Western District of Kentucky
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Former Franklin Man for Sexually Exploiting a Child by Producing and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned a two-count indictment on March 15, 2023, charging a former Franklin, Kentucky, man with sexual exploitation of a child by producing child pornography and possessing child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Clint Culverhouse, 33, currently of Paducah, Kentucky, formerly of Franklin, Kentucky, was charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a child by producing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography.
The defendant made his initial court appearance on March 17, 2023, before a U. S. Magistrate Judge of the U. S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky in Bowling Green. Culverhouse faces a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 50 years in prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Paducah Satellite Office with assistance from the Kentucky State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Christian County Felon for Illegally Possessing a Firearm, Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking, and Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A federal grand jury in Paducah, Kentucky, returned an indictment on March 14, 2023, charging a Christian County felon with illegally possessing a firearm, possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute it.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division and Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Morgan Hancock, Jr., 45, of Pembroke, Kentucky, was charged with possessing over 500 grams of cocaine with the intent to distribute it, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Hancock was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he was previously convicted in Christian Circuit Court of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
Hancock, Jr. made his initial court appearance on March 24, 2023, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Hancock, Jr. faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of 60 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the DEA Paducah Post of Duty Office and the ATF Bowling Green Field Office with assistance from the DEA Nashville Field Division, the 19th Judicial Task Force in Montgomery County Tennessee, the DEA Nashville HIDTA TF-3, the Christian County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hopkinsville Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, is prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Former Bardstown Chief Financial Officer Sentenced to 35 Months in Federal Prison for Embezzling City FundsRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A former city official was sentenced yesterday to 35 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution for embezzling over three-quarters of a million dollars from the City of Bardstown, Kentucky, during her years working with the city.
United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI’s Louisville Field Office, and Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police made the announcement.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Tracy L. Hudson, 42, of Bloomfield, Kentucky, embezzled funds from the City of Bardstown, Kentucky, while employed first as the City’s Occupational Tax Administrator and then as its Chief Financial Officer. Between 2013 and September 2019, Hudson stole funds from the City of Bardstown by various means, including by taking cash from the City’s funds for her own personal use, paying herself for false expense reimbursements, diverting additional payments into her 401k pension plan in excess of the amount withheld from her wages, purchasing personal items on a City credit card without authorization, and crediting payments to her personal accounts with the City despite no actual payment having been made. The primary method by which Hudson stole from the City of Bardstown was by stealing cash, most often from cash payments made when individuals were paying for City services. Hudson also engaged in various activities which generated interstate wire communications to steal certain of the funds and to conceal her thefts from the City.
In addition to the 35-month prison sentence, Hudson was sentenced to a 3-year term of supervised release and ordered to pay $629,972.39 in restitution to the City of Bardstown and its insurance company.
The FBI and the Kentucky State Police investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Zimdahl prosecuted the case.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Tennessee Felon for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A federal grand jury in Paducah, Kentucky, returned an indictment on January 10, 2023, charging a Murfreesboro, Tennessee man with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Arsenio R. Rhodes, 32, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was charged with one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Rhodes was prohibited from owning a firearm because of two previous felony convictions for trafficking for sexual servitude in Shelby County, Tennessee.
Rhodes made his initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Middle District of Tennessee on March 2, 2023. He appeared in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on March 20, 2023. If convicted, Rhodes faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Field Office with assistance from the Hopkinsville Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, is prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Tennessee Man and Kentucky Woman for Sex Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment on March 8, charging a Tennessee man with sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. The indictment further charged that the defendant conspired with a Kentucky woman to commit that crime.
According to the indictment, between Aug. 8 and 11, 2022, Portier Q. Govan, 36, of Memphis, Tennessee, used force, threats of force and coercion to compel an adult woman to engage in commercial sex. The indictment also charges Govan and Brittany R. Howard, 24, of Bowling Green, Kentucky, with entering into an agreement to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion.
Govan made his initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Kentucky on March 20, 2023. Howard is expected to make her initial appearance later this week. If convicted of sex trafficking, Govan faces a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, up to life imprisonment. If convicted of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, Govan and Howard face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
The Bowling Green Police Department and the FBI Louisville Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda E. Gregory for the Western District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Francisco Zornosa of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
The FBI is asking anyone with information about Portier Govan or Brittany Howard to contact the FBI Bowling Green Resident Agency at (270) 781-4734. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1 (888) 373-7888.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Tennessee Man and Kentucky Woman for Sex Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment on March 8, charging a Tennessee man with sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion. The indictment further charged that the defendant conspired with a Kentucky woman to commit that crime.
According to the indictment, between Aug. 8 and 11, 2022, Portier Q. Govan, 36, of Memphis, Tennessee, used force, threats of force and coercion to compel an adult woman to engage in commercial sex. The indictment also charges Govan and Brittany R. Howard, 24, of Bowling Green, Kentucky, with entering into an agreement to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion.
Govan made his initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Kentucky today. Howard is expected to make her initial appearance later this week. If convicted of sex trafficking, Govan faces a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, up to life imprisonment. If convicted of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, Govan and Howard face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky, and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
The Bowling Green Police Department and the FBI Louisville Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda E. Gregory for the Western District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Francisco Zornosa of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
The FBI is asking anyone with information about Portier Govan or Brittany Howard to contact the FBI Bowling Green Resident Agency at (270) 781-4734. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1 (888) 373-7888.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Elizabethtown Woman Pleads Guilty to CARES Act Fraud in the Amount of $1,318,955Read the Press Release
Louisville, KY – Kelly Woods, 43, of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, pleaded guilty in federal court today to three counts of wire fraud related to a CARES Act financial assistance program.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Kathy Enstrom of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
During the plea hearing, Woods admitted that between May 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021, she filed three fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, resulting in the theft of $1,318,955. Woods utilized the entities Philips Healthcare LLC and LB Acquisitions LLC. Woods organized LB Acquisitions LLC after the onset of the Covid 19 pandemic. She then exaggerated the number of employees and payroll expenses of those entities in the fraudulent applications.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) PPP loans were designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses who were in operation on February 15, 2020, to keep their workers on the payroll. PPP loan proceeds were required to be used by the business on certain permissible expenses. Interest and principal on PPP loans could be entirely forgiven if the business spent the loan proceeds on the allowable expenses within a designated period and used a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses.
Woods is scheduled to be sentenced on June 22, 2023. Pursuant to the terms of the plea agreement, Woods will also forfeit certain real property and a vehicle. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FDIC Office of Inspector General and FBI are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicole Elver and David Weser are prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Federal Jury Finds Louisville Felon Guilty of Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – Yesterday evening a federal jury convicted a local man of illegally possessing a firearm after having previously been convicted of a felony.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on June 25, 2018, Timothy John Lewis, 52, possessed a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol after having previously been convicted of the following felony offenses:
On January 31, 2018, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Lewis was convicted of burglary in the second degree, receiving stolen property under $10,000, theft by unlawful taking over $500, and tampering with physical evidence;
On July 29, 2015, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Lewis was convicted of complicity to burglary in the second degree;
On September 7, 2012, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Lewis was convicted of complicity to receiving stolen property under $10,000 and theft by unlawful taking (two counts); and
On October 19, 2007, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Lewis was convicted of receiving goods by fraud, burglary in the second degree (three counts), theft by unlawful taking over $300 (twelve counts), theft by unlawful taking over $300 – auto (two counts), receiving stolen property over $300 (three counts), receiving stolen property over $300 - vehicle, criminal possession of forged instrument in the second degree, fraudulent use of a credit card (three counts), tampering with physical evidence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Lewis is scheduled for sentencing on July 20, 2023, before a United States District Judge for the Western District of Kentucky. Lewis remains in federal custody pending sentencing and he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
The ATF and LMPD investigated the case and were assisted by the FBI and the Louisville Metro Alcohol Beverage Control.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia P. Gomez is prosecuting the case with assistance from paralegal Julie Mason.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Bowling Green Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal Prison for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A Bowling Green man was sentenced this week to 70 months in prison for trafficking in fentanyl.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville, and Director Tommy Loving of the Bowling Green/Warren County Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) Drug Task Force made the announcement.
