LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A federal drug trafficking investigation ended with nearly 40 suspects from Kentucky and California indicted, and more than a dozen are from Louisville.

In a news release Wednesday, U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western Kentucky District said a federal grand jury indicted 37 defendants for involvement with methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine trafficking offenses and firearms offenses. Investigators believe they uncovered a major drug pipeline from California to Kentucky and through Louisville.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS Criminal Investigation and Owensboro Police Department held a news conference Wednesday about the investigation conducted by the Organized Crime and Drug and Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).

"This investigation encompassed thousands and thousands of hours of covert investigative work, multiple undercover controlled buys, and multiple search warrants," Owensboro Police Deputy Chief J.D. Winkler said during the news conference.

Between March 2023 and August 2024, federal officials said they received a tip that led them to a Love's gas station in Shepherdsville, where two of the suspects met up. Police then seized cardboard boxes containing about 252 pounds of meth and 12 kilos of cocaine.

"It's a significant amount of methamphetamine... seizing a shipment of 252 pounds," Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Gannon from the DEA Indianapolis Office said. "It's a major drug organization that we were able to infiltrate."

Winkler said it's very likely the drugs seized were intended to be distributed throughout western Kentucky and southern Indiana.

"We determined that the primary source of the supply was suspected to be operating in Louisville, Kentucky," Winkler said. "Futhermore, detectives identified the source of supply to Louisville was suspected to be operating in California."

Thirteen of those indicted are from Louisville, and police are still looking for four additional suspects from Louisville: Brandan Arnold, Gardner Webb, Tanaja Lee and Deandre Williams. Gannon said the U.S. Marshals Service is assisting in tracking those suspects down.

Here is a list of defendants named in the five federal indictments:

California:

  • D'Andre Williams, 40, of Adelanto, California
  • Elmondo Elliott, 55, of Los Angeles, California
  • Desmond Knox, 50, of Menifree, California

Lexington:

  • Bobby Douglas, 56, of Lexington, Kentucky

Louisville:

  • Brandan Arnold, 42, of Louisville
  • Antonio Arnold, 44, of Louisville
  • Dwayne Evans, 35, of Louisville
  • Antionio Evans, 42, of Louisville
  • Tanaja Lee, 23, of Louisville
  • Davonte Hoskins, 28, of Louisville
  • Jason Salyer, 50, of Louisville
  • Rayshawn Spearman Sr., 39, of Louisville
  • Rayshawn Spearman Jr., 26, of Louisville
  • Melanie Surrell, 45, of Louisville
  • Djuan Truss, 42, of Louisville
  • Gardner Webb, 31, of Louisville
  • Deandre Williams, 27, of Louisville

Owensboro:

  • Richard Boarman, 48, of Owensboro, Kentucky
  • Joshua Estap, 40, of Owensboro, Kentucky
  • Jonathan Hawkins, 43, of Owensboro, Kentucky
  • Jeramey Hawkins, 46, of Owensboro, Kentucky
  • Cameron Jackson, 24, of Owensboro, Kentucky
  • Damone McGuire, 29, of Owensboro, Kentucky
  • Timothy Roach, 37, of Owensboro, Kentucky
  • Diana Miranda, 38, of Owensboro, Kentucky
  • Gregory Nuckols, 61, of Owensboro, Kentucky
  • Julia Parrish, 53, of Owensboro, Kentucky
  • Justin Riley, 41, of Owensboro, Kentucky
  • Timothy Roberts, 46, of Owensboro, Kentucky
  • Shalonna Slaughters, 57, of Owensboro, Kentucky
  • Joe Turner, 46, of Owensboro, Kentucky
  • Tyler Vinson, 32, of Owensboro, Kentucky
  • Jamie Voyles, 44, of Owensboro, Kentucky
  • Hope Warsinsky, 39, of Owensboro, Kentucky

Utica:

  • Zachariah Nance, 44, of Utica, Kentucky
  • Charles Nelson, 41, of Utica, Kentucky

Thirty-one of the 37 defendants have been arrested or are otherwise in custody. Twenty-six defendants have made their initial court appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky or the Central District of California.

Six defendants — Jackson, Williams, Truss, Jeramey Hawkins, Hoskins and  Bermudez — are currently in state custody and will make an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at a future date.

If convicted, each of the defendants except Jackson face a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. Jackson faces a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. All the defendants face 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.

More Louisville-area Crime Stories:

Copyright 2024 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.