Twelve Alleged Members of Methamphetamine and Cocaine Trafficking Ring Arrested
EVANSVILLE – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging twelve individuals with conspiracies to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. Three of the defendants are also charged with illegally possessing firearms as convicted felons. The indictment was unsealed today following their arrests and initial appearances.
As alleged in court documents, John Byers, of Bowling Green, Kentucky, was the leader of a drug trafficking organization based out of Evansville that distributed large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine around southern Indiana. Byers supplied codefendant Stacey Cabell, of Evansville, and others with methamphetamine. Byers also coordinated with others, including Lance Foster, of Plano, Texas, and Octavia Finott, of Evansville to ship multiple pound quantities of methamphetamine into the Evansville area. Byers further supplied Robert Brown, Jr., of Evansville, and others with cocaine.
The indictment alleges that multiple members of this drug trafficking ring were already convicted felons who illegally possessed firearms.
To date in this investigation, authorities have seized approximately 35 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 45 grams of cocaine, and 4 firearms.
The following individuals are in custody or have been ordered to appear in federal court:
|
Defendant |
Charge(s) |
|
John Byers, 48, of Bowling Green, Kentucky |
Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine |
|
Lance Foster, 42, of Plano, Texas |
Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine |
|
Octavia Finott, 38, of Evansville |
Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine |
|
Stacey Cabell, 49, of Evansville |
Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine |
|
Taran Johnson, 24, of Evansville |
Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine |
|
William Bacon, 56, of Evansville |
Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; felon in possession of a firearm |
|
Thomas Vest, 27, of Evansville |
Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; felon in possession of a firearm |
|
James Musgrave, 39, of Evansville |
Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine |
|
Robert Brown, Jr., 51, of Evansville |
Conspiracy to distribute cocaine |
|
*Tony Johnson, 31, of Evansville |
Conspiracy to distribute cocaine; felon in possession of a firearm |
|
Tyron Northington, 33, of Evansville |
Conspiracy to distribute cocaine |
|
Antwan Hendry, 48, of Evansville |
Conspiracy to distribute cocaine |
The defendants face the following possible penalties, if convicted:
|
Charge |
Penalties |
|
Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine |
10 years to life in prison |
|
Conspiracy to distribute cocaine |
5 to 40 years in prison |
|
Felon in possession of a firearm |
Up to 10 years in prison |
Actual sentences are determined by a federal district court judge and are typically less than the maximum penalties.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Indianapolis Field Office made the announcement.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force, the Evansville Police Department, the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office, the Indiana State Police, and the Bowling Green Kentucky Police Department. The Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office provided invaluable assistance.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Kristian Mukoski, who is prosecuting this case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
