Jose Prieto sought out someone with a strong business background to help him earn money to pay off the cartel. } Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A locked padlock You have permission to edit this article. }); An Owensboro Drug Trafficking Organization is behind bars and charged with multiple felonies after being caught with 151 pounds of methamphetamine, 3.5 pounds of counterfeit pills with suspected fentanyl, and other drugs, U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman announced on Tuesday. This case demonstrates the value of law enforcement relationships for Corrections Professionals. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. An investigation that began. 9An investigation that began with five arrests in January on federal drug charges has resulted in 15 indictments by a federal grand jury and the . Courtney Willis, 26, a Greenhill drug ring associate, allegedly stole meth from the organization and returned to his home state of Michiganto visit family in Muskegon Heights, a three-hour drive northwest of Detroit near Lake Michigan. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Wathana Insixiengmay, 34, of Nampa, was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison for possessing, with the intent to distribute, 15 pounds of fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. Hallpumped the gas and struck a police car. If convicted, the charges carry no less than a mandatory 10 years in federal prison. A prior conviction could mean a sentence from 10 years to life in prison and no less than eight years of supervised release. Ryan Thruston, 33, 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. Upon conviction, the conspiracy charge carries a penalty of five to 40 years in prison, a maximum fine of $5 million and no less than four years of supervised release. Darrion Lamont Moody, 35, of Evansville, Indiana has been charged with Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. 00 Qbcore Scripts Qbus Bank Truck Robbery $ 40.DRUG SCRIPT FIVEM | GTA 5 ROLEPLAY SERVER | QBCORE FRAMEWORK Required minumum $5 of patreon membership. else { As a result of those search warrants, law enforcement seized additional methamphetamine, counterfeit pills containing suspected fentanyl, marijuana, firearms, and over $325,000 in cash. Kala Kachmar is an investigative reporter. Said Owensboro Police Chief Art Ealum. Additionally, Mr. Cason is charged with Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking for events occurring on or about January 13, 2021. Thomas was charged with four counts of wanton endangerment. 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. The original story from Aug. 19, 2021, is below. I take her to the bus. Others are dead or at large. A nine-page federal indictment accuses 10 people of running the drug trafficking gang. Bench exodus: Louisville judge known for his bowties and odd humor to retire. Police say the. That's where interdiction agents with the 18th Judicial Drug Task Force stopped a rental car for traveling too close to another vehicle. Copyright 2021 WAVE 3 News. Investigators suspect that during 2016-2018 drug ring members alsowere involved inat least four deaths in Michigan, Kentucky and Mississippi. Press Release. Stepp later told police the three had flown on one-way tickets to Phoenix to buy meth and possibly heroin to bring back to Louisville, according to an investigatory letter in Kentucky court records. Mr. White has also been charged with Distribution of Methamphetamine for events occurring on or about October 1, 2019. Muskegon police told reporters the number of gunshots indicatedsomeone wanted to senda message. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. }); //WD-2023 var myObj_closing = JSON.parse(data); var count_closing = myObj_closing.count; All rights reserved. Louisville gun violence on a record pace in 2020, How can city slow its rampant gun violence? Pair indicted for 20-pound meth bust. Andre Ross, Robert Ross, and Seiko Ross are also individually charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Dyke is prosecuting the case. Its the group WAVE 3 News uncovered that paid the bond for Kevon Lawless, he man suspected of killing Randolph and Waddles. "This type of collaboration is crucial as we continue to focus our efforts on the most significant drivers of violence in Louisville. District 03 - Bowling green, Warren County. In a photo posted on her Facebook page, she is smiling with her young son and daughter. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. A lock ( That's when his estranged father came knocking. 