Quote:

Julie Smallheer, NewsChannel 6-

A sting operation resulted in the seizure of large amounts of cash...cocaine...and more than 700 pounds of marijuana.

McCracken County Sheriff Jon Hayden says drug deals like this in our area is something he wants to put an end to.

He says, "Often times we're criticized for getting the users and not the suppliers.Sometimes unfortunately that's where you have to start.You have to start low with street level users and hope you can gain enough information to work up the ladder."

More than 40 police officers from around the area were part of this sting operation that happened early yesterday morning.

Once the drug bust actually occurred one man took off into the weeds hoping to get away what he didn't know was that 25 cops dressed in camouflage were in the weeds waiting for him. Police even used a tent as a temporary jail during the sting with the help of McCracken County Jailer Bill Adams.

Nine people have been arrested and some of them are facing charges of drug trafficking and engaging in organized crime.

"Whenever we find the opportunity to get the dealers, to get the traffickers, the ones that are selling this stuff to our kids...we take that very seriously and a fortunate thing for us, it's so important because these guys have been selling hundreds...the evidence we have would suggest they've been selling hundreds of pounds of marijuana here locally,"said Sheriff Hayden.

Arrested: Graves, Brandon W. -Age 29 of LaCenter, Ky
Charges: Engaging in Organized Crime / Trafficking in Over 5 Lbs of Marijuana (Suspect was already wanted on the Organized Crime Indictment, purchased 25 lbs of Marijuana from undercover officers. The suspects 1997 Cadillac was seized.)

Arrested: Holland, Kenyordo Q. -Age 25 of Paducah, Ky
Charges: Engaging in Organized Crime / Trafficking in Marijuana Over 5 Lbs. / Fleeing or Evading Police 2nd Degree (Suspect already wanted on Organized Crime Indictment, purchased 55 lbs of Marijuana from undercover officers for $2500.00 dollars, his 2000 Lincoln Town Car. Suspect apprehended after a foot chase.)

Arrested: Petway, Winter N.-Age 24 of Calvert City, Ky
Charges: Trafficking in over 5 Lbs of Marijuana (Suspect accompanied Holland, driving the car the Marijuana was loaded into. Seized 2000 Lincoln Holland was driving as well as a 2000 Cadillac that Petway was driving.)

Arrested: Jones, Tony M.-Age 30 of Paducah, Ky
Charges: Engaging in Organized Crime / Trafficking in Marijuana Over 5 Lbs. (Suspect already wanted on Organized Crime Indictment, purchased 20 lbs of Marijuana. The suspects Chevrolet 4dr car was seized.)

Arrested: Compton, Jerry J.-Age 28 of Kevil, Ky
Charges: Engaging in Organized Crime / Persistent Felony Offender 1st Degree / Possession of a Handgun by a Convicted Felon (Suspect arrived at the sting location on a 1997 motorcycle, negotiated for several pounds of Marijuana. Arrested on Indictment warrant.)

Arrested: Borgia, Christopher J.-Age 27 of Kevil, Ky
Charges: Trafficking in Marijuana Over 5 Lbs Arrested: Fetzer, Thomas D.-Age 24 Of Kevil, Ky Charge: Complicity to Trafficking in Marijuana Over 5 Pounds (Both Borgia and Fetzer arrived together at the sting driving a 1995 Ford Mustang. The pair purchased 20 lbs of Marijuana.)

Arrested: Staples, Lydell D. -Age21 of Lone Oak
Charge: Arrested on sealed indictment charging him with Engaging in Organized Crime.

Arrested: Taylor, Elaina D.-Age19 of Lone Oak
Charge: Arrested on sealed indictment charging her with Engaging in Organized Crime.


The following is a News Release from the McCracken County Sheriff's Department

News Release
Re: Drug Trafficking Investigation, Organized Crime Indictments
Date of Release: June 20, 2007

A lengthy drug trafficking investigation led up to a very well planned sting that was carried out on Tuesday June 19. The sting netted (9) nine people on charges including Engaging in Organized Crime.

