Three arrested in Sabine County meth operation

SABINE COUNTY — Three individuals were arrested Sunday as part of an ongoing Sabine County drug operation targeting methamphetamine distribution, according to our news partner KETK. Rotheria Andrew Sowell, 43, Phillip Eugene Wiseman, 56, and William Michael Lloyd, 58, were all taken into custody on meth-related charges. Sowell and Wiseman, who were already being held in custody on unrelated narcotics charges, were charged with delivery of a controlled substance with Lloyd being charged for possession of a controlled substance.

The arrests are connected to the Sabine County Sheriff’s Office initiative known as “Operation Crystal Ball,” launched in March 2025 to combat meth activity in the county. Since its start, the operation has resulted in more than a dozen charges involving nearly 20 individuals, as well as the seizure of approximately 495 grams of methamphetamine. The sheriff’s office says these latest arrests signal the beginning of the operation’s final phase, which they believe has been highly effective.

Sheriff George Griffith emphasized his commitment to combating drug distribution, stating that his office intends to send a clear message to those involved in the narcotics trade: “Not in my county.”