A long-term drug trafficking investigation led to 12 people — including seven from Daviess County and two from Hancock — being federally charged with two counts each of conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of meth. Raids were conducted throughout Wednesday, resulting in the seizure of five weapons, multi-pound quantities of methamphetamines, and several other narcotics including cocaine, heroin, and LSD.
The U.S. Attorney’s office for the Western District of Kentucky said that earlier this month, a federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned a two-count indictment for the conspiracy for actions between July 2022 and February 14, 2023.
The following 12 individuals were charged:
- Chance Morton, 34, of Owensboro, Kentucky
- Nicholas Stallings, 38, of Forest Park, Georgia
- George James, 52, of Hawesville, Kentucky
- Desmond Morton, 38 of Owensboro, Kentucky
- Morgan Anderson, 36, of Owensboro, Kentucky
- William Simmons, 49, of Owensboro, Kentucky
- Johnny Albury, 55, of Owensboro, Kentucky
- Charles Hudson, 44, of Vero Beach, Florida
- Ellis Parker, 64, of Owensboro, Kentucky
- Willie Mosley, 55, of Hagerstown, Maryland
- Brian Ray, 36, of Philpot, Kentucky
- Lindsay R. Harper, 39, of Hawesville, Kentucky
The defendants were arraigned Thursday in U.S. District Court. If convicted, all defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to Daviess County Sheriff Brad Youngman, the raids resulted in the seizure of three handguns, two rifles, and one shotgun; along with meth, cocaine, marijuana, Xanax, Lortab, psilocybin mushrooms, heroin, ecstasy, and LSD.
“We have a bad drug problem in this county, and these suspects are responsible for a lot of the drugs and guns that are out there on those streets. The magnitude of this investigation and the amount of resources that came in from across the Commonwealth to assist the HIDTA in taking down this organization speaks volumes about how dangerous these people are,” Youngman said.
The Owensboro-Daviess County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force includes DCSO and Kentucky State Police along with federal agencies ATF, DEA, FBI, HSI and United States Postal Inspection Service. This investigation included collaboration with the agents from the Evansville DEA, Owensboro Police Department, and Hancock County Sheriff’s Office.
Locally, KSP and FBI Louisville SWAT teams executed the search warrants. KSP and DCSO K9 teams were involved, as was the KSP Aircraft Branch.
The OPD portion of the investigation was dubbed “Operation Short Circuit,” and their investigation began in September, according to OPD Deputy Chief JD Winkler.
“It’s a significant amount of work. I think that our citizens don’t really understand how much work goes into getting to this point,” Winkler said.” But the work is not done. There are still hundreds of hours of work to be done.”
Youngman added, “The recent expansion of the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division, and the creation of the Special Investigations Unit is proof that both my office and the Daviess County Fiscal Court are committed to working day and night to take back our streets from drug dealers and securing a future for our children. Yesterday’s efforts will go a long way toward those goals.”
The investigation is ongoing and more charges could be added.
