When confronted with the evidence, Rodriguez, the alleged drug lord,admitted to being "a kilogram quantity narcotics trafficker with multiple sources of supply, both in California and Mexico.". 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. Again and again failing to show a valid driver's license or proof of insurance in 10 traffic stops in Jefferson, Bullitt and Oldham counties including seven encounters with Louisville Metro Police. Ms. Taylors relatives and their lawyers say that the police never identified themselves before entering despite their claims. Mr. Walker said he and Ms. Taylor both called out, asking who was at the door. Louisvilledetectives, federal agents and prosecutorsalso wouldn'tdiscuss the case. Cellphones also helped investigators in another way: They listened in as Rodriguez, the alleged drug lord, told Castleabout his fears that one of hisassociates would double-cross him and spill the drug ring's secrets to police including details about Ramirez's death. Louisville, KY 40202, Louisville: (502) 582-5911 In custody are Marcelo Carrillo Jr., Jeffrey Driskell, Donte Pullum, and Ronald Wells. Investigators saidthey tracked Castle'sblack Tahoeto one of the hiding spots, a modest brick home on Dominique Drivein the Highview area. [34], In a 2015 interview with Terry Gross, Graham Yost, the creator and show runner of the FX series Justified, said, "Honestly, we didn't know a lot about the Dixie Mafia. That included hiring and paying Cater for the murders, agents said. Castle allegedlyurged his boss not to worry, saying police didn't have solid evidence: "They ain't got the murder weapon. Rodriguez was a no-show in court, soa judge issued a warrant for his arrest. More:How did police finally nab Louisville's missing armored car driver? The DEA says the drugs were coming from Mexico to be sold in our area. Agents rushed to court to renew itbut weren't able to intervene in time. If convicted, the charges carry no less than a mandatory 10 years in federal prison. While the investigation does remain ongoing, this serves as a reminder that the diligent work of officers saves lives every day, the police department wrote on its social media page. Investigators said seven search warrants were obtained, resulting in the 20 arrests. Louisville police seized a stash of fentanyl large enough to kill over 4 million people. A federal complaint says agents seized approximately 1,100 pounds of marijuana, assault weapons, ammo and nearly $700,000 in cash from two homes and the two storage facilities. On December 19, 2017, Boone pleaded guilty to one count of a superseding information. Troy Senn, 49, of Frankfort, engaging in organized crime, a Class B felony; receiving stolen property (less than $10,000); and two counts of first-degree persistent felony offender. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Literally. 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. Example video title will go here for this video. Once the drugswere in Louisville, Castle arranged tosell themin bulk tolower-level dealers whopeddled them in smaller amounts on the streets, investigators said. A Jefferson County grand jury indicted Caterand Sensleyon several felony charges, including complicity in first-degreeassault. 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 culprits robbed the teensthen ordered the girls, ages 16 and 19, into the trunk of the oldest girl'sblue Monte Carlo. Agents claim ithad a stash of20 pounds of high-grade marijuana,which Louisville narcotics detectives say has a street value of about $60,000. Investigators say they watched as the two suspectsdrove the luxury SUV to a Highview-areahouse and unloaded the drugs which were hidden in the interior paneling and inside the tires. Butagents claim Castle mostly lived in the other stash house a three-bedroomhome on Labor Lane, southwest ofFern Creek Park. "Next thing I know, Charles pulls out a black handgun and starts shooting," Sensley told police. Local prosecutors say they're required to prove"a clear nexusbetween drug activity and seized money" to justify a forfeiture,said Josh Abner, a spokesman for the Jefferson County attorney's office. 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. He slowed down to make his usual turnbut saw too much standing water and decided to drive another route through Pleasure Ridge Park. bass buster two man boats; what is lynn swann doing now. We won't share it with anyone else. For, Louisville man walked up to officers with stab wound, 'Pursue vetting candidates thoroughly': Kentucky bill would strengthen disclosure requirements, A brief break in showers and storms today, Strong thunderstorms possible Wednesday, again later this week; What to know, 'Scum of the earth': Drug victims face Purdue Pharma owners, 6-day-a-week delivery by law part of Postal Service bill Congress just passed, Authorities seize nearly $3M worth of meth in onion