According to court documents, on April 6, 2022, LeDrae Smith, 28, possessed with the intent to distribute 326.9 grams of a fentanyl mixture. Following release from prison, Smith was ordered to serve four years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the HSI Bowling Green and the Bowling Green/Warren County AHIDTA Drug Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Paducah Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A Paducah man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison followed by a 5-year term of supervised release for distributing and possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Sheriff Ryan Norman of the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office, and Chief Brian Laird of the Paducah Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Marcus S. Johnson, 38, distributed, or possessed with the intent to distribute, methamphetamine on multiple occasions in McCracken County in June of 2022. In total, the methamphetamine weighed over 250 grams.
“I appreciate the ongoing collaboration between our federal and local law enforcement partners as we continue to encounter methamphetamine trafficking throughout the Western District,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “We will continue working as a team to identify and prosecute drug dealers responsible for the destruction of lives and the related devastation brought on by drug addiction.”
The case was investigated by the DEA Paducah Post of Duty office, the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office, and the Paducah Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Hancock, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Grand Rivers Man and Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A Grand Rivers man and woman were sentenced today for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, and Sheriff Ryan Norman of the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
Today, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Paducah Division, Edward Ibold, 38, was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for possession with the intent to distribute 264 grams of methamphetamine. Ibold was also sentenced to an additional 20 months in prison for violation of the terms his supervised release from a previous federal conviction. He received a total sentence of 140 months in prison.
Nikole Console, 28, was sentenced to 36 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for possession with the intent to distribute 264 grams of methamphetamine.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the DEA Paducah Post of Duty Office and the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Christian County Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A Christian County, Kentucky man was sentenced today to 70 months in federal prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, for possessing a firearm after having previously been convicted of felony offenses, illegal possession of a machinegun, and possession of an unregistered firearm. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Sheriff Tyler DeArmond of the Christian County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, on February 23, 2022, agents executed a search warrant at the residence of Shaun Powers, 43 of Hopkinsville. They located a privately manufactured firearm that was designed to function as a fully automatic machinegun. Agents also located a short-barreled rifle and other firearms parts and accessories. Powers was not allowed to possess these firearms because he had previously been convicted of the following felonies. On April 15, 2015, in Christian Circuit Court, Powers was convicted of first-degree promoting contraband, third-degree assault, second-degree burglary, and third-degree burglary.
The case was investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Field Office and the Christian County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Greenville Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Producing and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Owensboro, KY – A Greenville man was sentenced last week to 20 years in prison followed by a lifetime term of supervised release for producing, distributing, receiving, and possessing child pornography. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville, and Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police made the announcement.
According to court documents, Corey Allen Stephens, 31, used a social media application to chat with others, and in the chat, he posted an image of his sexual abuse of a toddler. He boasted that it was “Not the first time I’ve done it.” Homeland Security officers traced the chat to Stephens’s home, where agents recovered additional evidence of child pornography offenses.
In addition to the 20-year prison sentence, Stephens was ordered to pay restitution to the victim in the amount of $3,000.
“I appreciate the exceptional work of HSI, KSP, and AUSA Sewell in this case,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “Protecting the children of the Western District from predators like the defendant is a top priority of this office. We remain vigilant and will continue to investigate and aggressively prosecute those who seek to sexually exploit our children.”
“The significant sentence imposed on Corey Stephens sends a clear message that there are serious consequences for those who exploit the most vulnerable members of our society, our children. Stephens will serve 20 years in federal prison for his incomprehensible acts,” stated HSI Nashville Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud. “HSI remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue predators who traumatize and victimize children and maintain our vigilance to bring them to justice.”
The case was investigated by the HSI and the Kentucky State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Madison Sewell of the United States Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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Three Bowling Green Residents Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – This week, the third and final member of a Bowling Green federal drug trafficking conspiracy was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the ATF Louisville Field Office, and Director Tommy Loving of the Bowling Green/Warren County Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) Drug Task Force made the announcement.
On March 7, 2023, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Bowling Green Division, Glenn Budd, 41, was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture.
On February 1, 2023, Rickshard Collins, 31, was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 1,286.6 grams of methamphetamine.
On January 17, 2023, Paige Russell, 22, was sentenced to time served followed by 4 years of supervised release for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture.
“Illegal drug trafficking and the addiction which accompanies it often causes death, decimates lives, families, and even entire communities,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “We will continue, in partnership with the ATF and Kentucky’s AHIDTA drug task forces, to identify, arrest, and prosecute those responsible for trading their poison in our communities.”
“So many families have endured pain and suffering due to the drug epidemic here and across the country,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Maynard. “ATF is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to pursue those who exploit the vulnerabilities that addiction creates and threaten the safety of our communities. I commend ATF’s Bowling Green Field Office, the Bowling Green/Warren County AHIDTA Drug Task Force and the prosecution team for their hard work in bringing these offenders to justice.”
“Drugs are killing our citizens daily in the Commonwealth,” said AHIDTA Director Loving. “Complex investigations and prosecutions like this help make our community a safer place to live by removing these traffickers from the streets. The Bowling Green/Warren County Drug Task consists of state, local and federal partners working together as a team which is the key to successful investigations. Working with our local U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office brings these major drug traffickers to justice.”
There is no parole in the federal system.
The ATF Bowling Green Field Office and the Bowling Green/Warren County AHIDTA Drug Task Force investigated the case.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II of the United States Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office.
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Henderson County Drug Dealer Sentenced to 151 Months in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Owensboro, KY – A Henderson County, Kentucky man was sentenced yesterday to 151 months in prison for trafficking in methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police made the announcement.
According to court documents, on October 7, 2021, Jason P. Elder, 43, of Henderson, Kentucky, possessed with the intent to distribute 164.95 grams of methamphetamine. When Elder committed this offense, he was on supervised release for a previous federal drug trafficking conviction, and he received an additional sentence of 12 months and 1 day for that violation. His total sentence in federal prison is 163 months and 1 day. Following the prison sentence, Elder will serve 5 years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Individuals like the defendant, who plan to flood Western Kentucky communities with poisonous substances, will face lengthy federal prison sentences,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “Working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we will continue to focus federal resources on drug traffickers as we strive to increase public safety in the Western District.”
“As highly addictive drugs continue to plague communities throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky, this sentence removes an important cog in this western Kentucky ring of destruction,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Cohen. “Knowing the harm that drug trafficking brings to our neighborhoods, the FBI will continue to use all resources necessary to bring drug dealers to justice.”
The case was investigated by the FBI Owensboro Satellite Office and the Kentucky State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Federal Jury Finds Louisville Woman Guilty of Mailing Threatening Communications to Neighbors Because of Their RaceRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – Today a federal jury convicted a local woman of mailing communications containing threats to injure others in November and December of 2020.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the Pittsburgh Division made the announcement.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Suzanne Craft, 54, sent multiple threating communications via the United States Postal Service to a family that lived in her Lake Forrest neighborhood. Many of these communications contained threats of violence and racial slurs. The jury convicted Craft of five counts of mailing threatening communications in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 876(c).
