14 arrested in large scale drug bust in Vanderburgh County
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) — 14 people are in custody following a string of drug busts in Vanderburgh County.
According to the Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office, 11 people are facing state charges while 3 are facing federal charges.
Authorities say the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force began an investigation in 2024 into individuals suspected in distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in the Evansville area.
The investigation included making various controlled purchased of methamphetamine through the use of confidential informants to identify local dealers.
State charges include:
Rachel Ivy: Dealing Methamphetamine
Kimberly Hamlet: Dealing Methamphetamine
Jack Jackson: Possession of Marijuana
Christopher Youngblood: Dealing Methamphetamine
Derrick Lowe: Dealing Methamphetamine and Maintaining a Common Nuisance
Isaac Horne: Dealing Methamphetamine
Curtis Esters: Dealing Methamphetamine and Serious Violent Felon in Possession of a Firearm
Antrea Esters: Maintaining a Common Nuisance
James Koutz: Dealing Methamphetamine
Samuel Wedding: Dealing Methamphetamine
Kelly Wickware: Dealing Methamphetamine and Serious Violent Felon in Possession of a Firearm
Federal charges include:
Darnell McRath: Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine
Dugniqio Forest: Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
Teshawn Baker: Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
Authorities say 11 firearms, approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 3 pounds of cocaine, approximately 75 grams of ecstasy and 347 grams of marijuana were seized in this investigation.
Eyewitness News. Everywhere you are.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Washington sues federal government to block distribution of forced reset triggers
Jun. 9—Washington has joined 14 other states and the District of Columbia in challenging a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives plan to return seized "forced reset triggers," a device the Washington Attorney General's office says allows novice shooters to "achieve the firepower of a military machine gun." "Communities are less safe with these mass-shooting devices in circulation," Washington Attorney General Nick Brown said in a statement Monday. "Essentially deregulating them is another example of (the Trump Administration) being driven by extreme ideology rather than commonsense." The lawsuit follows a settlement by the Department of Justice, which announced in May it would resolve a case that challenged the ATF designation of the device as "machine guns." "This Department of Justice believes that the 2nd Amendment is not a second-class right," Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement announcing the settlement. "And we are glad to end a needless cycle of litigation with a settlement that will enhance public safety." The device allows an operator to fire their weapon in quicker succession by mechanically resetting the trigger after each shot. Washington law bans machine guns, as well as any "mechanism or instrument" that does not require the trigger to be pulled for each shot. Federal law similarly bans the possession of machine guns. According to the complaint, at least 100,000 of the devices have been sold throughout the country. "A forced reset trigger uses a spring assist in shoving the trigger shoe back forward, resetting the trigger," said Jeremy Ball, owner of Sharpshooting Indoor Range and Gun Shop. "A forced reset trigger does not change the mechanical makeup of a gun; all it does is assist the shooter in resetting the trigger." Ball added that while the device still requires the user to pull the trigger, it takes less effort and skill to fire the weapon more quickly. Still, Ball said the device has limitations. "Anytime we're talking about shooting a gun fast, the only thing that matters is whether you're able or not to hold that gun on a target," Ball said. Forced Reset Triggers have been at the center of several legal battles in recent years amid an increase in machine gun fire incidents. In 2022, ATF determined that some of the devices would be classified as machine guns under the National Firearms Act, making them illegal to own. According to the Washington Attorney General's office, ATF seized "thousands" of the devices following the designation. The Department of Justice then filed a lawsuit against Rare Breed Triggers, which produced and sold the devices online. Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that ATF had exceeded its authority by designating bump stocks, which allows a shooter to fire a gun more rapidly by using the weapon's recoil to bump the trigger, as a machine gun. A federal judge in Texas cited that ruling, finding similarly that the agency could not designate forced reset triggers as a machine gun. As part of the settlement with the Justice Department, Rare Breed cannot develop or design forced reset triggers for use in any pistol and will enforce its patents to prevent infringement. Rare Breed also agrees to promote the safe and responsible use of its products. In May, the U.S. Attorney General's Office noted the settlement is in alignment with President Donald Trump's "Executive Order Protecting Second Amendment Rights" and the "Attorney General's Second Amendment Enforcement Task Force." The lawsuit brought by Washington alleges the settlement violates a federal prohibition on owning a machine gun and seeks a preliminary injunction to prevent the Trump administration from distributing the seized devices. According to the Washington Attorney General's Office, machine gun conversion devices allow firearms to shoot up to 20 bullets in one second. Use of the devices has increased in recent years, with machine gun fire incidents up 1,400% from 2019 through 2021, according to ShotSpotter, Inc., which has placed acoustic sensors in about 130 U.S. cities. Ball said while he doesn't "necessarily have a dog in the fight or care" about the disagreement regarding forced reset triggers, a rise in the usage of "Glock switches" is a reason for concern. The small, mostly 3-D-printed devices can be attached to the end of a firearm and transform a semi-automatic pistol into a fully-automatic weapon. "That is a device that legitimately turns a firearm into a machine gun," Ball said. In September, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts seized 350 internet domains that were used to illegally import the switches and silencers from China. Between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31 of last year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Chicago alone seized more than 1,500 of the devices, according to the agency.
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
75 Democrats Express 'Gratitude' to ICE in Antisemitism Vote Amid LA Unrest
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Seventy-five Democrats broke ranks on Monday, joining Republicans in voting for a House resolution condemning antisemitism and expressing "gratitude" for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other law enforcement personnel. Why It Matters Monday's vote comes as Los Angeles is reeling from days of political unrest after ICE raided several downtown city neighborhoods and arrested more than 50 people. The arrests are part of the Trump administration's broader crackdown on undocumented migrants, which has also swept up people who are legally permitted to be in the United States. President Donald Trump has deployed 4,000 National Guard troops to L.A. since the protests started unfolding and has also mobilized 700 Marines to respond if the strife escalates. What To Know Monday's resolution condemned this month's antisemitic attack in Boulder, Colorado, in which the suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, faces 118 criminal charges, accused of targeting a march calling for the return of Israeli hostages in Gaza. The resolution also "affirms that free and open communication between State and local law enforcement and their Federal counterparts remains the bedrock of public safety and is necessary in preventing terrorist attacks; and expresses gratitude to law enforcement officers, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel, for protecting the homeland." Of the 212 Democrats in the House, 113 voted against the resolution, which was introduced by Republican Representative Gabe Evans. Seventy-five Democrats voted in favor of the measure, including Representative Joe Neguse, who represents the district where the Boulder attack occurred. Six lawmakers—five Democrats and one Republican—voted "present." This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
Los Angeles Times
6 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
David Huerta released from custody
David Huerta, president of Service Employees International Union California, was released from custody after Federal authorities on Monday charged him in a criminal complaint with conspiracy to impede an officer in connection with his alleged actions during an immigration enforcement raid last 58, has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles since Friday.
