Thursday, May 15, 2008
Magoffin County Drug Investigation Leads To 21 Indictments , Discovery of Large Moonshine Operation.
An eight-month undercover investigation into illegal drug trafficking in Magoffin County has resulted in arrest warrants for 21 individuals on 45 charges.
Operation UNITE detectives, with the assistance from the Magoffin County Sheriff¹s Office, began serving the indictment warrants on Monday, May 12.
As of Thursday afternoon 14 of the suspects had been located.
Late Wednesday morning law enforcement officers happened upon a large indoor moonshine still at a residence on Roanne Road in a remote section of southern Magoffin County.
About 11:30 a.m., UNITE detectives and sheriff¹s deputies went to the home of 42-year-old Edison Porter, located at the end of a mile-long driveway on top of an abandoned strip mine, to serve a warrant for trafficking in marijuana (less than 8 ounces).
Porter apparently spotted the officers approach and fled out the back door of an outbuilding, which housed the still, items used to produce moonshine, and containers of the finished product.
Kentucky State Police troopers and Alcohol Beverage Control officers were called for assistance.
Inside the shed police discovered eight one-gallon jugs and 50 quart jars filled with moonshine, large tank being heated with a propane burner, four barrels of sour mash, and bags of corn, rye, yeast and other supplies.
ABC officials are continuing the investigation and will decide what charges to file.
Porter was charged Thursday after turning himself in to authorities.
In addition, on Tuesday, police arrested two Lawrence County men while attempting to serve a warrant at a residence on Flynt Branch. Police recovered approximately 200 Oxycodone pills and 100 Xanax bars from one of these subjects.
€ Terry Raines, age 45, of Highway 1690, Louisa, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, third-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and tampering with physical evidence.
€ Jackie B. Haney, age 40, Lawrence County, first-degree possession of a controlled substance (Oxycodone). Haney also had an indictment warrant from Floyd County for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
Magoffin Sheriff Randall Jordan extended the resources of his department during the investigation, which involved mainly sales of OxyContin, Hydrocodone and some Percocet tablets. Sealed indictments were returned by the Magoffin County Grand Jury last week.
Officers continued to search for seven suspects Thursday afternoon.
Arrested as part of the investigation were:
€ David Arnett, age 41, of State Route 40, Salyersville, three counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (second offense), and second-degree persistent felony offender.
€ Creed Edward Arnett, age 33, of River Road, Salyersville, four counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
€ Lora Ball, age 38, of State Route 378, Salyersville, two counts of second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
€ Jamie Bailey, age 35, of Porter Road, Royalton, two counts first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
€ Kerry A. Burke, age 27, of Bull Mire Road, Royalton, two counts second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
€ Bridgette L. Carty, age 27, of State Route 7, Royalton, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
€ Elwood Fletcher, age 49, State Route 378, Salyersville, second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
€ Amanda Howard, age 25, of Bull Mire Road, Royalton, three counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
€ Bobby D. Howard, age 36, of State Route 7, Royalton, three counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
€ James K. McGuire, age 68, of Route 40, Salyersville, second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
€ Remonia Mills, age 36, of Boyd Branch, Paintsville (Johnson County), two counts of first-degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine and cocaine), possession of drug paraphernalia, and first-degree persistent felony offender.
€ Roger L. Nickels, age 46, of Mill Fork Road, Royalton, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
€ Edison Porter, age 42, of Roanne Road, Royalton, trafficking in marijuana less than 8 ounces. Additional charges are pending.
€ Jeremy M. Puckett, age 32, of Flynt Branch Road, Salyersville, first-degree conspiracy to traffic in a controlled substance (OxyContin) and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Operation UNITE detectives, with the assistance from the Magoffin County Sheriff¹s Office, began serving the indictment warrants on Monday, May 12.
As of Thursday afternoon 14 of the suspects had been located.
Late Wednesday morning law enforcement officers happened upon a large indoor moonshine still at a residence on Roanne Road in a remote section of southern Magoffin County.
About 11:30 a.m., UNITE detectives and sheriff¹s deputies went to the home of 42-year-old Edison Porter, located at the end of a mile-long driveway on top of an abandoned strip mine, to serve a warrant for trafficking in marijuana (less than 8 ounces).
Porter apparently spotted the officers approach and fled out the back door of an outbuilding, which housed the still, items used to produce moonshine, and containers of the finished product.
Kentucky State Police troopers and Alcohol Beverage Control officers were called for assistance.
Inside the shed police discovered eight one-gallon jugs and 50 quart jars filled with moonshine, large tank being heated with a propane burner, four barrels of sour mash, and bags of corn, rye, yeast and other supplies.
ABC officials are continuing the investigation and will decide what charges to file.
Porter was charged Thursday after turning himself in to authorities.
In addition, on Tuesday, police arrested two Lawrence County men while attempting to serve a warrant at a residence on Flynt Branch. Police recovered approximately 200 Oxycodone pills and 100 Xanax bars from one of these subjects.
€ Terry Raines, age 45, of Highway 1690, Louisa, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, third-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and tampering with physical evidence.
€ Jackie B. Haney, age 40, Lawrence County, first-degree possession of a controlled substance (Oxycodone). Haney also had an indictment warrant from Floyd County for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
Magoffin Sheriff Randall Jordan extended the resources of his department during the investigation, which involved mainly sales of OxyContin, Hydrocodone and some Percocet tablets. Sealed indictments were returned by the Magoffin County Grand Jury last week.
Officers continued to search for seven suspects Thursday afternoon.
Arrested as part of the investigation were:
€ David Arnett, age 41, of State Route 40, Salyersville, three counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (second offense), and second-degree persistent felony offender.
€ Creed Edward Arnett, age 33, of River Road, Salyersville, four counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
€ Lora Ball, age 38, of State Route 378, Salyersville, two counts of second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
€ Jamie Bailey, age 35, of Porter Road, Royalton, two counts first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
€ Kerry A. Burke, age 27, of Bull Mire Road, Royalton, two counts second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
€ Bridgette L. Carty, age 27, of State Route 7, Royalton, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
€ Elwood Fletcher, age 49, State Route 378, Salyersville, second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
€ Amanda Howard, age 25, of Bull Mire Road, Royalton, three counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
€ Bobby D. Howard, age 36, of State Route 7, Royalton, three counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
€ James K. McGuire, age 68, of Route 40, Salyersville, second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
€ Remonia Mills, age 36, of Boyd Branch, Paintsville (Johnson County), two counts of first-degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine and cocaine), possession of drug paraphernalia, and first-degree persistent felony offender.
€ Roger L. Nickels, age 46, of Mill Fork Road, Royalton, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
€ Edison Porter, age 42, of Roanne Road, Royalton, trafficking in marijuana less than 8 ounces. Additional charges are pending.
€ Jeremy M. Puckett, age 32, of Flynt Branch Road, Salyersville, first-degree conspiracy to traffic in a controlled substance (OxyContin) and possession of drug paraphernalia.
# posted by Joe Kinzer @ 4:48 PM 
