|
|
|
|
|
|
Press Release
|
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) flexed their considerable muscles Friday morning, November 5, 2004, when Agents from the Louisville DEA Task Force swept into Oldham County to gather up suspected drug traffickers. Supported by the Special Response Team (SRT) from the Oldham County Police Department who secured two apartments in the Graham Village complex located in the 8800 block of West Highway 22 in Crestwood, the DEA served search and arrest warrants, resulting in the arrests of two suspects on various trafficking offenses. The DEA Task Force is comprised of highly skilled investigators reflecting multi-agency backgrounds.
Those who participated in Friday’s 40-officer raid, in addition to the Oldham County Police, included DEA, ATF, FBI, units of the Louisville Metro Police Department and the Kentucky National Guard.
Federal charges were brought against CLARTEZ M. JOHNSON and CHARMONT “TY” JOHNSON, who are believed to be cousins. Both men have allegedly conducted their narcotics trafficking activities in various locations in Jefferson and Oldham County, to include the Graham Village location. The two men are alleged to have moved quantities of powder and crack cocaine within Oldham County. A simultaneous raid was also conducted in the vicinity of Cold Stream Farms, located in the 4100 block of Northumberland, just over the Oldham County line in Jefferson County.
“This is a major first step in a cohesive and cooperative effort by the DEA and the Oldham County Police, to interdict narcotics trafficking in our county,” stated Oldham County Police Chief Michael Griffin.
Griffin went on to point out that the OCPD relationship with the DEA is vital as that agency’s superior resources can be channeled to assist smaller agencies whose resources are more limited.
“To successfully prosecute significant trafficking cases there must be a commitment of time, inter-agency cooperation, planning, money and skilled investigative resources,” Chief Griffin stated. “The DEA clearly demonstrates why they are the preeminent agency in the battle to combat the scourge of narcotics in this country. Not only do they have all the elements to wage that battle, they are also willing to share them with our agency. We are grateful for that and we look forward to a continuing and successful working relationship with them.”
The large and highly skilled DEA Task Force contingent which executed the warrants was lead by Resident Agent in Charge (RAC) Tony King, who has had a long and distinguished career with the DEA. King was instrumental in having an Oldham County Police Department officer assigned to the DEA Task Force in Louisville. Although absent from that assignment for the past two years due to military activation with the U. S. Army, OCPD detective Larry Tom Congleton will soon be back in that position upon his return to the Oldham County Police in mid-November.
In Congleton’s absence, other OCPD officers have been conducting investigations while working with the LaGrange Police, DEA, KSP and Louisville Metro officers. “This is only the beginning,” Chief Griffin proclaimed. “If you traffic in narcotics in Oldham County, we will hunt you down and we will prosecute you.”
|