McConnell, law enforcement officials say HIDTA designation will save lives

June 2, 2021 | 12:10 am

Updated June 2, 2021 | 7:13 am

Photo by Ryan Richardson

There was another fatal overdose in Owensboro over the weekend. It’s an outcome law enforcement agencies from the local to national level have been working together to eliminate for more than a year. And after recently being designated as a High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, officials are confident more lives will be saved in Owensboro-Daviess County. 

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced in mid-May that Daviess County was chosen for inclusion into the Appalachia HIDTA program, which provides federal support to law enforcement agencies in designated counties with coordination, equipment, technology and additional resources to combat drug production and trafficking. 

McConnell met with local city leaders along with law enforcement officials from local, state and federal agencies on Tuesday morning to discuss the HIDTA designation.

The senator noted that approximately half of all Kentuckians currently live in a HIDTA county.

“Looking at the results, I think it’s caused a difference in every place that there’s been a HIDTA designation,” McConnell said. “I wish we didn’t have this horrendous problem, but we do.”

Daviess County Sheriff Keith Cain said local officials have been trying for close to two decades to get such a designation in Owensboro-Daviess County, “but it’s a very competitive process across the nation.”

 Daviess County is one of only six counties nationwide to receive a new HIDTA designation this year. 

“HIDTA is all about improving … and I emphasize the word improving because we have a wonderful working relationship among our agencies here along with our federal partners,” Cain said. “This is a force multiplier. It brings resources, training and funding to this community that we would not have in the absence of the HIDTA designation.”

There’s already a handful of cases that prove how the agencies have worked together even before the HIDTA designation.

In January, law enforcement announced the most significant drug bust in Owensboro history. Members of an Owensboro drug trafficking organization were charged with multiple felonies after being caught with 151 pounds of methamphetamine, 3.5 pounds of counterfeit pills with suspected deadly fentanyl, and other drugs.

In March, a total of 15 defendants involved in an Owensboro-based drug trafficking organization were charged by a federal Grand Jury for engaging in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, among other charges. Ten of the 15 defendants were from Owensboro. 

Last week, an Owensboro man was charged by a federal grand jury for the distribution of fentanyl resulting in the death of another person. A second Owensboro man was also indicted in relation to the incident.

Owensboro Police Department Major Jason Winkler said local law enforcement has an obligation to seek out every resource available to increase their effectiveness in protecting the community.

“We are not going to be able to stop addiction and help these addicts if we don’t hold these dealers accountable,” Winkler said. ““It’s important to understand that addiction to a controlled substance is a disease that requires treatment. However, addiction to money, power, violence, and control over others is not a disease. It’s a crime, and we will not stop until these individuals are held accountable.”

Winkler said, “If there is one life that is saved from anything we do, it’s worth it.”

Officials said they will meet next week to find out more details about what resources and how much funding will be made available because of the HIDTA designation. Like Winkler, Cain said there’s one thing that’s certain.

“This designation will translate into lives saved here in our community,” Cain said. “There can be no greater objective than that.”

Owensboro Mayor Tom Watson also touted the collaboration of all the agencies working to dismantle the drug trafficking organizations, as well as those who helped Daviess County finall receive the designation.

“Our entire community is so ecstatic about the fantastic announcement of our designation as a HIDTA county,” Watson said. “The combined efforts from the city, county, FBI, DEA and all others showed our need and how important it is to receive this federal support. Special thanks to Senator McConnell and his talented staff for their energy to make this happen. We are so grateful to be one of only six new designations in the country.”

June 2, 2021 | 12:10 am

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