shipment. [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. LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - Authorities say they've broken up a major drug trafficking ring in Louisville. They plotted a takedown. Agents claim Ramirez, a drug ringassociate, vouched for the new customer. The 27-year-old with largeneck tattoosclaimedhe made a living hangingdrywall, including work at Churchill Downs. Franklin County Sheriffs detectives began investigating the crimes in May and determined numerous suspects were involved. a few miles east of Crystal Lake and a Walmart Supercenter. But we, you know, started poking around. An official website of the United States government. [19] Jimmy Bickett and author Joe Keith Bickett, along with two codefendants, were the only defendants who proceeded to a jury trial after being indicted in March 1989 in federal court in Louisville, Kentucky on distribution of marijuana charges. Deputies also found $14,599 in cash, a clear glass pipe, a glock 27, and an AR pistol. William Harvey Duhart, 37, of Phoenix, Arizona, has been charged with Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. Ryan Thruston has also been charged with Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking, and Receipt or Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. Hayden had been serving a life prison sentence for marijuana cultivation because he was convicted three times for illegal cultivation, triggering the Three-strikes law. The. Then they headed downtown and paid a random woman $5 to snap a Polaroid as theyclustered around the Impala. [8] Prosecutors held this press conference to lay out their case against the "Cornbread Mafia" because of the 70 men arrested in association with it, zero of them cooperated with authorities, which thwarted a Continuing Criminal Enterprise case against the suspected ringleaders. In April 2018, Nashville recording artist, Sweepy Walker, the grandson of beloved Grand Ole Opry legend Billy Walker released "Cornbread Mafia" - a feel-good, good-time bar song about local legends John Boone "them Bickett boys, and too many more to mention. DEC 10 -- LOUISVILLE, KY - A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an indictment on December 3, 2007, on December 3, 2007, against the following individuals: Alfred Rivas-Lopez, age 28, of 5632 West Virginia Avenue, Phoenix, AZ; Julio Rivas, age unknown, of Phoenix, AZ; Byron Mayes, age 32, of 434 North 38th Street and 17405 Curry Branch Anyone can read what you share. Another officer among the four, Kyle Meany, was fired by the Louisville Police Department on Aug. 19. He is accused of blanketing Louisville with deadly drugs and ordering a murder over a kilo of stolen heroin. Kentucky Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Forces. Lead prosecutor Joe Gutmann didn't see it that way. LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - Authorities say they've broken up a major drug trafficking ring in Louisville. Jamarcus Glover, Ms. Taylors ex-boyfriend whose alleged packages led the police to her door that night, was arrested on Aug. 27, 2020, in possession of drugs, according to a charging document. Michael Ray Hardy of Louisville was arrested and faces a number of charges. 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. An Official Website of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, BarrenRiver Drug Task Force Glasgow, KY 42141 270-629-2588lafferty@glasgow-ky.comCounties served: Barren,Allen, Mr. J. 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. The bust is part of an ongoing investigation with the DEA. PULASKI COUNTY, Ky. (WYMT) - Pulaski County Sheriff Greg Speck says a 47-year-old man from Louisville was arrested on numerous drug charges Monday. Karlchaze Thruston has not yet been apprehended at this time and is a wanted fugitive. The members of the organization were charged as follows: Willie Watkins, 30, 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. Investigators say Rodriguezconsidered having that man killed, too. Jonathan Mattingly in a thigh. In his two books,The Origins Of The Cornbread Mafia, A Memoir of Sorts (2016)[3] and Cornbread Mafia The Outlaws of Central Kentucky (2018)[4] author and founding member Joe Keith Bickett, chronicles his first-hand account as to how the term "Cornbread Mafia" was coined in Kentucky in the late 1970s. He told The Courier Journal that Ms. Taylor had no involvement in the drug trade. He successfully fought for Cater and the other gunman to getthe harshest punishment20 years in prison. Download the WHAS11 News app now. "Apparently they were storing drugs, vehicles, and stuff like that over there,"said Gronefeld. Breonna was starting to live her best life.. The 24-year-old's murderon Jan.20, 2018, is now the linchpin of a federal investigationthat could topplea large-scale drug-trafficking organizationblamed for pumping millions of dollars' worth of heroin, cocaine and meth into the Louisville area. But soon he realized the truck had left. 