The investigation targeted upper level drug traffickers in and around McCracken County. A large quantity of Marijuana (Over 700 Lbs.) was seized in recent months in western Kentucky by an investigation headed by the D.E.S.I. unit of the Kentucky State Police.

McCracken Sheriffs detectives who assisted in that investigation began identifying dealers connected to that organization that set up business in McCracken County.

Several weeks of undercover work included the seizure of Cocaine, Marijuana, U.S. Currency, and other evidence in Paducah and McCracken County that clearly indicated an organized crime element to our immediate area involving numerous drug dealers.

Evidence was presented to a McCracken County Grand Jury on June 08, 2007 concerning the investigation. Numerous sealed indictments were returned including several charging suspects with Engaging in Organized Crime.

Evidence presented (Including audio and video) indicates that several of these suspects were selling large quantities of Marijuana and Cocaine, and would often times be armed with handguns while transporting or selling the drugs. Weights of Marijuana being bought and sold exceeded that of a 100 pounds at a time. Many of these dealers got behind on paying their drug debts to their suppliers and owed them tens of thousands of dollars.

In an effort to snag these drug suspects and serve them with the felony indictment warrants, Sheriffs detectives carefully planned a sting. Suspects believed that another large shipment of Marijuana had arrived in McCracken County and had placed their orders. The suspects (one at a time) were called and told that their Marijuana had arrived. The suspects would arrive shortly thereafter to pick up their order. After paying for the Marijuana and/or negotiate the payment, they were given their product and then immediately arrested by 25 or so law enforcement (in camouflage) that were hidden in the immediate area. Hidden cameras were installed that recorded the activity. The sting was carried out in a rural area of western McCracken County.

Every suspect arrived at the undisclosed location in a car except one, which was a motorcycle. At the end of the detail which ended at about dark, detectives seized (7) seven vehicles, six (6) cars and a motorcycle. One suspect traded his 2000 Lincoln and $2500.00 cash for 55 pounds of Marijuana during the sting. During the sting at this rural location, all people arrested at the scene were transported by ATV to a field where a large tent had been set up by the McCracken County Jailer Bill Adams who manned the tent jail with deputy jailers. Interviews were conducted in a camper also parked at the site. Two vanloads of drug suspects were transported from the site late Tuesday.

There was a lot of support given to us by many people and organizations that assisted us in making the sting a success. Mercy Regional Ambulance Service provided invaluable assistance to us, assuring that if injuries did occur, medical help was already there. There were no injuries to officers or suspects throughout the detail.

There was about 40 officers, DEA Agents and other support staff involved in the sting most all of which attended a briefing on the operation on Monday evening.

The following agencies aided and assisted in the investigation and / or sting: Kentucky State Police, Calloway County Sheriffs Department, McCracken County Commonwealth Attorney Tim Kaltenbach and staff, the Lone Oak Police Department, Murray Police Department, Paducah Police Department, Ballard County Sheriffs Department, Pennyrile Narcotics Task Force, Federal Drug Enforcement Agency, Mercy Regional Ambulance Service, McCracken County Coroner Dan Sims, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, McCracken County Jailer Bill Adams and staff and many others.

The magnitude of this investigation and the effect it will have on the drug trade locally is as meaningful as anything this department has been involved in during the past 10 years.

As sheriff of McCracken County, I would like to personally thank Sgt. Matt Carter and Det. Jesse Riddle for their hard work in organizing and putting together such an investigation, which will make our area a little bit safer. The assistance and services of all the agencies involved in very much appreciated.

Arrested: Graves, Brandon W. -Age 29 of LaCenter, Ky
Charges: Engaging in Organized Crime / Trafficking in Over 5 Lbs of Marijuana (Suspect was already wanted on the Organized Crime Indictment, purchased 25 lbs of Marijuana from undercover officers. The suspects 1997 Cadillac was seized.)