The jury further found that for each of these five counts, Craft sent the threatening communications to her neighbors because of their actual or perceived race or color.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 21, 2023, before a United States District Judge for the Western District of Kentucky. Craft remains in federal custody pending sentencing and faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
The FBI Louisville Public Corruption Civil Rights Task Force and the United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Tieke and Stephanie Zimdahl are prosecuting the case, with assistance from paralegal Carissa Moss.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Hardin County Man for Possession of Destructive DevicesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky returned an indictment yesterday charging a Hardin County man with illegal possession of destructive devices.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Frank Taylor, 61, of Cecilia, Kentucky, was charged with one count of possessing four destructive devices not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
Taylor will make his initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Western District on a later date. If convicted, Taylor faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the ATF Louisville Division Office with assistance from the Kentucky State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Bonar is prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Two Louisville Men Sentenced to 32 Years and 11 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl Distribution, Drug Conspiracy, and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – Two local men, Khalid A. Raheem, II, age 26, and Frank Trammell, Jr., age 30, were sentenced this week on drug and firearms charges following a seven-day jury trial in October 2022.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
On February 28, 2023, Raheem was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 11 years in prison, followed by a three-year term of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute heroin and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, for distribution of fentanyl, and for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. During the sentencing hearing, the court heard testimony concerning witness intimidation and applied an enhancement to Raheem’s sentence for obstruction of justice.
On March 1, 2023, Trammell was sentenced to 32 years and 3 months years in prison, followed by an 8-year term of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute heroin and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, for distribution of fentanyl, for possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between December 7, 2017, and July 15, 2020, Trammell and Raheem conspired to distribute fentanyl and heroin in the Louisville area. Additionally, on ten occasions, Trammell, often assisted by Raheem or others, sold fentanyl to undercover informants at various locations in eastern and southern Jefferson County as well as in the downtown area. These fentanyl sales took place in parking lots of restaurants, gas stations, and grocery stores, and always involved two vehicles parking window to window while fentanyl and cash were tossed from vehicle to vehicle.
Pursuant to court authorized wiretaps, over 3,000 drug related phone calls and text messages were intercepted in a thirty-day period. During these intercepted calls, dozens of drug transactions on a nearly daily basis were arranged. Drug addicted customers, when unable to come up with cash, would sometimes trade packages of socks and underwear, firearms, or assorted prescription medications in exchange for what they believed to be heroin. However, DEA laboratory testing established that Trammell was almost always selling fentanyl to those seeking heroin. During one intercepted call, a drug user called Trammell and said that she believed he had sold her fentanyl and that he should warn his other customers to “be careful.”
Evidence presented at trial also included the results of several search warrants of premises and vehicles simultaneously executed on July 15, 2020. From locations related to Trammell and Raheem, law enforcement seized over 240 grams of fentanyl, $284,000 in cash, assorted ammunition, and eleven firearms, including at least one assault rifle and one stolen handgun.
“The sentences imposed by the Court send a robust message to those who brazenly place the lives of Louisville area residents at risk by peddling poison,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “Individuals engaged in the drug trade should consider the consequences of their actions. Simply put, a federal prison cell is not the place to spend a significant portion of your adult life.”
“Raheem and Trammell, Jr. showed zero regard for human life by deceiving and profiting off of those grappling with addiction. Faced with decades in federal prison, they will no longer contribute to the opioid epidemic terrorizing many of our neighborhoods,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Cohen. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue our collaborative efforts to identify and dismantle violent gangs found to be dealing in the deadly drug trade.”
“Drug dealers with guns are criminals who pose an increased threat to the safety of our communities,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Maynard. “This investigation is another great example of the collaborative work by law enforcement to hold drug traffickers accountable for the crimes they engage in and the destruction they bring to our families and communities.”
This case was investigated by the FBI, the ATF, and the Louisville Metro Police Department, with assistance from the DEA, the IRS Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Matthews Police Department, the Jeffersontown Police Department, the Shepherdsville Police Department, the Kentucky State Police, and the Indiana State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin McKenzie and Frank E. Dahl, III prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Louisville Man Sentenced to over 29 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl Distribution, Drug Conspiracy and Firearms Offenses, and for Assaulting Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A local man, Terrell Trammell, age 28, was sentenced on February 24, 2023 to 29 years and four months years in prison, followed by a 5-year term of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, distribution of fentanyl, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and assaulting, impeding, or interfering with a federal officer. Trammell was convicted by a federal jury following a four-day trial in November 2022.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents and evidence presented at the trial, between July 2020, and November 5, 2020, Trammell conspired with others to distribute fentanyl and heroin in the Louisville area. On October 9, 2020, Trammell sold fentanyl to an undercover informant in southern Jefferson County. Trammell, who was a multi-time convicted felon, utilized juveniles to assist in possessing and distributing fentanyl and heroin, as well as in possessing and handling firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
On November 5, 2020, agents and detectives with the FBI, ATF, HSI, and LMPD attempted to execute a search warrant at an apartment in the Valley Station area of Louisville, which Trammell and other conspirators were using to store fentanyl, heroin, and firearms. Prior to execution of the warrant, Trammell and a 16-year-old crashed their vehicle into an FBI agent, injuring and pinning the agent between two vehicles. Agents ultimately seized an AR-style pistol, a Glock 9-millimeter pistol, and an extended magazine. The FBI laboratory found Trammell’s DNA on the AR-style pistol. From the apartment, agents seized approximately 41 grams of fentanyl and two firearms, one of which had been traded to Trammell in exchange for drugs.
“The significant sentence imposed by the Court is a result of the serious nature of the crimes committed by Mr. Trammell as well as his criminal past,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “Individuals involved in drug dealing, illegal possession of firearms, and the assault of agents in the Western District should know they will face a lengthy term in federal prison for such conduct. I commend the work of our federal law enforcement partners, LMPD, and the prosecutors in this case.”
“Stopping violent criminals, who pedal deadly narcotics, prey upon our youth, and assault those protecting our community, is one of the most important things law enforcement does,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Cohen. “The increase in assaults on federal law enforcement officers—and law enforcement in general is disturbing. It will not be tolerated. Hopefully, Trammell’s sentence sends the message that prosecution and prison are the end result of engaging in such conduct.”
“ATF is pleased to have assisted Louisville Metro Police Department and the FBI in this investigation into a violent individual who placed our youth in danger by involving them in drug trafficking,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Maynard. “This sentence also demonstrates that violence against law enforcement will not be tolerated as we continue to work together to keep our communities safe.”
This case was investigated by the FBI, ATF, and LMPD, with assistance from the DEA and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, HSI.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Dahl and Erin McKenzie represented the United States during the trial of the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Kentucky Man Charged with Running Cocaine Distribution OperationRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Hopkinsville, Kentucky, man made an initial appearance in federal court Wednesday after being indicted for drug conspiracy and related charges, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Melvin Dontreele Brown, 30, was arrested Tuesday in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Law enforcement executed search warrants at four different locations there associated with Brown and on multiple bank accounts. Initial items recovered include approximately $100,000 in cash, $164,000 from bank accounts, marijuana, fentanyl, and a firearm.
Brown is charged with one count of drug conspiracy; two counts of laundering of monetary instruments; and 14 counts of use of a communication facility in committing, causing and facilitating the commission of a drug trafficking felony.
Brown is accused of conspiring with others to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
According to the indictment, Brown and his coconspirators allegedly distributed bulk quantities of cocaine in the Hopkinsville and Tulsa areas from July 2020 to May 2021 .