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. Police said the large drug bust was just one of. The U.S. Advertisement Court documents. Five of the defendants face additional firearms and trafficking charges. Reach her at 502-582-4469; kkachmar@courierjournal.com or @NewsQuip on Twitter. CLARKSVILLE Two men have been arrested and more than $3 million seized in cash and drugs as part of a bust into a multi-state drug operation. If convicted, the charges carry no less than a mandatory 10 years in federal prison. Lock Investigators say they're members or associates of the "local drug trafficking organization and street gang"called "Everybody Shines Together.". "To those gang members who continue to operate with a blatant disregard for your fellow citizens, know that we are working tirelessly to identify, investigate, and apprehend you and your associates.". ", FBI Louisville is committed to helping reduce the unacceptable level of violence that is plaguing our city. Following the seizure of the narcotics in Oklahoma City, Watkins and the other four suspects were charged in a criminal complaint with conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, and 400 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. All rights reserved. In addition, court records show Andre, Robert and Seiko Ross wereindividually charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Cory Ross was sentenced Jan. 26, 2023, to nine years in prison and five years of supervised release. LOUISVILLE, Ky. As Louisville Metro Police Detective Darrell Hyche stepped toward a white pickup truck to make a traffic stop, a gunman fired bullets into his face and head. Beshear says 3 killed in Kentucky during severe storms Friday, Lawsuit claims Louisville pool company spent customer money on Vegas vacations and plastic surgery, Louisville roofers share tips for assessing, repairing roof damage from strong winds, Friday school cancelations will change last day of school date for some Kentuckiana districts, WDRB FCC Applications & Related Materials. 18, 2021 at 3:51 PM PDT LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Metro Corrections Officers made a large drug bust while doing a home incarceration, or HIP check, which yielded drugs, guns and thousands of dollars in cash. A major drug ringhas been brought down with the arrest of 14 members of one of Louisville's "most violent" neighborhood gangs, federal officials announced Tuesday. The investigation is being led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (Evansville Indiana Resident Office, Albuquerque District Office, Phoenix Field Division, Orange County District County Office, Oklahoma City, Flagstaff Resident Office, Paducah POD, Springfield, Missouri, and SOD); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Bowling Green, Kentucky; HSI Oklahoma City; Owensboro Kentucky Police Department, Daviess County Sheriffs Office; Criminal Interdiction Team of Central Oklahoma; Oklahoma County Sheriffs Office; Oklahoma City Police Department; Arizona Highway Patrol; and the Daviess County Commonwealths Attorneys Office. The cartel routinely sent large shipments of meth across the border into California and from there, the Prietos coordinated the distribution across the country. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made SAN ANTONIO A San Antonio woman was sentenced Tuesday in federal court in San Antonio to 100 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Rattled residentsand many officers didnt know at the time of the Feb.1, 2018, shootout in Buechel, Kentucky, that the men inside the pickup were connected to a much largerdrug trafficking organization one that lured violent gangs from Detroit and ordered millions of dollars of methamphetamine fromMexicos infamous Sinaloa Cartel. Stone, 42, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel to two counts of SYRACUSE, NEW YORK Omar Fuentes, 26, of Syracuse, New York, was sentenced yesterday to a total of 121 months in prison for his involvement in a conspiracy involving the distribution of heroin and cocaine, and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of that conspiracy. HBO host Bill Maher argued that the "dissenters" during COVID have been vindicated following recent revelations that show they were right on various policies. LOUISVILLE,Ky. As Louisville Metro Police Detective Darrell Hyche stepped toward a white pickup truck to make a traffic stop, a gunman fired bullets into his face and head. They also admitted tomoney laundering due to the evidence unearthed by the DEA andInternal Revenue Service's Criminal Investigation. That associate would deliver the drugs to a shipper, someone designated to get the drugs to Louisville andother destinations. Police officials blamed the violent drug trade for a jarring spike inhomicides and an overdoserate that averagednearly a death a day. Federal authorities served 10 search warrants this month,seizing 400 grams of heroin worth about $40,000, 13 firearms and $328,000 in cash, he said. Our message is clear, if you distribute drugs and violate firearms laws, ATF and our law enforcement partners will work together to hold you accountable. 