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Department of Justice United States Attorney David L. Huber Contact: Sandy Focken |
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July 10, 2008
TEN CONSPIRATORS OF METH RING SENTENCED TO A TOTAL OF 81 YEARS
– $25,716 in cash forfeited to the government
PADUCAH, KY - Ten members of a major methamphetamine drug ring were sentenced on July 9, 2008, to a total of 81 years and 8 months for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute multiple pounds of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney David L. Huber of the Western District of Kentucky announced today. Thomas B. Russell, Judge, United States District Court, also sentenced the defendants to 4-5 years supervised release following incarceration. There is no parole in the federal judicial system.
US Attorney Huber praised the cooperative efforts of the federal, state and local law enforcement agencies whose work resulted in this prosecution. According to Huber "A prosecution of this breath which, with a single sweep, has removed thirteen drug dealers from the streets of our communities does not happen by accident. Such a prosecution is the result of a dedication to duty and a cooperative spirit among our law enforcement community in Western Kentucky. The Kentucky State Police, Paducah Police Department and the DEA are all to be commended for their fine work in this case."
Russell Hunt, age 47, of Henderson, Kentucky, in Henderson County, was sentenced to 15 years and 8 months.
Stanley Wade Hopkins, age 35, of Fredonia, Kentucky, in Caldwell County, was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months.
Kimberly Ann Cowsert, age 29, of Marion, Kentucky, in Crittenden County, was sentenced to 9 years and 2 months on July 7, 2008.
Randy Marcel Cowsert, age 37, of Marion, Kentucky, in Crittenden County, was sentenced to 8 years and 4 months.
Ollie Peek, age 53, of Fredonia, Kentucky, in Caldwell County, was sentenced to 7 years and 3 months.
Michael Elliot Towery, age 38, of Marion, Kentucky, in Crittenden County, was sentenced to 7 years and 3 months.
Stephanie Beth Holloman, age 28, of Salem, Kentucky, in Livingston County, was sentenced to 6 years and 6 months.
Thomas Ervin Dawes, age 46, of Calvert City, Kentucky, in Marshall County, was sentenced to 5 years and 10 months.
Michael D. Loveless, age 36, of Salem, Kentucky, in Crittenden County, was sentenced to 5 years 10 months.
Riley Marie Baucum, age 22, of Paducah, Kentucky, in McCracken County, was sentenced to 5 years.
Co-defendant Timothy Binkley will be sentenced on July 14, 2008. Co-defendant Robert Andrew Topp will be sentenced on July 29, 2008. Co-defendant Troy Douglas Fox died on February 17, 2008.
Facts
The investigation in this case revealed that in the Fall of 2003, defendant Timothy Binkley, formerly a resident of Marion (Crittenden County), Kentucky, moved to Atlanta, Georgia. After his move to Atlanta, Binkley began to supply methamphetamine to the other defendants in this case, but most frequently to Russell Hunt of Henderson who was sentenced today. The investigation further revealed that Binkley had been purchasing a pound of methamphetamine for $10,500 in Atlanta and selling it for $22,000 in Western Kentucky.
As their dealings progressed, co-defendant Hunt eventually purchased anywhere from 8 ounces to a pound of methamphetamine at a time from co-defendant Binkley. Co-defendant Hunt then distributed the methamphetamine to others, including but not limited to co-defendants Randy Cowsert, Wade Hopkins, Michael Towery, and Troy Fox. As their drug trafficking continued, around January, 2005, Defendant Hunt hired people to make trips to Atlanta to pick up methamphetamine from Binkley and drive it back to Kentucky.
Co-defendant Kimberly Cowsert made several trips from Western Kentucky to co-defendant Tim Binkleys home in Atlanta, Georgia for the purpose of obtaining methamphetamine. On one trip to Atlanta, she took a briefcase full of money to Binkley at the request of co-defendant Russell Hunt to pay for methamphetamine.
Co-defendant Randy Cowsert also made trips to Atlanta for the purpose of obtaining methamphetamine. On one occasion, however, co-defendant Cowsert drove to Atlanta with co-defendant Michael Loveless and purchased a 1/2 pound of methamphetamine directly from co-defendant Binkley. The two were stopped in Tennessee on their way back to Kentucky by law enforcement and Loveless was arrested on methamphetamine charges. However, Loveless was only charged at that time with possessing a 1/4 pound of methamphetamine as law enforcement failed to recover the additional 1/4 pound of methamphetamine that was hidden in the car amplifier/speaker.
In May 2006, Binkley was arrested by the Paducah Police Department when he tried to claim a bag containing methamphetamine residue and approximately $22,000 in cash that had been left in a rental car at Enterprise Car Rentals. Paducah Police obtained a search warrant for Binkley's hotel room where they found additional money and drug paraphernalia. Co-defendant Baucum was arrested at that time. A search of Binkley's truck revealed a Keltee 9mm handgun bearing SN 125849 with 9mm ammunition and a small amount of Mexican currency.
The investigation into the gang continued and on August 14, 2007, a federal grand jury in Paducah returned an Indictment charging the thirteen with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine between the Fall of 2003 and the Summer of 2007 in Crittenden County, Kentucky and elsewhere in the Western District of Kentucky. On February 15, 2008, co-defendants Hunt, Kimberly Cowsert, Baucum, Randy Cowsert, Peek, Holloman, Hopkins, Dawes and Towery appeared before Judge Russell and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Binkley pleaded guilty on February 22, 2008, Loveless pleaded guilty on March 26, 2008 and Topp pleaded guilty on April 23, 2008. At his change of plea hearing, Binkley did not contest that the $25,716.16 currency and the 9mm handgun listed in the forfeiture count of the Indictment were forfeitable property as they constituted drug proceeds and/or property used, or intended to be used, in any manner or part, to commit, or to facilitate the commission of such drug trafficking.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michele L. Thielhorn, and it was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Kentucky State Police and Paducah Police Department.
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