The cocaine was allegedly imported from Mexico and transported by couriers in vehicles to Oklahoma and to Brown in Kentucky. The conspirators regularly used cellphones and coded phrases to coordinate their drug transactions. Examples of coded language included “ceiling paint” which referenced cocaine and “paper” which referenced currency used as payment for cocaine deliveries.
The conspirators received bulk quantities of currency as payment for cocaine deliveries and conducted financial transactions using banks in the Northern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere. Brown is charged in the indictment with making two financial transactions designed to conceal the nature and origin of the illicit proceeds.
Brown made an initial appearance in the Western District of Kentucky (Paducah) Wednesday and is scheduled for a detention hearing there Friday at 10 am.
The prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas and Louisville Divisions and the Tulsa and Hopkinsville Police Departments are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Tonkin is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Jefferson County Man Indicted on Federal Gun Theft Charges for Stealing Numerous Firearms from Licensed DealersRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment today charging a local man with stealing firearms from licensed firearms dealers.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Dairon Finisson, 19, was charged with two counts of stealing a firearm from a licensed dealer of firearms. On July 17, 2022, Finisson, aided and abetted by others, is alleged to have stolen 17 pistols, 7 rifles, and a shotgun. On July 20, 2022, Finisson, aided and abetted by others, is alleged to have stolen 6 rifles and 1 pistol.
The defendant will make an initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on a later date. If convicted, Finisson faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the ATF, Louisville Metro Police Department, and Jeffersontown Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josh Porter.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Louisville Felon for Illegal Possession of a Firearm and Machine GunRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment today charging a local man with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and for illegally possessing a machine gun.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on February 13, 2023, Charles Divine, 26, possessed two Glock 9-millimeter pistols after having previously been convicted of the following felony offense. On June 30, 2020, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Devine was convicted of wanton endangerment in the first degree.
The indictment also alleges that on February 13, 2023, Divine illegally possessed a machine gun, that is a Glock switch bearing no serial number. A Glock Switch device allows a semi-automatic handgun to function as an automatic and is defined as a machine gun under federal law.
Divine will make his initial court appearance before a United State Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on a later date. If convicted, Divine faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the ATF and the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Dahl is prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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12 Defendants from 4 States Charged in Federal Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Owensboro, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, returned a two-count indictment on February 15, 2023, charging twelve defendants with conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Shane Catone of the DEA Chicago Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Jerry C. Templet, Jr. of the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Chief Art Ealum of the Owensboro Police Department, and Sheriff Brad Youngman of the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to the indictment, the following 12 defendants were each charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine between July 2022 and February 14, 2023:
Chance Morton, 34, of Owensboro, Kentucky;
Nicholas Stallings, 38, of Forest Park, Georgia;
George James, 52, of Hawesville, Kentucky;
Desmond Morton, 38 of Owensboro, Kentucky;
Morgan Anderson, 36, of Owensboro, Kentucky;
William Simmons, 49, of Owensboro, Kentucky;
Johnny Albury, 55, of Owensboro, Kentucky;
Charles Hudson, 44, of Vero Beach, Florida;
Ellis Parker, 64, of Owensboro, Kentucky;
Willie Mosley, 55, of Hagerstown, Maryland;
Brian Ray, 36, of Philpot, Kentucky; and
Lindsay R. Harper, 39, of Hawesville, Kentucky.
The defendants are in custody and scheduled to make their initial court appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky tomorrow. If convicted, all defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
The DEA, FBI, HSI, Owensboro Police Department, Daviess County Sheriff’s Office, and the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Owensboro-Daviess County Drug Task Force are investigating the case, with the assistance of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Kentucky State Police DESI-West, the Indian River County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office, the Indiana State Police, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia, the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Secret Service, and the ATF.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Dahl and Mark Yurchisin are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Louisville Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Federal Prison for Producing and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced yesterday to 24 years in prison followed by a lifetime term of supervised release for producing and distributing child pornography and for transferring obscene material to a minor. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Patrick Appleton, 25, used a social media application to communicate with a 15-year-old girl for the purposes of engaging in sexual contact. Appleton recorded those sexual acts, and distributed those videos, as well as other videos of obscene material, including bestiality, to the girl.
In addition to the 24-year prison sentence, Appleton was ordered to pay restitution to the victim in the amount of $3,000.
“I appreciate the exceptional work of the FBI, LMPD, and AUSA McKiness,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “Protecting the children of the Western District from predators like the defendant is a top priority of this office. We remain vigilant and will continue to investigate and aggressively prosecute those who seek to sexually exploit our children.”
“Predators, like Appleton, are appalling and have no place in civilized society,” said FBI Louisville Special Agent in Charge Cohen. “Appleton’s sentence highlights the egregious nature of his conduct and serves as an example that the FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting our most innocent and helpless victims.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Spencer McKiness prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Louisville Man for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Federal Grand Jury returned an indictment on February 7, 2023, charging a local man with distributing methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Bennie Thomas, 29, was charged with three counts of distributing methamphetamine. On October 5 and October 20, 2022, Thomas distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. On November 17, 2022, Thomas distributed 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine.
The defendant made an initial court appearance today before a United States Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Thomas faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the DEA and the Louisville Metro Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josh Porter.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Bowling Green Federal Grand Jury Returns Two Indictments Charging Franklin, KY and Nashville, TN Men with Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
-Drug Trafficking Offenses Involve Fentanyl, Cocaine, and Heroin
-One Man Also Indicted for Illegally Possessing a Firearm as a Convicted FelonBowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned two indictments yesterday separately charging two men with drug trafficking. One of the men was also charged with illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jerry C. Templet, Jr. of the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, and Sheriff Jere Dee Hopson of the Simpson County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to court records:
Dameon Rigsby, age 41, of Franklin, Kentucky, was charged with one count of possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Rigsby had previously been convicted of the felony offense of trafficking in a controlled substance – first degree – first offense, in case number 09-CR-00080 in the Simpson Kentucky Circuit Court. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Bennett Christian, age 37, of Nashville, Tennessee, was charged with one count of possession with the intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
The Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the Simpson County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the cases.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office.
These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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U.S. Justice Department Announces over $200 Million in Investments in State Crisis InterventionRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – The Justice Department announced today 49 awards to states, territories, and the District of Columbia as part of the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program. This investment of over $231 million will fund state crisis intervention court proceedings, including but not limited to, extreme risk protection order (ERPO) programs that work to keep guns out of the hands of those who pose a threat to themselves or others. This investment in community safety is authorized by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022, historic legislation to address and reduce gun violence.
“The Justice Department is working relentlessly to protect communities from violent crime and the gun violence that often drives it, and the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program is an important part of that effort,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These awards will support the kinds of crisis intervention programs that we know save lives and help protect children, families, and communities across the country from senseless acts of gun violence.”
“The Department of Justice’s strategy to reduce violent crime and gun violence includes prioritizing support for successful, evidence-based programs,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “The grants announced today invest in and highlight proven state and local violence prevention and intervention programs, that will make our communities safer.”
These awards, administered by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), provide funding to states for the creation and implementation of extreme risk protection order programs, state crisis intervention court proceedings, and related gun violence reduction initiatives. Extreme risk protection order programs empower family members, health care providers, school officials and law enforcement officers to petition a court to temporarily prevent a person from accessing firearms if they are found to be a danger to themselves or others. Funds can also support interventions like drug, mental health and veterans’ treatment courts, gun violence recovery courts, behavior health deflection and outpatient treatment centers.