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. Report a crime to us anonymously. They were listening when Louis Prieto told an associate that his fatherwas upset and in Louisville and that Wiley Greenhill's life was in danger, according to a transcript of court testimony. "This is not going to stop the tsunami of gun violence we're seeing here," Brownsaid. In December, a judge sentenced Jose Prieto to serve eight years and one month in federal prison. I take her to the store. Find Drug Bust Latest News, Videos & Pictures on Drug Bust and see latest updates, news, information from NDTV.COM. As an adult, Jose Prieto settled in the Californiatown of Apple Valley, known for its fruit orchards. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. However, investigators haven't found enough evidence to file charges. Both are equally committed to ridding our community of the scourge of organized drug trafficking and keeping our citizens safe., Brothers, including one from Muhlenberg County, have been arrested in the murder of a 21-year-old woman over 10 years ago. A trusted shipper would then deliver the drugs and the Prietoassociate would leave the hotel with the drug payment. "Make sure you're on the right team.". If convicted, the charges carry no less than a mandatory 10 years in federal prison. 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. But the lead agent told The Courier Journal: "Were not fully convinced. Though it worked for awhile, eventually WileyGreenhillstarted to run up a tab with the Prietos, according tocourt records. Drug bust yields marijuana, cash and guns in Bullitt County, WATCH LIVE | Mayor Craig Greenberg provides update on severe weather in Louisville area, CRAWFORD | Shift into 'March mode' powers positive postseason start for Louisville women, Indiana wobbles but rallies past Michigan State, 94-85, AT THE BUZZER | Van Lith's first-half tear carries Louisville to 74-48 ACC Tourney rout of Wake, Kentucky, Indiana utility companies working to restore power to thousands of customers, Humana sues architect, contractors over structural defects with 40-year-old downtown Louisville tower, Louisville mayor declares State of Emergency after damaging storms roll through Kentuckiana, Man dies after crashing car into tree in Indian Hills neighborhood, Louisville police say, Tom Sizemore, 'Saving Private Ryan' actor, dies at 61, VIDEO | Louisville police release body camera footage of officer accidentally shooting 2 teenagers, Gov. A witness told Louisville police Williamson grabbed a Gucci backpack from Stepp's back seat and ran to the back of the homein the Portland neighborhood, according to a recorded police interview. (Quint) Overton, left, and two Franklin County deputies unload a van of . Ky. high school wrestling coach accused of attacking, threatening to kill wife. Yet, within three years, investigators crippled thedrug ring and sent the father and son and two dozen of their associates to federal prison. The case isn't over. Mar. "She's ready to leave," Gwynn said. (KAIT) - A multi-agency drug investigation into drug trafficking uncovered a . As the case grew more complex and widespread,ATF agents called in the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in Louisville. Louisville, KY 40202, Louisville: (502) 582-5911 In January, Sheriff Michelle Cook, along with her leadership team . Greenhill, 40, teamed with his brother, Jamarr Greenhill, 38, to summongang members from Detroit tocapitalizeon Louisville'saddiction crisis, which handed them a solid customer base. Still, the story told by agents, defendants and prosecutors in interviews or court records reveals much about thecriminal enterprise and its deadly operation in Louisville and across the country. Partygoers scrambled in another direction toward an alley. Thomas was charged with trafficking, six counts of possession of a firearms by a convicted felon and possession of drug paraphernalia. