United States Drug Enforcement Administration

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Following an approximately two-month-long, ATF-led operation involving multiple state and federal agencies, dozens of defendants were recently arrested on federal and state charges. In addition, significant amounts of narcotics and numbers of firearms were seized and taken off the streets of Louisville.

U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney Gerina D. Whethers, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Chief Paul L. Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department, and U.S. Marshal Gary B. Burman of the of the U.S. Marshal Service for the Western District of Kentucky made the announcement. 

This summer, Louisville ATF led a violent crime reduction initiative in Louisville. The Louisville ATF-led operation was in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky, the Jefferson County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, the Louisville Metro Police Department, the Louisville DEA Field Division, the Louisville United States Marshal Service for the Western District of Kentucky, the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, the Kentucky State Police, the Jeffersontown Police Department, the Shively Police Department, the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections and the Oldham County Department of Corrections.

The initiative focused on targeting gun traffickers who are selling guns to gang members and violent criminals and who also dispose of weapons used in violent crimes. The initiative also focused on drug traffickers working in neighborhoods with high violent crime rates. 

This summer initiative was wildly successful. The initiative resulted in 43 federal indictments and 10 state indictments. Nearly 50 defendants were arrested as part of this initiative. Collectively, the defendants charged have well over 200 prior felony convictions, including multiple prior homicide convictions. Many of the charged defendants also have gang affiliations. The initiative seized 160 firearms from Louisville’s streets, including 42 machine-gun conversion devices which serve to convert a semi-automatic handgun into a machine-gun. This initiative also seized 10 kilograms of 

illegal drugs, primarily including significant amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Tragically, fentanyl and methamphetamine lead to death and destruction of individual lives and destroy communities.       

“The amount of effort and coordination it took to plan and execute this violent crime reduction initiative cannot be understated. I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Louisville ATF for leading what was an incredibly successful violent crime reduction initiative. I also want to express a special thanks to Chief Paul Humphrey and the men and women of the Louisville Metro Police Department who willingly and effectively collaborated with ATF and our other federal law enforcement partners. I also want to voice my appreciation to Jefferson County Commonwealth Attorney Gerina Whethers and her prosecutors. We have such a strong partnership with Ms. Whethers’ office and that partnership is making Louisville a safer city. Simply put, the level of coordination and mutual respect between federal and local law enforcement in Louisville is unprecedented and it is paying significant dividends in reducing Louisville’s violent crime.” said U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner. “We have more work to do but, as this initiative shows, we are willing to think outside the box and put in the long hours to make this community safe.” 

ATF Special Agent in Charge John Nokes stated, “I am proud of the men and women of ATF’s Louisville Field Division and our federal and local law enforcement partners for all they accomplished in such a short period of time. By targeting individuals responsible for driving the violence in our communities, we are sending a clear message that those who threaten our neighborhoods will be held accountable. This operation is an example of what can be accomplished when we all work together for a common goal.”

“Drugs don't simply represent a public health or quality-of-life concern; illegal drug markets create environments where violence takes root,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott. “We know there is no single operation, arrest, or seizure that will solve every problem, but every successful joint effort sends an important message: our communities are not going to be abandoned, and those who profit from drugs and violence will face a coordinated response.”

LMPD Chief Paul L. Humphrey stated, “An operation of this magnitude required months of preparation, relentless investigative work, and incredible coordination with our local and federal partners. Together, we identified and arrested dozens of criminals and took dangerous drugs and guns used in crimes off our streets. This is what effective collaboration looks like, and it makes our entire community safer.”

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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