“Protecting communities from gun crime is an urgent public safety challenge and a critical part of the Justice Department’s work to ensure that everyone in this country can live free from the fear of violence,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “The resources we are announcing today will give communities the tools they need to prevent firearm violence and deliver support to those who are at risk of committing or being victimized by gun crime.”
The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act also seeks to ensure that extreme risk protection order laws and programs are implemented in accordance with the Constitution and provide for adequate due process protections. Projects funded under this program will need to demonstrate that they have taken measures to safeguard the constitutional rights of an individual subject to a crisis intervention program or ERPO initiative. The Justice Department has long supported state efforts to increase the use of ERPOs and in 2021 the Department released model legislation to help states create their own extreme risk protection order systems and provide for intervention before warning signs turn into tragedy.
Signed into law by President Biden in June 2022, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is the most significant piece of federal gun safety legislation in almost three decades and comes as a response to recent mass shootings and to the far more common, but no less tragic, incidents of community gun violence. Including the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program, the law allocates a total of $1.4 billion to OJP over five years to develop, implement, and sustain meaningful investments in safer communities.
“These awards will help meet two monumental public safety challenges — the alarming proliferation of gun violence in our country and the clear need for front-end interventions to slow the cycle of violence and victimization in our most underserved communities,” said BJA Director Karhlton F. Moore. “The Bureau of Justice Assistance is proud to make these resources available to states as a critical part of its mission to reduce and prevent crime and to promote a fair and effective criminal justice system.”
For a full list of awards, please visit: https://data.ojp.usdoj.gov/stories/s/O-BJA-2023-171458/b5xz-as5z/. These awards are the latest effort from the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs to implement this historic legislation.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Two Men in Connection with Fort Campbell Auto TheftsRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today, charging Daniel Lee Clark with multiple counts of larceny of vehicles taken from Fort Campbell in April and May of 2022. Joseph Pewitt was also charged with creating false documents and making false statements to the FBI.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Chief Keith Shumate of the Fort Campbell Provost Marshal’s Office made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Clark, age 20, was a civilian living at the Fort Campbell Army Installation. Claiming to work for Fort Campbell’s housing authority and claiming that his job was to dispose of vehicles, Clark sold over 20 vehicles to the Guthrie Scrap Yard. These vehicles were parked at Fort Campbell and had been stickered by Fort Campbell police as being subject to impound. Most of the vehicles Clark sold were towed and crushed by the scrap yard. Clark did not work for the housing authority, and he had no authorization from the vehicles’ owners or from Fort Campbell to sell the vehicles.
Pewitt, age 57, the owner of Guthrie Scrap Yard, was told by one of his tow truck drivers that the military was investigating stolen vehicles. Pewitt instructed an employee to fabricate invoices regarding his purchases of vehicles from Clark, and he provided those to military investigators. During an interview with the FBI, Pewitt made materially false statements regarding the fabricated invoices.
Clark and Pewitt will make their initial court appearances on a later date before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky in the Paducah Division. If convicted, Clark faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and Pewitt faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Campbell Provost Marshal’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, is prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Four Men Arrested on Federal Indictment Charging Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned a ten-count indictment on February 7, 2023, charging four men with conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Each were also charged with additional drug distribution offenses, and one was also charged with firearms offenses. All four were arrested today.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department, and Sheriff John Aubrey of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, Cesar Valdes, 31, of Louisville, Victor Hernandez, 35, of Louisville, Jorge Morales Martinez, 45, of Mexico, and Irlan Salazar, 39, of Louisville, were all charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine and over 400 grams of fentanyl. Valdes was also charged with three counts of fentanyl distribution, four counts of methamphetamine distribution, and two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Hernandez was also charged with one count of methamphetamine distribution and one count of fentanyl distribution. Martinez was also charged with one count of fentanyl distribution. Salazar was also charged with one count of methamphetamine distribution.
The defendants made their initial court appearances today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, all defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
The FBI, Louisville Metro Police Department, and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Dahl is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Christian County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Narcotics Trafficking and Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A Christian County man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison, followed by a 5-year term of supervised release, for distributing methamphetamine and possessing a firearm after having previously been convicted of felony offenses.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
According to court documents, David Phillips, 43, distributed methamphetamine on three occasions between June 7, 2021, and July 1, 2021. On July 7, 2021, a search warrant was executed at his residence. Phillips was found to be in possession of over 50 grams of methamphetamine, a large amount of U.S. currency and a firearm. Phillips has prior felony convictions for third degree burglary, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance – methamphetamine.
“I appreciate the excellent work in this case by ATF Bowling Green, the Christian County Sheriff’s Office, and AUSA Dycus,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “As a result of the commitment that exists between our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, the defendant, a previously convicted drug trafficker, will spend the next decade in federal prison unable to sell his poison and harm our citizens.”
“It is ATF’s core commitment to protect the public from offenders like David Phillips, whose continued armed drug trafficking places the community at risk,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the Louisville Field Division. “I want to extend my gratitude to ATF’s Bowling Green Office, the Christian County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for this thorough investigation. This case is another great example of the collaborative work to continue to identify, arrest and convict the armed drug traffickers that are plaguing our communities and destroying our families.”
This case was investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Field Office and the Christian County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Paducah Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to Fifteen Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A Paducah, KY, man was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in prison, followed by a 5- year term of supervised release, for possessing a firearm after having been previously convicted of felony offenses and for being an Armed Career Criminal.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
According to court documents, Demario Terrell Daniels, 33, possessed a pistol having previously been convicted of the federal felony offense of cocaine base distribution in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. Daniels had also been previously convicted of the felony of fleeing/evading police in McCracken County, Kentucky. Daniels, an escapee from the McCracken County Regional Jail who had been a fugitive for approximately one year, brought the firearm into the McCracken County Regional Jail upon his arrest for other charges. The firearm was discovered by jail staff.
Daniels was sentenced pursuant to the Armed Career Criminal Act, a federal law imposing enhanced penalties for firearm or ammunition possession by persons who have been convicted of at least three violent felonies or serious drug offenses. A defendant who qualifies as an Armed Career Criminal faces a minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of life.
“The combined work of ATF Paducah, our state and local law enforcement partners, and AUSA Hancock resulted in the removal of an armed career criminal from our community and safer streets for our citizens,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “We are fortunate to have such dedicated law enforcement personnel on duty in the Western District.”
“Drug dealers with guns are criminals who pose an increased threat to the safety of our communities,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the Louisville Field Division. “Today’s sentencing is another example of the ongoing efforts of ATF and our local partners with the McCracken County Regional Jail, the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kentucky State Police working together to take a repeat offender off the streets and make our communities safer for everyone.”
This case was investigated by the ATF Paducah Satellite Office, with assistance from the McCracken County Regional Jail, the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kentucky State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Hancock, Branch Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Office, prosecuted the case.
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Mayfield Man Sentenced to One Year in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm While Subject to a Domestic Violence OrderRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A Mayfield, Kentucky, man was sentenced yesterday to 1 year in federal prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, for possessing a firearm after having previously been subject to a domestic violence order.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Sheriff Jon Hayden of the Graves County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, on July 21, 2021, Jed Wilson, 29, possessed a shotgun while subject to a domestic violence order of protection that expressly prohibited him from possessing firearms.
The case was investigated by the ATF Paducah Satellite Office and the Graves County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Logan County Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking and Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A Logan County man was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in prison for drug trafficking and firearms crimes.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Director Jacky Hunt of the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) South-Central Kentucky Drug Task Force made the announcement.