Arrested: Holland, Kenyordo Q. -Age 25 of Paducah, Ky
Charges: Engaging in Organized Crime / Trafficking in Marijuana Over 5 Lbs. / Fleeing or Evading Police 2nd Degree (Suspect already wanted on Organized Crime Indictment, purchased 55 lbs of Marijuana from undercover officers for $2500.00 dollars, his 2000 Lincoln Town Car. Suspect apprehended after a foot chase.)

Arrested: Petway, Winter N.-Age 24 of Calvert City, Ky
Charges: Trafficking in over 5 Lbs of Marijuana (Suspect accompanied Holland, driving the car the Marijuana was loaded into. Seized 2000 Lincoln Holland was driving as well as a 2000 Cadillac that Petway was driving.)

Arrested: Jones, Tony M.-Age 30 of Paducah, Ky
Charges: Engaging in Organized Crime / Trafficking in Marijuana Over 5 Lbs. (Suspect already wanted on Organized Crime Indictment, purchased 20 lbs of Marijuana. The suspects Chevrolet 4dr car was seized.)

Arrested: Compton, Jerry J.-Age 28 of Kevil, Ky
Charges: Engaging in Organized Crime / Persistent Felony Offender 1st Degree / Possession of a Handgun by a Convicted Felon (Suspect arrived at the sting location on a 1997 motorcycle, negotiated for several pounds of Marijuana. Arrested on Indictment warrant.)

Arrested: Borgia, Christopher J.-Age 27 of Kevil, Ky
Charges: Trafficking in Marijuana Over 5 Lbs

Arrested: Fetzer, Thomas D.-Age 24 Of Kevil, Ky
Charge: Complicity to Trafficking in Marijuana Over 5 Pounds (Both Borgia and Fetzer arrived together at the sting driving a 1995 Ford Mustang. The pair purchased 20 lbs of Marijuana.)

Search warrants were executed on two additional suspects homes during the early morning hours of June 20, 2007. At about 2:30AM, Sheriffs detectives and state police detectives raided two apartments at the Colony Drive Apartment Complex; 152A Terremont Drive and 779 Fairview Drive. Evidence pertaining to drug sales was found at both homes and two additional suspects were arrested:

Arrested: Staples, Lydell D. -Age21 of Lone Oak
Charge: Arrested on sealed indictment charging him with Engaging in Organized Crime.

Arrested: Taylor, Elaina D.-Age19 of Lone Oak
Charge: Arrested on sealed indictment charging her with Engaging in Organized Crime.

All suspects arrested thus far have been lodged at the McCracken County Regional Jail. This investigation is continuing and additional indictments are possible.

End of Release

Sheriff Jon Hayden -McCracken County Sheriffs Office

Copyright 2007 WPSD-TV, LLC

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gopenguins said:

The police sold them the weed. They contacted the accused. How is that not entrapment?

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gopenguins said:

Arrested: Holland, Kenyordo Q. -Age 25 of Paducah, Ky
Charges: ...purchased 55 lbs of Marijuana from undercover officers for $2500.00 dollars

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TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE!!

Do the Math:
55lbs = $2500
1lb  = $45.45
1oz  = $2.84

xxetniesxx said:

gopenguins said:

Arrested: Holland, Kenyordo Q. -Age 25 of Paducah, Ky
Charges: ...purchased 55 lbs of Marijuana from undercover officers for $2500.00 dollars

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TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE!!

Do the Math:
55lbs = $2500
1lb  = $45.45
1oz  = $2.84

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Man, I'd buy that shit!

SuperD said:

Nasty.  That junk had probably been sitting in their evidence room for a year or two before they used it in the sting.  Not to mention it was schwag to begin with.

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not to mention it had the distinct odor of cat urine

coopypants said:

thats what happens when you decide to buy mexico's finest and not the local product

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