Pulaski County Sheriff J.B. King and law officers described the investigation at a news conference here on Wednesday afternoon. They say the illegal drugs involved in the probe include ecstasy, heroin, methamphetamine, crack and marijuna.

Officers carrying 26 or 27 arrest warrants started rounding up suspects early Wednesday in Pulaski and Phelps counties. King said not that many people were arrested, however, but officers would continue looking for those named on the warrants.

King said the suspects mostly all know each other. Some of them work at Fort Leonard Wood, just south of Waynesville and St. Robert, but none are active military members. Instead, they're civilian employees of contractors on the fort.

The investigation included an undercover officer from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Cpl. Tim Hannan, who made many of the purchases from the suspects. Court records show the buys occurred as long ago as Dec. 5, 2005, and at various times since.

Other involved agencies besides the two sheriff's departments are the U.S. attorney's office, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Most of the charges already filed are by the Pulaski and Phelps County prosecuting attorneys but federal prosecutors and grand juries might also file charges.

According to online court records and information from the Pulaski County Circuit Clerk, here are people who were charged Monday, and for whom judges issued warrants, with distributing controlled substances or illegal drugs. In Pulaski County, a judge set bonds of $15,000 per charge for each person. In Phelps County, a judge set bonds of $100,000 and $250,000 for people charged there.

Pulaski County:
John McCurley Jr., Crocker [meth]
Laurie Kozuszek, Waynesville [meth, 5 counts]
Ebon Hampton, St. Robert [cocaine]
Colleen White, St. Robert [marijuana]
Darren Toney, Waynesville [oxycodone]
Emilie Toole, St. Robert [marijuana]
Garrett Rose, Dixon [hydromorphone, oxycodone]
Jerome Shelton, St. Robert [meth and cocaine]
Lainie Poppo, Waynesville [cocaine]
Anna Moore, Waynesville [cocaine, 2 counts]
Lindy McKinnon, Waynesville [meth]
Roosevelt Overton, unknown [cocaine]
Jerry Checotah, Waynesville, [cocaine, 2 counts]
Regina Carethers, St. Robert [cocaine, 2 counts]

Phelps County
Verna Sharp, Newburg
James Franks, Newburg
Laurie Kozuszek, Waynesville
Lindy McKinnon, Waynesville