According to court documents, on October 2, 2020, William Horsley, 36, of Russellville, Kentucky, possessed with the intent to distribute 59.43 grams of methamphetamine and 527.9 grams of a cutting agent. Horsley, a convicted felon, also possessed a Winchester, model 1200, 12-gauge shotgun, a Canik, Model TP-9SF Elite, nine-millimeter semiautomatic pistol, loaded with a 33 round extended magazine, and a Taurus International, model PT840, .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol. Horsley had previously been convicted of the following felonies. On July 25, 2014, in Daviess Circuit Court, he was convicted of possession of a controlled substance in the first degree. On February 21, 2018, in two separate cases in Daviess Circuit Court, he was convicted of two counts of trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree.
In addition to the 15-year prison sentence, Horsley is required to serve an additional 5 years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
“I commend ATF Bowling Green and AHIDTA’s South-Central Kentucky Drug Task Force for their work in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “The investigation and prosecution of the defendant typifies the collaboration taking place on a continual basis between our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners under the AHIDTA program. AHIDTA’s support and coordination of drug enforcement efforts are key to making Western District communities safer.”
“ATF is committed to protecting the public from armed drug traffickers like William Horsley whose actions place our community at risk and show contempt for law and order,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the Louisville Field Division. “I want to extend my gratitude to ATF’s Bowling Green Office, AHIDTA’s South-Central Kentucky Drug Task Force, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their work on this case. This sentence is another great example of the collaborative work to hold drug traffickers accountable for the crime they engage in and the destruction they bring to our families and communities.”
“I want to commend the United States Attorney’s Office for prosecuting this case,” said AHIDTA Director Jacky Hunt. “Horsley was a major distributor of methamphetamine and a convicted felon possessing firearms in the Logan County area. The AHIDTA South-Central Kentucky Drug Task Force works closely with the ATF and AUSA Yurchisin. As a result, we now have one less drug dealer on the streets in Logan County.”
The case was investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Field Office and the AHIDTA South-Central Kentucky Drug Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Christian County Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm After Having Been Convicted of Felony OffensesRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A Christian County, Kentucky man was sentenced today to 33 months in federal prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, for possessing a firearm after having previously been convicted of felony offenses.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Clayton Summers of the Hopkinsville Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, on September 23, 2020, Zachary Dean Evans, 28, possessed a pistol after having been previously convicted of multiple felony offenses. These felony offenses include fraudulent use of a credit card over $10,000, receiving stolen property over $500, receiving stolen property – firearm, second degree escape, first degree fleeing or evading police, theft by unlawful taking over $500, and second degree unlawful imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the ATF Paducah Satellite Office and the Hopkinsville Police Department, with the assistance of the Christian County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Logan County Felon Sentenced to 37 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A Logan County man was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for illegally possessing a handgun as a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Sheriff Stephen Stratton of the Logan County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, on February 2, 2021, Marvelle Woodard, 37, a convicted felon, possessed a Taurus, model G2C, nine-millimeter semiautomatic handgun after having previously been convicted of the following felonies. On March 20, 2008, in Logan Circuit Court, Woodard was convicted of first-degree fleeing/evading police, first-degree possession of a controlled substance (cocaine), and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
In addition to the 37-month prison sentence, Woodard is required to serve an additional 3 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Field Office and the Logan County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Louisville Man for Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment today charging a local man with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on February 8, 2022, Joseph Edward Starling, 53, a convicted felon, possessed a Taurus, Model Raging Judge Magnum, 45/410 caliber revolver after having previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On December 3, 2018, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Starling was convicted of manslaughter II, kidnapping (no death/injury), criminal syndication: engaging in organized crime, and tampering with physical evidence. On September 26, 2006, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Starling was convicted of illegal possession of a controlled substance and tampering with physical evidence. On May 6, 2004, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Starling was convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On August 30, 1989, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Starling was convicted of two counts of burglary II, five counts of theft by unlawful taking over $100, and three counts of burglary III. On August 30, 1989, in a separate Jefferson Circuit Court case, Starling was convicted of burglary III and theft by unlawful taking over $100.
Starling will make his initial court appearance before a United State Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Kentucky on a later date. If convicted, Starling faces a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the ATF and Louisville Metro Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Dahl is prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Louisville Man and Woman for Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment today charging a local man and woman with violations of federal firearms laws.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to the indictment, between April 12, 2022, and June 17, 2022, George Verner, 28, a convicted felon, aided and abetted by Monique Pruitt Verner, 28, possessed a Taurus, Model G2C, 9-millimeter pistol after having previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On August 9, 2013, in Jefferson Circuit Court, George Verner was convicted of possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, receiving stolen firearms, and illegal possession of a controlled substance, schedule I hallucinogen, marijuana, while in possession of a firearm. On April 26, 2010, in Jefferson Circuit Court, George Verner was convicted of robbery in the first degree and tampering with physical evidence.
Also, according to the indictment, between April 12, 2022, and June 17, 2022, Monique Pruitt Verner transferred a firearm to George Verner, while having reasonable cause to believe he had been convicted of a felony.
Both defendants will make their initial court appearances before a United States Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Kentucky on a later date. If convicted, George Verner faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and Monique Pruitt Verner faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the ATF and Louisville Metro Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Dahl is prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Taylor County Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A Taylor County, Kentucky man was sentenced today to 57 months in prison followed by a 3-year term of supervised release for illegally possessing two firearms in Campbellsville, Kentucky.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Sheriff Allen Newton of the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, on March 18, 2021, Jeffrey R. Beard, 62, a convicted felon, possessed a New England Firearms 12-gauge shotgun, a Winchester 20-gauge shotgun, and a Marlin .22 caliber rifle. Beard had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On July 13, 2016, in Green Circuit Court, Beard was convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On July 12, 2016, in Taylor Circuit Court, Beard was convicted of first-degree wanton endangerment. On April 6, 2004, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Beard was convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a machine gun, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Field Office and the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Four Newburg Area Men Sentenced for Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – Four men, originally from Mississippi but most recently living here, have been sentenced for their roles in a drug trafficking ring occurring in apartments located in the Newburg area of Louisville. The men have also been sentenced for illegally possessing numerous firearms after having previously been convicted of felonies.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
On Wednesday, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Seiko Ross, 38, was sentenced to 14 years and 7 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for committing the following offenses to which he previously pled guilty: conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine; possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, marijuana, and five grams or more of methamphetamine; and being in possession of three firearms after having previously been convicted of the following felonies. On March 20, 2019, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Kentucky, Seiko Ross was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm. On November 7, 2016, in Rankin Circuit Court, Mississippi, Seiko Ross was convicted of possession of cocaine. On March 19, 2012, in Hinds Circuit Court, Mississippi, Seiko Ross was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Also on Wednesday, Robert Ross, 28, was sentenced to 11 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for committing the following offenses to which he previously pled guilty: conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine; possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine; and being in possession of seven firearms after having previously been convicted of the following felonies. In two separate cases on February 17, 2019, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Kentucky, Robert Ross was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, receiving a stolen firearm, tampering with physical evidence, trafficking in a controlled substance, and tampering with physical evidence. On January 28, 2016, in Hinds Circuit Court, Mississippi, Robert Ross was convicted of conspiracy to commit a crime.
On January 26, 2023, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Cory Ross, 31, was sentenced to 9 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for committing the following offenses to which he previously pled guilty: conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine.
