Twelve arrested as suspects in drug trafficking ring
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging twelve individuals with conspiracies to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine.
A release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Indiana stated three of the defendants are also charged with illegally possessing firearms as convicted felons.
According to court documents, John Byers of Bowling Green was the leader of a drug trafficking organization based out of Evansville, Indiana that distributed large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine around the southern Indiana area, stated the release.
The release further stated Byers provided Stacey Cabell of Evansville, Indiana and others with methamphetamine and also worked with others, including Lance Foster, of Plano, Texas, and Octavia Finott of Evansville, Indiana to ship multiple pound quantities of methamphetamine into the area around Evansville. Byers further supplied Robert Brown, Jr. of Evansville and others with cocaine, according to the release.
The release stated the indictment alleges that several members of the drug trafficking ring were already convicted felons who illegally possessed firearms.
As of June 29, authorities seized around 35 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 45 grams of cocaine and four firearms.
The following people are in custody or have been ordered to appear in federal court, along with their charges:
- John Byers, 48, of Bowling Green
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:
Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine can result in 10 years to life in prison, conspiracy to distribute cocaine may lead to five to 40 years in prison and a felon in possession of a firearm may result in up to 10 years in prison.
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 also provided assistance.
