If convicted, the charges carry no less than a mandatory 10 years in federal prison. In November 2011, President Obama granted a pardon to Les Berry, an original member of the alleged "Cornbread Mafia," who was caught in Wisconsin driving a get-away car with six other Kentucky men fleeing a marijuana farm in Minnesota in late October 1987. He pleaded not guilty and was acquitted. [28], In December 2016, President Obama granted clemency to an additional 231 incarcerated people, including another man from Marion County: Aaron Glasscock. Again, he ignored hiscourt hearing, prompting a judge to issuea warrant for his arrest. For two years, prosecutors have been building their case. Police were familiar with Castle, who had been in and out of jailfor decades short stints forburglary, cocaine trafficking and illegal gun convictions. Rodriguezdeveloped connections with varioussuppliers, federal agents sayin court documents, including ones in California and cartel members inMexico. "[17] By the end of 1991, prosecutors had arrested more than 100 members of the Cornbread Mafia, mostly from Lebanon, Kentucky. Members of this group profited from catalytic converter thefts, numerous burglaries and thefts across the county, he said, explaining the organized crime charge. That's when Rodriguez was initially pulled over in Louisville for driving 65 in a 55 mph zone. The Nelson County. No arrests have been made after a 16-year-old boy was killed and two other children were hurt in a shooting at a school bus stop in Louisville, Kentucky, according to local police. In the midst of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the Elkton prison became notorious for being overrun with the disease. Paducah:(270) 442-7104. In 2016, when a Louisville Metro Animal Services officercited Rodriguezfor not having a license for two large black dogs, Lupe and Rocky, he stayed away from the courthouse and sent Klein to make his legal problemsgo away. "He didn't want to meet me or come to court. Chance of rain 100%. James Harrod, 38, of Frankfort, engaging in organized crime, a Class B felony, and receiving stolen property (less than $10,000), a Class D felony. The next time Cater allegedly fired a gun at someone, prosecutors contend he wasn't seeking revenge; instead, they say, he snuffed out a life formoney, evolving into a professional hired gun. 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. He is accused of blanketing Louisville with deadly drugs and ordering a murder over a kilo of stolen heroin. Two were arrested in an October drug bust by the Southern Indiana Drug Task Force, that turned up $1.7 million in cash and more than $1.5 million in drugs. As the men approached the 2100 block of West Kentucky Street in the California neighborhood, someone started firing, setting off a bevy of bullets in both directions. He was trapped. The search continues for 32-year old Detrick Houseal. On a summer night in 1996, Cater and six of his buddies concocted a plan. TheDEA says the drugs were coming from Mexico to be sold in our area. Karlchaze D. Thruston, 32, 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. 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. "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. [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. "Without the prosecuting witness, they decided that they could not go forward with the trial.". "I swear you don't.". A white Louisville, Ky., police officer indicted for murder in the fatal shooting of a black teenager was fired on Thursday. Hardy was arraigned in court Monday and a preliminary hearing is set for June 1st. Richard Cason, 29, 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. Louisville police and the Drug Enforcement Administration arrested the trio last February before anyone else was shot. 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. Federal authorities served 10 search. But they couldn't find the dealer, so the crewdrove around searching for random targets. The DEA said that just one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. Lindsey was taken into custody and housed at the Nelson County Jail. They headed to a southern Jefferson County lake and settled on four teens, two boys and two girls who'd been hanging out atMcNeely Lake off Cooper Chapel Road. Your real name will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more! Agents rushed to court to renew itbut weren't able to intervene in time. While listening to wiretapped conversations between Rodriguez, the accuseddrug lord, and his alleged right-hand man,Castle, investigators say they learned of Cater's role astheir muscle. Mr. White has also been charged with Distribution of Methamphetamine for events occurring on or about October 1, 2019. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Ten Louisville residents have been charged as part of a bust targeting a Louisville drug trafficking organization, according to the Federal Bureau of. Low near 45F. Investigators said seven search warrants were obtained, resulting in the 20 arrests. WhenOldham County sheriff's deputies stopped his maroon Chevypickup at a safety check pointlast year, he still didn't have proof of a valid driver's license, registered tags orinsurance. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - A gang of drug dealers accused of selling meth, fentanyl, and cocaine has been busted by FBI and Louisville Metro Police investigators. Copyright 2022 WAVE via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. A third officer facing the federal charges, Brett Hankison, was the only officer to face state charges in the raid. 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. [33] There is also a song by Molly Hatchet called Cornbread Mafia (on the Kingdom of XII album), and a now-defunct band that called itself Cornbread Mafia. Daviess County Sheriff Keith Cain said, These indictments are the result of an ongoing investigation that initially identified (5) Co-conspirators in a major narcotics criminal enterprise operating in the Owensboro-Daviess County area. Ms. Taylors family has long pleaded for justice, and her case began to draw national attention in May 2020. They are scheduled to be arraigned on November 22. An ambulance on standby outside the apartment had been told to leave about an hour before the raid, counter to standard practice. Castle insists thatCater alone fired the fatal shots, an account police say is backed up by their investigation. All three have pleaded not guilty to federalcharges ofconspiracy to distribute heroin and methamphetamine,using a gun in a crime of violence or drug trafficking, and murder. Now, they believe they have powerful evidence that may put thetrio away for good: Surveillance of a large drug shipment hidden in a luxury car. Hisattorney, Christopher Klein,showed up in his place at a hearing three months later, convincing thejudge to order police to return his money. Samuel White, 27, 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. President Barack Obama granted clemency to three men from Marion County, Kentucky; all were either directly or indirectly connected to the Cornbread Mafia. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. Internal documents describe the proposed CCE prosecution as "futile" because of the group's collective silence. Agents using wiretaps say they overheard the suspecteddrug lord, Rodriguez, and his alleged right-hand man,Castle,discussinga$30,000 payment to Cater to gun down Vicente Rodriguez Ramirez and another man they blamed for the heroin theft. The bust is part of an ongoing investigation with the DEA. Investigators say Rodriguezconsidered having that man killed, too. There was a problem saving your notification. Rodriguez claimed it was payment for hanging drywall, but he didn't have invoices or receipts. 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. Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE/Gray News) - Authorities in Louisville are investigating a drug bust where officials said they found enough narcotics to wipe out the entire city of Los Angeles. Three years and 11 months from the day he walked out of prison,police allege that his crimes escalated, nearly costing a man his life. Alyssa Bruce, 30, of Frankfort, engaging in organized crime, a Class B felony; tampering with physical evidence, a Class D felony; and two counts of second-degree persistent felony offender. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. He eased alongwhen a red truck approached from behind. Our office has confiscated nearly 22 pounds of crystal methamphetamine this year alone, the sheriff stated. Jeremy Poiles, 39, of Owensboro, Kentucky, has been charged with Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. [20] The cornbread mafia has been brought up in the Summer Wells disappearance case. The passenger ran behind the apartment buildingbut was quickly cornered by police. Another officer among the four, Kyle Meany, was fired by the Louisville Police Department on Aug. 19. Investigators saidthey tracked Castle'sblack Tahoeto one of the hiding spots, a modest brick home on Dominique Drivein the Highview area. Two fishermen freed them. [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. [5] and the groups ultimate downfall in the late 1980s. Investigators claimthey listened in on calls as Rodriguez, the accused and embittered drug lord,began plotting his revenge against the new customer and Ramirez. [24] Boone was represented by attorneys C.Thomas Hectus, Henry Stephens and Elmer J. George. Ms. Taylor had been dating that man on and off for several years but had recently severed ties with him, according to her familys lawyer. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. 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. That included hiring and paying Cater for the murders, agents said. If convicted, the charges carry no less than a mandatory 10 years in federal prison. The woman couldn't have knownthat two boys werelocked inside the trunk, praying not to die. A year after the killing, a makeshift memorial outside the Valero gas station still stands, and Ramirez'sphotorests beside a large teddy bear at the base of a tall, white wooden cross. A locked padlock Let this be an example, if you are stealing from others and victimizing citizens in Franklin County, just know that you are on our radar and we will soon be knocking on your door, Quire warned. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The kidnappersheaded southeast of the airportto Moore High School, on Outer Loop in Highview,and forced the teens to strip. Prosecutors say one of the two armed ringleaderswas 20-year-old Cater. All Rights Reserved. Officers find enough fentanyl to kill 4 million people in drug bust, officials say, Murdaugh defense to make closing arguments at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Murdaugh Trial, Day 26: Testimony gets heated during states rebuttal, One dead, driver and 3-year-old injured during crash in Greer, Biden begins push for funding for pandemic fraud measures, Spectators awed as SpaceX launches astronauts to ISS, kelli.radcliff@foxcarolina.com - 864-213-2103. - The last of 26 defendants charged in the largest Jefferson County, Kentucky drug trafficking organization was sentenced in United States District Court this week, by Senior Judge Charles R. Simpson III, for his role in the distribution of cocaine, brought into the United States through a Mexican drug cartel, to metro Louisville for Ms. Taylors family has disputed the polices claim that the raid had to be conducted in the middle of the night. Are Multiple Unsolved Murders In This Kentucky Small Town Somehow Connected? Seven people were indicted by a Franklin Circuit Court grand jury Tuesday on a variety of charges including catalytic converter thefts, armed drug trafficking and organized crime. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. Following national demonstrations in 2020 over police brutality and systemic racism, Louisville officials banned the use of no-knock warrants, which allow the police to forcibly enter peoples homes to search them without warning, and fired several officers, including Mr. Hankison, who was found to have shown an extreme indifference to the value of human life.. [6], Bickett wrote his memoirs "The Origins of the Cornbread Mafia, A Memoir of Sorts" and "Cornbread Mafia, The Outlaws of Central Kentucky" while incarcerated in the 1990s but did not publish his books until several years after his release from federal prison in 2011[7], Higdon's book reports that assistant US Attorney Cleve Gambill said at the June 1989 press conference: "The organization is a highly motivated, well financed group of marijuana growers from Kentucky who are responsible for growing this vast amount of marijuana [and who] call themselves the Cornbread Mafia.". Two armed ringleaderswas 20-year-old Cater it was payment for hanging drywall, he... Initially pulled over in Louisville for driving 65 in a 55 mph zone Henry Stephens Elmer., so the crewdrove around searching for random targets the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the charges carry no than! Pulled over in Louisville for driving 65 in a 55 mph zone hearing is set for June 1st were... 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