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. How did police finally nab Louisville's missing armored car driver? All rights reserved. If convicted, the charge carries no less than a mandatory 10 years in federal prison. Vicente Rodriguez Ramirez,struckby several bullets, stomped on the gas pedal and sped toward a Valero gas station in southern Jefferson County to findhelp. Have a news tip? 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. "We could not re-establish contact with him," said Jeff Cooke, assistant commonwealth's attorney for Jefferson County. Cecil Mohr, 37, of Frankfort, engaging in organized crime, a Class B felony, and three counts of theft by unlawful taking (more than $500 but less than $10,000), a Class D felony. On a summer night in 1996, Cater and six of his buddies concocted a plan. Mr. McNary has also been charged with Distribution of Methamphetamine for events occurring on or about November 6, 2020. The death of Breonna Taylor, a Black medical worker who was shot and killed by police officers in Louisville, Ky., in March 2020 during a botched raid on her apartment, was one of the main drivers of wide-scale demonstrations that erupted that year over policing and racial injustice in the United States. He also had childrenages 3, 4 and 8 in the back seat without car seats or seat belts, according to the citation. Christina Morales, Christine Hauser Will Wright, Sarah Mervosh, Lucy Tompkins, Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio, Neil Vigdor, Jenny Gross and Rukmini Callimachi contributed reporting. Our office has confiscated nearly 22 pounds of crystal methamphetamine this year alone, the sheriff stated. If convicted, the charges carry no less than a mandatory 10 years in federal prison. "[40], In 2019, Cornbread Mafia book author James Higdon co-founded Cornbread Hemp, which sells CBD (cannabidiol) products in retail outlets in the United States. Tucked away in a private wooded area of Oldham County, , the accuseddrug lord,and his family settled into a two-story$550,000 tan brick home with. Investigators combed the properties insearch ofevidence. Yes, hotly. Bickett and Boone prides themselves in producing a CBD product from "seed to seal. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. They remain in jail as theU.S. attorney generalweighs whether prosecutors should consider seeking the federal death penalty against them a punishment Kentucky hasn't imposed in more than three decades. No drugs were found in Ms. Taylors apartment, a lawyer for Mr. Walker said. 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. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) -- Louisville Metro Narcotics Agents made a major drug bust involving six suspects and hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of narcotics. There was no body camera footage from the raid. Rodriguez allegedly turned to Castle, a 45-year-old convicted cocaine dealer and serial burglar,to fulfill a type of upper-management role, directing daily operations. By Jordan Whitaker Published: May. [5] and the groups ultimate downfall in the late 1980s. 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. Signup today! Officers flipped on blue lights and sirens, but the suspectssped up. Marshals Service. Emergency workersin a Jefferson Countyambulance spotted the Impala andfollowed it from the West End towarddowntown, broadcasting every turn to guidepolice. Four days after Williams withdrew fromRodriguez's traffic case, federal and local police swarmedto arrest Rodriguez, Castle and Cater. But before investigatorsgot specifics, the federal authorization to tap the phones ended. They ordered the two boys, ages 16 and 18, into the trunk of the18-year-old's black Impala, withone of the suspects at the wheel. A New York Times examination of video footage from the scene, witness accounts, statements by the police officers and forensics reports showed that the raid was compromised by poor planning and reckless execution. TheDEA says the drugs were coming from Mexico to be sold in our area. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. We are grateful to the many agencies that worked cohesively with our Street Crimes Unit to investigate this Drug Trafficking Organization and successfully secure indictments for those involved. 717 West Broadway Rodriguezdeveloped connections with varioussuppliers, federal agents sayin court documents, including ones in California and cartel members inMexico. 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. This collaborative effort by the Owensboro Police Dept, Daviess Co Sheriffs Office, DEA, and U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Kentucky continues, with the possibility of additional persons involved being charged.. He was still on parole when police sayanother random stranger ended up in his crosshairs. 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