Four individuals have been arrested after Daviess County Sheriff’s Office found an ongoing drug trafficking operation on the 800 block of Hathaway Street Monday morning. The search resulted in over 12 pounds of marijuana, almost 250 pills and multiple other drugs.
DCSO reported that the agency observed several individuals leaving the residence on Monday morning. The agency then conducted traffic stops where they found James Brooks, 61, of Owensboro, traveling with marijuana, methamphetamine, Klonopin pills, hydromorphone, hydrocodone pills and multiple prescription pills, not in a proper container and suboxone strips.
Brooks was also found with a plastic bag in his pocket containing a crystalline substance suspected to be crystal methamphetamine.
A second vehicle occupied by Ray Morrow, 64, of Morganfield and Roger Ritch, 61, of Morganfield, was discovered to have a large quantity of marijuana and three individual plastic packages containing suspected methamphetamine, according to DCSO.
After receiving a search warrant, DCSO’s Special Investigations Unit went on to search the Hathaway Street home and found more evidence of a drug trafficking operation, finding a large quantity of suspected methamphetamine, over 5 pounds of marijuana, a loaded handgun, over 20 dosage units of gabapentin, US Currency, pipes, rolling papers, scales, and other paraphernalia.
In total, DCSO seized 12 pounds of marijuana, over 200 hydrocodone pills, over 30 counterfeit Klonopin pills suspected to have contained fentanyl and 3 pounds of methamphetamine.
Brooks, Morrow and Ritch were all at the residence alongside Alisha Johnson, 51, of Owensboro. The four have been charged and are currently held at Daviess County Detention Center. The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges are expected.
DCSO was assisted by the Henderson Police Department and Kentucky State Police.
They are charged with the following:
James Saunders Brooks:
- Trafficking Controlled Substance 1st Degree, 2nd or > Offense (> or = 2 grams of Methamphetamine) (Firearm Enhancement)
- Trafficking in Marijuana (>5 lbs) 1st Offense (Firearm Enhancement)
- Drug Paraphernalia – Buy/Possess (Firearm Enhancement)
- Possession of Handgun by Convicted Felon
- Trafficking in Controlled Substance 1st Degree, 2nd or > Offense (> or = 10 DU of Drug Unspecified) (Firearm Enhanced)
- Trafficking in Controlled Substance 2nd Degree, 1st Offense (< 20 DU of Drug Unspecified Schedule 3) (Firearm Enhanced)
- Trafficking in Legend Drugs 1st Offense (Firearm Enhanced)
Alisha M. Johnson:
- Trafficking Controlled Substance 1st Degree, 1st Offense (> or = 2 grams of Methamphetamine) (Firearm Enhanced)
- Trafficking in Marijuana (>5 lbs) 1st Offense (Firearm Enhancement)
- Drug Paraphernalia – Buy/Possess (Firearm Enhancement)
- Trafficking Controlled Substance 3rd Degree, 1st Offense (> or = 20 DU but < or = 120 DU of Drug Unspecified) (Firearm Enhancement)
Roger G. Ritch:
- Trafficking Controlled Substance 1st Degree, 2nd or > Offense (> or = 2 grams of Methamphetamine) (Firearm Enhancement)
- Trafficking in Marijuana (>5 lbs) 1st Offense
Raymond C. Morrow:
- Trafficking Controlled Substance 1st Degree, 2nd or > Offense (> or = 2 grams of Methamphetamine) (Firearm Enhancement)
- Trafficking in Marijuana (>5 lbs) 1st Offense