On November 21, 2022, Andre Ross, 47, was sentenced to 4 years and 3 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for committing the following offenses to which he previously pled guilty: conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and possessing four firearms after having previously been convicted of the following felonies. On March 23, 2009, in Pike Circuit Court, Mississippi, Andre Ross was convicted of conspiracy to commit a crime. On October 6, 2000, in Hinds Circuit Court, Mississippi, Andre Ross was convicted of possession of cocaine.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“I commend LMPD and the FBI for their excellent work in this case as well as each agency’s ongoing commitment to making our communities safer,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “LMPD’s solid partnerships, with this office and with our local federal law enforcement agencies, are crucial to the continued success of our strategic enforcement efforts.”
“Due to the hard work and coordination between FBI Louisville and our law enforcement partners, members of this drug trafficking organization will spend a significant time behind bars and no longer be a threat to the safety of innocent families throughout the Louisville community,” said Special Agent in Charge Cohen. “The FBI remains committed to identifying and investigating the violent gangs that continue to plague our streets with drugs and guns.”
“LMPD would like to thank the US Attorney’s Office and the FBI for their collaboration in this investigation,” stated Chief Gwinn-Villaroel. “The successful prosecution of individuals who pose a danger to our community is illustrative of the strong partnership between LMPD and our federal law enforcement partners.”
This case was investigated by the Louisville Metro Police Department’s Criminal Interdiction Division and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Erin McKinzie and Jo E. Lawless prosecuted the case.
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Louisville Business Owner Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failure to Pay Payroll TaxesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced to a 15-month term of imprisonment today for willful failure to pay over the federal income taxes and Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes withheld from his employees’ paychecks.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Bryant Jackson of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office, made the announcement.
According to court documents, Christopher S. Moyer, 69, was the owner and sole operator of TT Repairs, LLC. Moyer functioned as the general manager of TT Repairs, LLC, and was responsible for payroll. From the third quarter of 2015 through the fourth quarter of 2018, Moyer withheld income taxes and FICA taxes from his employees’ paychecks but failed to turn the money over to the Internal Revenue Service.
Moyer was also sentenced to a $10,000 fine and a two-year period of supervised release upon his release from prison. There is no parole in the federal system. Moyer has also entered into an agreement to pay the taxes he owes, in addition to penalties and interest. Prior to sentencing, Moyer made a $1 million payment on the amount due.
The IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda E. Gregory prosecuted the case.
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U.S. Attorney Announces Availability of $489,571 in Funding to Reduce Violent Crime and Gun Violence in the Western District of KentuckyRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – Michael A. Bennett, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky, announced today that applications are now being accepted for Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) grant funding for Western District of Kentucky for the reduction of violent crime and gun violence.
“Project Safe Neighborhoods is the Department’s flagship program designed to effectively reduce violent crime and gun violence,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “PSN’s core principles of fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results, bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to decrease violent crime. I encourage community organizations and law enforcement agencies throughout our 53 counties to apply for funding and utilize their expertise to make our communities safer for all citizens.”
The PSN program has $489,571 to award in the Western District. The grant activities will be managed through the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet’s JPSC’s electronic grants management system, also known as Intelligrants 10.0 (IGX). Applications must be submitted no later than Friday, February 24, 2023, at 6:00 pm ET. Technical assistance with application preparation and submission is available from the JPSC upon request.
When considering grant awards, the Western District of Kentucky’s PSN Team will give priority to youth-serving organizations that provide prevention programming; mental health and social services assistance for at-risk individuals; crime prevention training, de-escalation training and community training for law enforcement officers; gang task forces; and equipment, services, and technology for law enforcement.
Western District of Kentucky community organizations and law enforcement agencies interested in applying for this PSN grant funding can open the hyperlink below.
https://justice.ky.gov/Departments-Agencies/GMD/Documents/PSN%20Solicitation%20USAO%20FINAL%2012-21-22.pdf
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Former Louisville, Kentucky, Police Officer Sentenced for Using Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
Katie R. Crews, 29, of Jeffersonville, Indiana, was sentenced to two years of probation, 200 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine for violating an individual’s rights by using excessive force while acting as a police officer for the Louisville Metro Police Department.
In October 2022, Crews admitted during a plea hearing that on or about June 1, 2020, while acting as a police officer with the Louisville Metro Police Department, she shot an individual with a pepperball even though the individual was standing on private property and not posing a threat to the defendant or others. Crews pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count for using unreasonable force. As part of the plea agreement, Crews is no longer an officer with the Louisville Metro Police Department and has forfeited her Kentucky law enforcement certification.
“This former Louisville police officer abused her authority as a law enforcement officer and violated the victim’s civil rights,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence makes clear that law enforcement officials are not above the law. The Justice Department will continue to prosecute law enforcement officials who violate our federal civil rights laws and defy the public trust by using excessive force.”
“As in this case, our office will work diligently with our federal and local law enforcement partners to ensure the citizens of the Western District are protected from the use of excessive force by officers sworn to protect them,” said U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky.
Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Bennett and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI and the Louisville Metro Police Department’s Public Integrity Unit jointly investigated the case through the Louisville Public Corruption Civil Rights Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda E. Gregory for the Western District of Kentucky and Civil Rights Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
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Former Louisville, Kentucky Department of Corrections Officer Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for Violent Assault on Pretrial DetaineeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Darrell Taylor, 32, a former officer with the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections, in Louisville, Kentucky, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for using unreasonable force against a detainee, thereby violating the detainee’s civil rights.
In October 2022, a jury heard evidence proving that the defendant, while working as a correctional officer, assaulted B.R., a pretrial detainee being detained in the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections. On December 15, 2020, Taylor was serving breakfast to detainees in the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections. During the breakfast service, B.R., a detainee with reported mental health issues, used insulting language in a conversation with Taylor, after which Taylor followed B.R. back to B.R.’s bunk, grabbed him, threw him to the ground, and punched him repeatedly in the face. After the fourth punch, B.R. went limp and lost consciousness. Taylor then lifted B.R. and slammed him face-first into the ground. B.R.’s jaw and cheekbone were broken during the assault.
“The defendant abused his authority as a law enforcement officer and betrayed the public’s trust when he violently assaulted a detainee in his custody,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Officials working inside jails and prisons who abuse inmates and detainees are not above the law, and we will continue to vigorously prosecute those who deprive people of their Constitutional rights.”
“The defendant’s violent assault in this case was a blatant disregard of the civil rights and physical well-being of a Metro Department of Corrections’ detainee,” said Michael A. Bennett, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. “This office will continue to thoroughly investigate and aggressively prosecute corrections officials who violate the civil rights of individuals through the use of unreasonable force.”
“Corrections officers are tasked with the difficult job of maintaining a safe and secure environment in our prison facilities. When one officer abuses the authority placed in them by violating the civil rights of an inmate, it undermines the trust placed in all law enforcement officers,” said Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office. “This sentence should be a reminder that the FBI takes all allegations of civil rights violations seriously and will vigorously investigate and seek prosecution for these abuses of power.”
The FBI Louisville Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Gregory for the Western District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
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Princeton Man Sentenced to 8 Years and 9 Months in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A Princeton, KY, man was sentenced today to 8 years and 9 months in prison, followed by a 4-year term of supervised release, for drug trafficking and firearms offenses.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Sheriff Tracy White of the Todd County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, Rodney Ware, 58, possessed with the intent to distribute 15.51 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine in Todd County, KY, on August 8, 2020. Ware also possessed a High Standard (JC Higgins) 12-gauge sawed-off shotgun after having previously been convicted of the felony offenses of possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, possession of marijuana while armed, and tampering with physical evidence. Ware was also sentenced for violating the National Firearms Act for possessing a sawed-off shotgun that was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
The case was investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Field Office and the Todd County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Two on Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment on January 18, 2023, charging Yeniseis Saavedra and Alien Saavedra with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and disaster fraud and Yeniseis Saavedra with filing a false statement, disaster fraud and aggravated identity theft.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Andrea M. Kropf of the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Midwestern Region, and U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the Pittsburgh Division made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Yeniseis Saavedra, 32, and Alien Saavedra, 33, of Louisville, Kentucky, were charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of aiding and abetting disaster fraud. The indictment charges both with conspiring to defraud factoring (trucking loan) companies by submitting false bills of lading. The indictment also charges both with filing for lost wage assistance payments authorized by a Presidential Memorandum resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic with the Kentucky Office of Unemployment. The filing for lost wage assistance payments were on behalf of Alien Saavedra and failed to report that Alien Saavedra was receiving wages from the motor carrier industry.
