Federal investigation names 37 suspects in drug trafficking from California to Kentucky | Crime Reports

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A federal drug trafficking investigation has ended with the indictment of nearly 40 suspects from Kentucky and California, and more than a dozen are from Louisville.

In a press release Wednesday, U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western Kentucky District said a federal grand jury indicted 37 defendants on charges of involvement in methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine trafficking, as well as weapons offenses. Investigators believe they have uncovered a major drug pipeline from California to Kentucky and through Louisville.

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

“This investigation involved thousands and thousands of hours of undercover investigative work, multiple undercover controlled buys and multiple search warrants,” Owensboro Deputy Police Chief JD Winkler said during the press conference.

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

“It's a significant amount of methamphetamine… we seized a 252-pound load,” said Assistant Special Agent Michael Gannon of the DEA's Indianapolis office. “It's a major drug organization that we were able to infiltrate.”

Winkler said it was very likely that the seized drugs were intended for distribution in western Kentucky and southern Indiana.

“We have determined that the primary source of the shipment is likely in Louisville, Kentucky,” Winkler said. “In addition, investigators have determined that the source of the shipment to Louisville is likely in California.”

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

Here is a list of the 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-Fayette:

• 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 in custody. Twenty-six defendants have been tried for the first time before a U.S. federal judge in 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 federal custody and will make their first appearance before a U.S. justice of the peace at a later date.

If convicted, all defendants except Jackson face a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. Jackson faces a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. All defendants face a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district judge will determine the sentence, taking into account sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

There is no parole in the federal system.

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