One died, and the other got away. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.. While the department had received court approval for a no-knock entry, the orders were changed before the raid to knock and announce, meaning that the police had to identify themselves. The Indictment follows criminal complaints filed against 5 members of the organization in January 2021 and the seizure of approximately 151 pounds of methamphetamine, 3.5 pounds of suspected fentanyl disguised as pharmaceutical pills, multiple firearms, and over $350,000 in United States Currency. 717 West Broadway
[41] Cornbread Hemp was featured in the November 2019 print edition of High Times magazine. ", "He tried to stay in the dark," Williams told the Courier Journal. City officials banned the use of no-knock warrants on June 11, 2020. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. "He didn't want to meet me or come to court. Our office has confiscated nearly 22 pounds of crystal methamphetamine this year alone, the sheriff stated. Two men wouldgo to the front, two to the side, others to the back of the house, with the lookoutscanning the perimeter from the getaway car. Members of this group profited from catalytic converter thefts, numerous burglaries and thefts across the county, he said, explaining the organized crime charge. DEA agents, assisted by Louisville Metro Police detectives,had been building their case against the trio since late 2016. Frankly, probably, we started with reading Wikipedia like anyone else"[35], A series of unsolved murders in Bardstown, Kentucky have been incorrectly attributed to the Cornbread Mafia. Lock Accused drug lord Javier Humberto Navarro Rodriguez, his suspected right-hand manDwain Claude Castle and alleged hit man Charles Orlando Cater not only teamed to kill Ramirez, federal agents say, but they also were searching for another man they had marked for death. [37], In June 2018, singer/songwriter Tyler Childers held a benefit concert for Johnny Boone at Gravely Brewery in Louisville, telling an interviewer from the Louisville Eccentric Observer: "I read the book [Cornbread Mafia] that Jim Higdon came out with, and I got some friends from over my way that were friends with Johnny people that I hold in high regard, and people that hold him in high regard. The blasts echoedat least 10 times. LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - Authorities say they've broken up a major drug trafficking ring in Louisville. Meth crisis:Mexican drug cartels saturate U.S. with deadliest meth ever. James Antonio Smith, 37, of Owensboro, Kentucky, has been charged with Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. [43] In May 2020, Higdon was featured in a Q&A with Forbes contributor Warren Bobrow, the Cocktail Whisperer; and Cornbread Hemp products were featured in Whole Foods Magazine. InJanuary2018, agents were hiding nearby when they claim Rodriguez and Castle hopped into a BMWsentfrom a California drug supplier on a car-hauler. Investigators rushed to convince a judge they had enough evidence to arrest Rodriguez, Castle and Cater the accused drug lord, his suspected right-hand man and the alleged hit man. The kidnappersheaded southeast of the airportto Moore High School, on Outer Loop in Highview,and forced the teens to strip. Paducah:(270) 442-7104. [citation needed], The most notable member of the Cornbread Mafia was Johnny Boone, arrested in 1987 as the ringleader of a marijuana operation in Minnesota, for which he served about 15 years in prison. Kentucky Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Forces. Glasscock was arrested as a college student in the late 1990s as part of a drug trafficking ring operated by his father. [email protected], visit ourFacebook pageorTwitter feed. I commend the DEA for spearheading the criminal investigation into this activity as well as our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners both here in the Commonwealth and from across the U.S. - who assisted in the effort., DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Michael Gannon said, Operation Reapin Benefits in support of DEAs Operation Crystal Shield, was a perfect example of how local, federal and state law enforcement partners collaborated at the highest possible levels and crushed a violent drug trafficking organization operating out of Owensboro, Kentucky, Louisville, Kentucky, Orange County, California, Phoenix, Arizona and ultimately Mexico., During the course of this investigation the fine men and women of the Owensboro Police Department, the Daviess County Sheriffs Office members of the DEA Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) River City Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives conducted ten judicially authorized federal write-taps on members of this Owensboro based drug trafficking organization which to date has resulted in the seizure of (238) pounds of methamphetamine, (81) pounds of marijuana, (4.5) pounds of fentanyl pills, (20) ounces of cocaine, (23) firearms including assault rifles with high capacity magazines, $350,000 USC, (6) vehicles, and the arrest of 28 individuals on federal/state drug charges. In December 2022, a lawyer for Ms. Taylors boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, said that the city of Louisville had agreed to pay $2 million to settle lawsuits brought by Mr. Walker. On Feb.23, teams of heavily armed agents and local police were ready to swarm the southern Jefferson County stash houses,the accused hit man's house in Okolona andthe alleged drug lord's home in Oldham County. Agents rushed to court to renew itbut weren't able to intervene in time. Shortly after midnight on March 13, Louisville police officers executing a search warrant used a battering ram to enter the apartment of Ms. Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency room technician. Breonna was a woman who was figuring everything out in her life, who had turned a corner, said Sam Aguiar, a lawyer representing Ms. Taylors family. But Rodriguez never responded to his defense attorney's calls or letters urging him to sign the plea documents. That's when Rodriguez was initially pulled over in Louisville for driving 65 in a 55 mph zone. Have a question about Government Services? Joe Keith Bickett, The Origins of The Cornbread Mafia, A Memoir of Sorts. Jamie Hendershot, 30, of Frankfort, engaging in organized crime, a Class B felony, and theft by unlawful taking ($500 or more but less than $10,000) and receiving stolen property (less than $10,000), both Class D felonies. Four days after Williams withdrew fromRodriguez's traffic case, federal and local police swarmedto arrest Rodriguez, Castle and Cater. Ten catalytic converters were reported stolen by Stigers, who offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. The police had been investigating two men who they believed were selling drugs out of a house that was far from Ms. Taylors home. Marshals Service. He says deputies were called to a home on Grundy Road outside of Somerset. By Richard A. Oppel Jr.,Derrick Bryson Taylor and Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, [Update: A former police detective has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, admitting she had helped mislead a judge into authorizing a raid of Breonna Taylors apartment.]. But soon he realized the truck had left. Investigators say they used GPS tracking to follow the men on drug buying trips from Louisville to Indianapolis, Memphis, Arizona and Mexico. According to FCSO detectives, several stolen catalytic converters were found at another location. Mr. White has also been charged with Distribution of Methamphetamine for events occurring on or about October 1, 2019. He told The Courier Journal that Ms. Taylor had no involvement in the drug trade. All rights reserved. In custody are Marcelo Carrillo Jr., Jeffrey Driskell, Donte Pullum, and Ronald Wells. When the car was spotted again, deputies pulled over the car and found a number of drug-related items including ten grams of suspected heroin, three grams of suspected meth, nine yellow pills identified as Klonopin, 15 white Hydrocodone pills, and another unlabeled bottle containing 132 pills identified as Oxycodone, ninety-one pills identified as Hydrocodone, and eleven pills identified as Hydromorphone. DEA commends the outstanding work by the United States Attorneys Office, Western District of Kentucky, the Daviess County Commonwealths Attorneys Office, and all the agencies who participated in this multi-jurisdictional investigation., These violent organizations use every means to push their drugs and criminal activities into communities both large and small, stated ATF Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the Louisville Field Division. It's part of a story the WAVE Troubleshooters have been unraveling linked to the murders of 3-year-old Trinity Randolph and her father, Brandon Waddles. All Rights Reserved. The. The Justice Department accused Mr. Jaynes and Mr. Meany of violating Ms. Taylors right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures. The Louisville Metro Police Department and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration report the agencies seized at least 8.5 kilograms of fentanyl and 20,000 to 30,000 suspected fentanyl pills from a Louisville-area storage unit on Monday following a long-term investigation. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. In January 2018, a shootout, a murder and an allegedplanned revenge killing forced agents' hands. But he crashed in the parking lotand never got out. They plotted a takedown. Contrary to the life sentences he was facing, Boone was sentenced to fifty-seven months by Chief District Court Judge, Charles Simpson, III, the same judge who sentenced the Bickett brothers, Jimmy and Joe Keith, in 1990. Prosecutors say one of the two armed ringleaderswas 20-year-old Cater. Mr. McNary has also been charged with Distribution of Methamphetamine for events occurring on or about November 6, 2020. Again, he ignored hiscourt hearing, prompting a judge to issuea warrant for his arrest. He was trapped. But we, you know, started poking around. "[30], For much of the 1980s, the Cornbread Mafia was reported upon by photojournalist Steve Lowery[31] of the Lebanon Enterprise, many of whose photographs are in Higdon's book. Derrick Lamont Bullitt, 37, of Louisville, Kentucky, has been charged with Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. The men and women of the Owensboro Police Department remain committed to working with our many partners to effectively reduce violent crime in our city. Invalid password or account does not exist. Your real name will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more! Deputies were told a Blue Chrysler 300 had driven in front of the home multiple times and that a gun was spotted in one of the windows. Mr. Walker said he and Ms. Taylor both called out, asking who was at the door. 'Your crown matters, too:' CROWN Act rally hits Capitol Rotunda, Interactive pet-friendly event to take place March 11 at Tractor Supply, Temper during traffic stop lands Lexington man in jail, Guest columnist: McConnell campaigns hard for more military support of Ukraine, 5 Of The Most Important Entrepreneurship Abilities, Western Hills boys basketball team closes out season with loss in regional opener. A white Louisville, Ky., police officer indicted for murder in the fatal shooting of a black teenager was fired on Thursday. The Nelson County. 