Stuart Man Arrested in Largest Meth Seizure in Patrick County History
- BTW21
- Jul 7
- 2 min read
PATRICK COUNTY, Va. (BTW21) — A Stuart man is behind bars following what authorities are calling the largest methamphetamine seizure in Patrick County history, Sheriff Dan Smith announced Monday.
Mark Lucas Tatum, 48, was arrested on July 1 after a multi-jurisdictional investigation that spanned several agencies and involved covert surveillance, GPS tracking, and coordinated law enforcement response.
Tatum, who was out on bond from an April arrest for Felony Eluding Law Enforcement, was under court-ordered home electronic monitoring (HEM) with a GPS ankle bracelet.
According to Sheriff Smith, 1st Sergeant Barry Vipperman, who oversees the HEM program, flagged an alert after noticing Tatum was more than 150 miles outside of Patrick County—a clear violation of his court-ordered confinement.
Investigator Oscar Tejeda, assigned to the Sheriff’s Office narcotics unit, began tracking Tatum’s movements and coordinated with Virginia State Police narcotics agents to prepare for his apprehension.
“Because of Tatum’s history of reckless eluding, we assembled a takedown team consisting of deputies, troopers, and a K9 unit from the Martinsville Police Department to ensure he would be safely removed from the highway if he attempted to flee,” Sheriff Smith stated.
The operation culminated in a vehicle stop on Via’s Orchard Road, just off U.S. 58, where Tatum was taken into custody without incident.
Authorities recovered more than seven pounds of suspected methamphetamine and approximately three ounces of cocaine mixed with fentanyl from Tatum’s vehicle.
The combined estimated street value of the narcotics is approximately $200,000, with potential to supply more than 3,000 users, according to Smith.
“We have believed for some time that Tatum is a major drug supplier to other dealers in this region,” Sheriff Smith said. “This arrest is a critical step in dismantling a broader criminal network, and more of his allies will fall.”
Tatum is currently being held without bond for violating HEM protocol. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) are also involved, as the case will be prosecuted at the federal level.
Sheriff Smith praised the seamless coordination between local and state law enforcement agencies.
“The teamwork and communication displayed during this operation were exceptional,” he said.
The investigation remains ongoing, with further arrests expected.
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