By Alan Lytle
Lexington, KY – 55 arrests, 55 convictions. That's the official result of a highly publicized, federal drug and weapons investigation in Bourbon County that resulted in a massive roundup last June.
On Friday, U.S. Attorney Kerry Harvey provided details on the community-driven, multi- agency effort to shut down a substantial cocaine and crack operation outside a neighborhood grocery store.
"Oliver's Grocery Store is only a couple of blocks away from the Paris High School. Students of the high school would walk by the center of this drug activity every day on their way to and from school. The court heard evidence that people in the community feared going near this area because of the prevalence of drug trafficking and violent behavior."
Harvey says the majority of the 55 individuals sentenced had prior felony convictions; many for drug trafficking.
"Unfortunately they chose to re-offend and are now suffering the consequences of that unwise decision."
The four year investigation involved agents from the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, and Firearms, the Paris and Lexington Police Departments, and Kentucky State Police.