A total of 22 people have been arrested in connection with an undercover drug investigation conducted by Operation UNITE and the Harlan City Police Department.

Detectives from UNITE, in conjunction with the Harlan Police Department, Cumberland Police Department, Harlan County Sheriff’s Office and the Kentucky State Police served 22 individuals with indictment warrants on Thursday and Friday.

In addition, one person was arrested for allegedly having drugs in their possession at the time the arrests took place.

One of the suspects picked up Friday, 61-year-old Freddy Soloe, of Harlan, allegedly had hydrocodone pills, a handgun, rifle and cash on him at the time of his arrest.

Soloe has a previous armed robbery conviction in Indiana and was prohibited from having firearms.

The arrests are the result of an approximately six-month investigation into the illegal sale of prescription drugs, primarily OxyContin.

Those arrested Friday on drug charges include Soloe, 61, of Harlan; Brenda Farley, 39, Harlan; Melissa Thompson, 37, of Cawood; Tonya Helton, 35, of Cawood; Terry Bright, 37, of Cawood; Paul Thomas, 30, of Lynch; Jason Wynn, 28, of Evarts; Dennis Farley, 50, of Evarts; Tara Rena Atkins, 30, of Cawood; Mark Williams, 36, of Cumberland; and Nora Helton, 34, of Cawood.