Federal Grand Jury in Louisville Returns Four Indictments Charging 34 Defendants

Louisville, KY – On August 16, 2023, a federal grand jury in Louisville charged 34 Louisville and Southern Indiana residents in four indictments involving methamphetamine, fentanyl, and firearms offenses.    

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Brian Jones of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, Special Agent in Charge Bryant Jackson of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.

According to the first indictment, Thomas Gunter, 39, Desmond Allen, 37, Byron Mayes, 49, David Carter, 41, and Lauren Baum, 31, all of Louisville, and Brandon Traughber, 41, of Georgetown, Indiana, and Jason Hill, 40, of Corydon, Indiana, are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Beginning as early as January 1, 2021, and continuing through August 16, 2023, the defendants conspired to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

Gunter is also charged with ten counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Allen, Mayes, Baum, and Hill are also each charged with one count of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.  Carter is also charged with four counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Traughber is also charged with two counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 

According to the second indictment, Adrian Hamilton, 51, Antonio O’Neal, 47, Randall Dilley, 49, Keith Dewayne Settles, 51, Coy Tucker, 32, Jaiquinton Wordlaw, 40, Heather Boling, 25, Dontray Bard, 38, Todd Allgood, 54, and Imani Tennyson, 21, all of Louisville, are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Beginning as early as January 1, 2021, and continuing through August 16, 2023, the defendants conspired to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of a fentanyl mixture.

Hamilton and Tennyson are also each charged with two counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. O’Neal is also charged with five counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Dilley is also charged with four counts of distributing a fentanyl mixture and three counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Settles is also charged with three counts of distributing a fentanyl mixture. Tucker is also charged with six counts of distributing a fentanyl mixture and one count of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Wordlaw is also charged with one count of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Boling is also charged with four counts of distributing a fentanyl mixture, two counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Bard is also charged with one count of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.  Allgood is also charged with six counts of distributing a fentanyl mixture.

According to the third indictment, Dennis Rice, 44, of Jeffersonville, Indiana, and Tomerriel Macklin Jr., 23, Damon Fortney, 44, Dominique Kinnard, 33, Curnesha Smith, 30, Derrik Goodman, 26, Bruce Boerner, 56, and Dawn Burns, 55, all of Louisville, are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Beginning as early as March 28, 2023, and continuing through August 16, 2023, the defendants conspired to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

Rice, Macklin Jr., and Goodman are also each charged with three counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Fortney is also charged with six counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Kinnard is also charged with one count of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Smith is also charged with seven counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Boerner is also charged with four counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Burns is also charged with five counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

According to the fourth indictment, Kendall Shaw, 41, Jaron Collier, 45, Ryan Mitchem, 41, Saentay Sheard, 46, Stephen Piercy, 46, Sean Underwood, 51, Christopher Shanahan, 33, Jason Cheser, 48, and Lacy Elliot, 35, all of Louisville, are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Beginning as early as January 1, 2021, and continuing through August 16, 2023, the defendants conspired to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. 

Shaw is also charged with three counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Collier is also charged with two counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Mitchem and Sheard are also each charged with one count of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Piercy is also charged with four counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and three counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Underwood and Elliot are also each charged with one count of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Shanahan is also charged with three counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Cheser is also charged with three counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

Twenty-six of the 34 defendants have been arrested and will make their initial court appearances today and tomorrow before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The following eight defendants have not yet been arrested: Bard, Mayes, Shaw, Wordlaw, Kinnard, Boerner, Shanahan, and Hill. If convicted, the defendants each face minimum sentences ranging from 10 to 35 years, and all each face a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.   

The cases are being investigated by the FBI, HSI, the IRS-CI, and the Louisville Metro Police Department, with assistance from the Kentucky State Police, the Shepherdsville Police Department, the Jeffersonville, Indiana Police Department, and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Josh Porter and Frank Dahl are prosecuting the cases.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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