OPD: 3 men federally indicted on meth charges

Three men have been federally indicted on drug charges and approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine was seized during the course of the investigation, according to the Owensboro Police Department. 

According to a release, OPD Street Crimes Unit detectives began their investigation in March 2023 into three subjects who were suspected of trafficking “large quantities” of methamphetamine in Owensboro, Daviess County, and surrounding counties. 

Detectives assigned to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) task force presented their investigation to the United States Attorney’s Office. On August 9, the United States District Court, Western District of Kentucky, federally indicted the following subjects with the charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine: 

• Joshua Morehead (39, Hartford) 

• Eric Coots (44, Owensboro) 

• Maninder Singh (30, Louisville) 

According to OPD, Morehead has previously been charged with the following: 

• manufacturing methamphetamine, 1^st offense 

• trafficking in controlled substance 1^st degree, 2^nd or greater offense (greater or equal to 2 grams of methamphetamine) 

• possession of a controlled substance 1^st degree, 2^nd offense (methamphetamine) 

• possession of a controlled substance 1^st degree, 1^st offense (methamphetamine) (2 counts) 

• possession of a controlled substance 1^st degree, 1^st offense (drug unspecified) 

• possession of a handgun by a convicted felon (2 counts) 

• unlawful possession of meth precursor, 1^st offense 

• burglary 1^st degree 

• burglary 2^nd degree 

• parole violation warrant (2 counts) 

• probation violation (for felony offense) 

• persistent felony offender 

• assault 1^st degree 

• assault 4^th degree (minor injury) (2 counts) 

• unauthorized use of motor vehicle, 1^st offense 

• unlawful transaction with minor 2^nd degree 

• criminal mischief 1^st degree 

• prescription controlled substance not proper contain, 1^st offense 

• possession of drug paraphernalia (3 counts) 

• giving officer false identifying information 

According to OPD, Coots has previously been charged with the following: 

• receiving stolen property $10,000 or more 

• possession of a controlled substance 1^st degree, 1^st offense (methamphetamine) (2 counts) 

• possession of drug paraphernalia (2 counts) 

• assault 3^rd degree 

• criminal mischief 2^nd degree 

• disorderly conduct 2^nd degree 

• alcohol intoxication in a public place, 1^st and 2^nd offense (2 counts) 

According to OPD, Singh has previously been charged with the following: 

• trafficking in marijuana (8 ounces to less than 5 pounds), 1^st offense 

• possession of marijuana 

• possession of drug paraphernalia 

“Members of the Owensboro Police Department are committed to using every resource available … to ensure individuals responsible for trafficking large quantities of controlled substances in our community serve significant sentences in the federal system,” OPD said in a release. “The Owensboro Police Department would like to thank our federal partners for their continued support in helping us protect our community.”