LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Seven men have been charged and accused of conspiring to deal large quantities of meth in the Bowling Green area, according to U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman.
Around June 11, 2020 to Aug. 30, 2020, Tyrecus Crowe, George Sanchez, Andre Graham, Michael Padilla, Raymond Derouse Jr., Jeremy Quezada and Brandon Cherry conspired to possess with the intent to distribute meth, according to the indictment. Derouse, Quezada and Cherry each face additional counts for possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance – meth.
In an affidavit, the Texas Department of Public Safety stopped a white Chevrolet Tahoe with three occupants inside for speeding on July 24, 2020. The consent search of the vehicle revealed 40-pounds of suspected crystal meth concealed in a black bag. The bag also showed a rental agreement between the rental company and Tyrecus Crowe.
DPS officials detained the driver and contacted the DEA. The driver told DEA agents he was renting the car from California to Bowling Green to deliver the meth to Crowe. They also revealed to agents Crowe rented the vehicle and let the driver to use it for that trip. He said it was his second trip to California to pick up meth for Crowe – the first trip happened a week prior. The driver had delivered 25-pounds of meth to Crowe’s Bowling Green home.
The driver was also interviewed on July 26 and said Crowe provided him with cash to deliver to California. There, he met with George Sanchez at a pre-determined location in Los Angeles. Once they met, the two then went to a home close to that meeting location. Sanchez and the driver counted the money by hand and Sanchez weighed the money on a scale. He told agents he didn’t remember how much money was transported during the first trip, but Crowe gave the driver 105,000 in cash during the second trip. The driver then gave the money to Sanchez, exchanging it for the meth and driving him back to the driver’s vehicle.
“This case resulted in the largest crystal meth seizure in Warren County history. These cases are not possible without a team effort of our state, local and federal partners,” Tommy Loving, the Executive Director of the Bowling Green/Warren County Dug Task Force, said in a statement. “Our local detectives partnering with the FBI shut down a major supplier of crystal meth and his drug trafficking organization. The US Attorney’s office worked with us from the early stages of this case to help bring it to fruition. The Bowling Green Police, Kentucky State Police, Warren County Sheriff’s Office, and WKU Police all participated in the joint investigation with the FBI.”
If convicted, all 7 face at least 10 years and no more than life in federal custody.
The United States has also filed notice to seek forfeiture from the defendants named to include $57,000 in cash, a home in Bowling Green, a 2008 Ford Mustang, a 2012 Nissan Altima, a 2001 Impala and a 2015 Maserati Ghibli.
The case is ongoing and is being investigated by the Warren County Drug Task Force and the FBI-Louisville Field Office.
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