Yeniseis Saavedra was also charged with making a false statement to the United States Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration when she falsely filed an application on behalf of another, C.S., claiming that C.S. was going to operate a trucking company. However, C.S. was not aware of the application filing, and Yeniseis Saavedra was operating the company.
Yeniseis Saavedra was also charged with disaster fraud for filing for lost wage assistance payments authorized by a Presidential Memorandum resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic with the Kentucky Office of Unemployment on behalf of C.S. Again, C.S. was unaware of the filing, this time for lost wage assistance payments, and C.S. did not receive any of the lost wage payments. Instead, the lost wage payments were sent to a bank account controlled by Yeniseis Saavedra.
Lastly, Yeniseis Saavedra was charged with aggravated identity theft for using the identity and social security number of C.S. without C.S.’s authorization to obtain the lost wage assistance payments.
Yeniseis Saavedra and Alien Saavedra made their initial court appearances this week before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Yeniseis Saavedra faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 2 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 87 years in prison, and Alien Saavedra faces a maximum sentence of 50 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the United States Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General and the United States Postal Inspection Service with the assistance of the United States Department of Labor.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Ansari is prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Justice Department Announces Colonel Hugh T. Clements, Jr. as Director of Office of Community Oriented Policing ServicesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced that Colonel Hugh T. Clements Jr. has been appointed to serve as the new Director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office). The COPS Office is the component of the Justice Department responsible for advancing the practice of community policing by the nation’s state, local, territorial, and Tribal law enforcement agencies through information and grant resources.
“The Department’s COPS Office is central to our efforts to strengthen the public trust between communities and law enforcement that is essential to public safety, and I am pleased to announce that Chief Hugh Clements, a nearly 40-year veteran of the Providence Police Department, will be serving as its next Director,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “I am confident that Chief Clements’s leadership will further enable the COPS Office to continue its important work to keep our communities safe and build trust and mutual respect between police and communities, and I look forward to working alongside him. I am deeply grateful to Rob Chapman for his leadership as Acting COPS Director, his contributions to community policing, and his continued service to the Justice Department.”
Mr. Clements joins the Justice Department after nearly 40 years with the Providence Police Department in Providence, Rhode Island. Mr. Clements started his distinguished public safety career as a night Patrol Officer in Providence’s Uniform Division. Over the next 17 years, he rose through the ranks, working in both the Special Investigations Bureau and the Detective Bureau, where he played active roles in several major investigations. He later served as Deputy Chief and was appointed as Acting Chief of Police in July 2011, and on Jan. 6, 2012, he was appointed as the 37th Chief of the Department and promoted to the rank of Colonel.
Mr. Clements has worked closely with major law enforcement, civil rights, and community organizations. He is the recipient of numerous commendations for outstanding police work and devotion to duty, including being recognized with the Providence Police Department Chief’s Award three times and the White House Champions of Change Award for Reducing Drug Use and Building a Healthier America.
Mr. Clements received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Rhode Island and a Bachelor of Science degree in the Administration of Justice from Roger Williams University. He holds a Master of Science degree in criminal justice from Boston University. He attended many specialty schools throughout his career, including the New York State Police Williams Homicide School, the Illinois State Police Supervisor’s School, and the ATF National Gang School in California, and in 2005 he graduated from the Senior Management Institute for Police put on by the Harvard Kennedy School at Boston University.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to agency for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has been appropriated more than $20 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to over 13,000 state, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 136,000 officers.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Louisville Man for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury returned an indictment on December 22, 2022, charging a Louisville man with fentanyl trafficking.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Trevor A. Nicheols, 25, of Louisville, Kentucky, distributed 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Nicheols made his initial court appearance on January 13, 2023, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. On January 17, 2023, he was ordered to remain in federal custody pending trial. If convicted, Nicheols faces a minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
The DEA Louisville Field Office and the Louisville Metro Police Department are investigating the case.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Ford.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Franklin, Kentucky Pharmacist and his Spouse for Medical Products Theft and Controlled Substances Distribution ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, returned an indictment on January 11, 2023, charging a local pharmacist and his spouse with conspiracy to commit theft of medical products and conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Director Tommy Loving of the Bowling Green/Warren County Drug Task Force, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police, and Sheriff Brett Hightower of the Warren County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to the indictment, pharmacist Joseph Patrick Huff, 44, and Jennifer Huff, 44, of Bowling Green, Kentucky, were charged with one count of conspiracy to commit theft of medical products and one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances. The indictment charges the Huffs with conspiring to take, carry away, and conceal and knowingly possess, transport and traffic a pre-retail medical product, namely oxycodone and hydrocodone, with a value over $5000, and conspiring to sell and trade the oxycodone and hydrocodone for marijuana, methamphetamine and cocaine.
Joseph and Jennifer Huff made their initial court appearance this week before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Joseph Huff faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, and Jennifer Huff faces a maximum sentence of 35 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the Bowling Green/Warren County Drug Task Force, the Kentucky State Police, and the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Ansari is prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Tennessee Man Sentenced to 17.5 Years in Federal Prison for Robbing Five Louisville Area BanksRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Tennessee man was sentenced yesterday to 17.5 Years in prison and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $8,126 for robbing five Louisville area banks.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel made the announcement.
“The lengthy sentence in this case is the direct result of the outstanding work of the LMPD Robbery Unit,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “The investigation and prosecution of multiple bank robberies exemplifies the strong working relationships that exist between LMPD, local law enforcement agencies, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. I commend the work of the detectives and officers who worked to bring Mr. Jones to justice.”
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, on April 2, 2021, Salvador Jones, 36, of Tennessee, entered the Fifth Third Bank located at 401 South 4th Street in Louisville, Kentucky, and presented a demand note and robbed the bank. Additionally, beginning on April 8, 2021, and continuing until May 5, 2021, Jones entered four Louisville-area U.S. Banks and a U.S. Bank in New Albany, Indiana, and robbed each bank by presenting a demand note. Evidence presented at trial detailed how the Robbery Unit with LMPD coordinated with area law enforcement to determine Jones’ getaway vehicle, which eventually led to his apprehension in Nashville, Tennessee.
Jones was also sentenced to 3 years of supervised release upon completion of his term of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
The LMPD investigated the case and was assisted by the Shively Police Department, the New Albany Police Department, and the Nashville Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia P. Gomez and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Lantz prosecuted the case with the assistance of paralegal Adela Alic.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Elizabethtown Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Federal Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – An Elizabethtown man was sentenced yesterday to 151 months in prison followed by a 10-year term of supervised release for distributing and possessing child pornography. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, Martin Hoag, 43, used the internet on two occasions to send child pornography to an undercover agent and possessed, on two separate hard drives, child pornography that involved a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.
In addition to the 151-month prison sentence, Hoag was ordered to pay the following: restitution to three victims in the amount of $3,000 each, a $15,000 special assessment, and a $5,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Spencer McKiness prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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