2023 www.courier-journal.com. U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Kentucky, Owensboro Drug Trafficking Organization Members Indicted For Methamphetamine And Fentanyl Trafficking Operation, Louisville Man Sentenced to Over 29 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl Distribution, Drug Conspiracy and Firearms Offenses, and for Assaulting Federal Officer, Kentucky Man Charged with Running Cocaine Distribution Operation, Federal Grand Jury Indicts Louisville Felon for Illegal Possession of a Firearm and Machine Gun. Mr. Walker told investigators that Ms. Taylor coughed and struggled to breathe for at least five minutes after she was shot, according to The Louisville Courier Journal. The term "Cornbread Mafia" was first used in public by federal prosecutors in a June 1989 press conference, where they revealed that 70 men had been arrested for organizing a marijuana trafficking ring that stretched across 30 farms in 10 states stretching from the Southeast into the Midwest. Mark Burden, DirectorBluegrass Narcotics Drug Task ForceCynthiana, KY 41031 [email protected] served: Bourbon and Harrison, Mr. Thomas (Tommy) Loving, DirectorBowling Green-Warren County Drug Task ForceBowling Green, KY 42101 [email protected] served: Warren, Mr. Bruce Palmer, DirectorFADE Drug Task ForceRussell KY 41169Flatwoods, KY 41139606-836-0442 [email protected] served: Carter and Greenup, Mr. Ron Eckhart, DirectorGreater Hardin County Narcotics Task ForceElizabethtown, KY [email protected] served: Grayson, Hardin, Nelson, Hart, and Nelson, Major Michael RogersKSP - Special Enforcement Operations Division919 Versailles RoadFrankfort, KY [email protected] Served: State of Kentucky, Mr. Wayne Conn, Interim DirectorLake Cumberland Area Drug Task ForceSomerset, KY [email protected] served: McCreary, Pulaski, Wayne, Lieutenant Jesse HarrisLexington Metro Police Department Narcotics UnitLexington, KY 40507859-258-3630 [email protected] served: Fayette, Mr. Loyd Baker, CommanderNorthern Kentucky Drug Strike ForceLouisville, KY 502-574-7676, Mr. Chris Connors, DirectorNorthern Kentucky Drug Strike ForceIndependence, KY 41051859-525-6272 [email protected] Served: Boone, Campbell and Kenton, Mr. David Thompson, DirectorPennyrile Narcotics Task ForceHopkinsville, KY 42241270-885-0031 [email protected] served: Caldwell, Crittenden, Henderson Cumberland, Livingston, Lyon, McLean, Muhlenberg, Todd, Trigg and Webster, Mr. Jacky Hunt, DirectorSouth Central Kentucky Drug Task ForceRussellville, KY [email protected] served: Logan and Simpson, Justice and Public Safety Cabinet125 Holmes StreetFrankfort, KY 40601Main Line: (502)564 9564
If convicted, the charges carry no less than a mandatory 10 years in federal prison. It's a tale of three men who evaded police for years, how investigators say they came together. You have permission to edit this article. The affidavit claimed that Ms. Taylors ex-boyfriend had been receiving packages at her address, but prosecutors say that there was no such evidence and that the officers misrepresented the case to the judge who signed off on the raid. Sheriff Chris Quire estimated more than $50,000 in damage was caused to the vehicles. According to a news release, Bardstown Polices narcotics unit conducted a search warrant at a home in the 700 block of Poplar Flat Road on Friday. He argued that Cater didn't have a gun, never planned to harm anyoneand was "a calming influence" who assuredthe victims they wouldn't get hurt. But on Jan. 16, Rodriguez and Castle walked into a trap. Drug stash large enough to kill 4 million people seized in Louisville At least 8.5 kilograms of fentanyl and 20,000 to 30,000 suspected fentanyl pills were confiscated during an LMPD/DEA search on a storage unit on May 16. Shousesaid Cater, who livedin a small brickhouse east of Jefferson Mall in Okolona, worked in maintenance at an area Ford plant to provide for his wife and children before his arrest. An ambulance on standby outside the apartment had been told to leave about an hour before the raid, counter to standard practice. Still, critics say progress in the case has been slow, especially when compared with the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, where officers were swiftly fired and charged. The culprits robbed the teensthen ordered the girls, ages 16 and 19, into the trunk of the oldest girl'sblue Monte Carlo. Their products are sold nation-wide and on their website, Bickett and Boone.com. In 2016, Joe Keith Bickett self-published a first-hand account in his 2016 memoir titled "The Origins of the Cornbread Mafia: A Memoir of Sorts",[10][11][12] in which he provides a first-hand account how the term Cornbread Mafia was actually coined in September 1978. Family of Breonna Taylor, via Agence France-Presse Getty Images, Justice Department charged four current and former police officers, agreed to pay $12 million to settle a wrongful-death lawsuit, fired several officers, including Mr. Hankison, according to The Louisville Courier Journal, they knocked several times and identified themselves as police officers with a warrant, forced entry into the exterior door and were immediately met with gunfire., he feared for his life and fired in self-defense. Louisville police and the Drug Enforcement Administration arrested the trio last February before anyone else was shot. "Crazy, we didn't know anything we thought they were moving in they've been working on the house for about two years," said Jimmy Nash. She used the Open Records Act to obtain police and corrections records and decades-old case information found in archives. Nache Moore, 31, of Louisville, Kentucky, has been charged with Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. Derrick Lamont Bullitt, 37, of Louisville, Kentucky, has been charged with Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. If convicted, the charges carry no less than a mandatory 10 years in federal prison. It thenpulled up beside him, and someone began to fire a gun. Federal and local police swarmedto arrest Rodriguez, Castle and Cater, Pullum! 65 in a 55 mph zone 55 mph zone the oldest girl'sblue Monte Carlo and... 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