Update: Pennington Gap Chief of Police arrested on drug charges

PENNINGTON GAP -- The town of Pennington Gap’s police chief is in federal custody after being arrested Thursday night on unspecified charges related to drug distribution.

Pennington Gap Police Chief Bryan Young was was arrested at the Lee County Courthouse by members of the U.S. Marshals Service, Lee County County Sheriff Gary Parsons said. Young is currently being held without bond in federal custody.

Search warrants were executed at the Pennington Gap Police Department and at Young’s residence located at at 1187 Middle Wallens Creek Road, Stickleyville. Authorities also searched the residence of Steven Fritz, 166 Trenton Mullins Road, Stickleyville.

Parsons said the arrest resulted from a multi-year investigation conducted by his office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

"This has been spearheaded by the ATF and U.S. Attorney's Office and we've been working with them for two years," Parsons said. "It involves a conspiracy... and it is an ongoing investigation."

Parsons added: “It’s sad for the profession, but there’s no excuse for a corrupt police officer. He’s got the trust of the public, and with something like this, there’s no greater violation of that trust."

Pennington Gap Mayor D.R. Carter also confirmed Young’s arrest and said federal authorities had interviewed other members of the town’s police force Thursday night as part of the investigation.

Carter declined to comment on further specifics related to the case and directed inquiries to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia.

A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office would not confirm the nature of the charges against Young in an email but said additional details regarding his arrest would be made available sometime Friday afternoon.

Carter said the town council will hold an emergency meeting for Monday to discuss Young’s arrest.

“There will be a special called meeting to deal with the issue at hand,” Carter said.

Despite Young’s absence, Carter said that the town’s six-man police department will continue to operate as usual.

“The police department is still going to be staffed and operating out of the police station,” Carter said. “Lt. Louis Mavredes will be placed as the officer in charge.”

Young spent several years as a member of the Pennington Gap Police Department before being promoted from sergeant to police chief in July 2011, Carter said.