jinks, 45, came out and were handcuffed. It was Denton's home.
Denton told Evans no one else was in the home. That wasn't true, however.
Area firefighters helped clear the home of the gas. Authorities moved in for a closer search.
"During the course of the search, a trap door was found in the living room floor under a chair," according to a release from Evans.
A K-9 officer flushed out Eric Campbell, 47, hiding below under a blanket.
A search of various parts of the property revealed baggies, multiple scales, guns and ammo, drugs, ledgers, jewelry and bank receipts, among other items, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Nathan was carrying $2,386 in cash.
Denton and Nathan are charged with possession for resale of heroin. Campbell had numerous outstanding warrants in Criminal Court and was taken into custody.
Jinks was freed.
Evidence was seized and is being analyzed, authorities said.