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. A locked padlock More suspected crimes linkedto the ring remain under investigation. Brett A. Coleman said his office and local law enforcementareworking with a professor, David Kennedy ofthe John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City, to bring agroup violence intervention project to Louisville, the details of which will be publicly discussed in more detail in the coming weeks. var cl_wpb_key = "9e71ca787b"; Goodman pleaded guilty in 2019 in federal court to meth trafficking and is serving a 10-year sentence. Karlchaze Thruston has not yet been apprehended at this time and is a wanted fugitive. Aryan Khan Denied Bail By . Milan Alexander, 42, who maintains residences in both Joplin and Webb City, was charged in a four-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in SPRINGFIELD, Mo. Mr. Moody has also been charged with Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl for events between on or about January 2, 2021, and January 6, 2021. I think she may have been given an ultimatum," to take her own life or the drug ring would kill her or someone she loved. If Jose Prieto worried she might spill secrets to police, he was right. Quenton Hall, an alleged Greenhill drug courier known as "Q-Tip," gunned down 27-year-old Fernandez Bowman on Dec. 2, 2016, near Algonquin Park. The sheriffs office said there are possible pending federal charges as well. The drug interdiction happened July 13 on Interstate 65 South. They formed a partnership, discussing drug shipments and prices, the agent said. During a bond hearing for Jose Prieto, federal prosecutors in Louisvillecited Pack's suspicious death asone of the reasons heposed a danger to potential government witnesses and others. Agents wouldn't give names of suspects or reveal the states involved. Louis Prieto didn't need the money. Syracuse, NY -- Four separate drug busts were announced Wednesday afternoon in Syracuse, leading to 78 arrests, 70 pounds of cocaine, 15 confiscated firearms -- including nine untraceable. The FBI says anyone with information on their whereabouts is asked to contact them at 1-800-CALL-FBI or 502-263-6000. The 7-year-oldwas killed by a stray bullet while playing in his living room in May 2017. The single most impactful way to demonstrate that the lives of Black families, their children and young men of color actually do matter in Louisville is to reduce murders and shootings in their neighborhoods, said Russell Coleman, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. The bust is part of an ongoing investigation with the DEA. According to an arrest citation, Joshua- a teacher at Pike Central High School- showed slurred . The following people are charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of controlled substances, including meth, fentanyl, cocaine and heroin: Some of the individuals are also facing other gun and drug charges. For Greenhill, a small-time criminal from Detroit, the case agent said, it was a chance to be his own boss. A South Carolina woman says police officers who pulled her over for a traffic stop saved her life after they noticed she was experiencing a medical emergency. Seven months later, a drug ring associate wasaccused of killing a man in Louisville. if (count_closing <= 0) { "We're hoping to use the momentum and the successes in this to show ourpartners we are an agency that can be worked with to help reducethe number of shootings," Brownsaid. Press Release. Her body was found July 5, 2018, on the floor of her casino hotel room with a gunshot to the head. Published: Jun. Prosecutors at the time called him a danger.. 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. The Prieto ring also is suspected offunneling a similar volume to Chicago, Atlanta,Detroit, Buffaloand cities in New Jersey, according to the DEA agent, who The Courier Journal isn't naming because of the sensitivity of his work. Investigators began to see proof of theDetroit link. Mr. McNary has also been charged with Distribution of Methamphetamine for events occurring on or about November 6, 2020. Monday when they smelled the odor of marijuana. An official website of the United States government. 17, 2021 at 3:53 PM PDT. Nick Mudd, the attorney for Robert Ross, told The Courier Journal in an email that his client "maintains his innocence and looks forward to defending these allegations in court.". DEA agents led the three-year investigation anddubbed it "Operation Triple Crown," the pinnacle of thoroughbred racing, as they worked to track the pipeline's origins fromLouisville and Detroitback to the father-and-sonsuppliers in California. Federal prosecutors will seize millions in cash and several pieces of jewelry of untold value from two men who operated retail locations in . According to the sheriff's office, a woman was found inside the garage there with a gunshot wound to the back. U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Kentucky, Owensboro Drug Trafficking Organization Members Indicted For Methamphetamine And Fentanyl Trafficking Operation, Two Louisville Men Sentenced to 32 Years and 11 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl Distribution, Drug Conspiracy, and Firearms Offenses, 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.