INDICTMENTS: Three indicted on drug trafficking charges | Police & Courts

Three people were indicted on drug charges by a Madison County grand jury on Jan. 9.

They were James Johnson, 47, Jackson, Anthony Mitchell, 24, Southeast Powderhorn Road, Richmond, and Danyelle Oberlin, age and address unavailable. All three were charged with first-degree controlled substance trafficking (less than 4 grams of cocaine) and trafficking in a controlled substance (fentanyl).

Their indictments stem from Johnson’s and Mitchell’s arrests on Nov. 3 after Kentucky State Police pulled over a vehicle that had a driver who wasn’t wearing a seat belt, and the vehicle didn’t have proper registration, according to a previous Register article.

When troopers spoke with Johnson, who was driving, he said it was his friend’s wife’s vehicle, and he didn’t know about the registration issue, according to a citation. Johnson then stepped out of the vehicle, and troopers searched him.

Troopers found a black, tar-like substance suspected to be heroin, the citation states, along with brass knuckles inside Johnson’s back pocket. Troopers then searched the vehicle where they found a baggie with a green, leafy substance, suspected to be marijuana, on the passenger side of the vehicle, according to the citation.

Additionally, troopers found a white, powdery substance, which police couldn’t identify at the scene, and Johnson said he didn’t know what the substance was, the citation states.

Mitchell was in the back seat close to where the white substance was found, the citation states. Troopers searched him and found a large sum of cash, wrapped with a rubber band, according to a separate citation. He told police he got the cash from his monthly check and said the cigarette packages didn’t belong to him.

Johnson also is charged with first-degree controlled substance possession, carrying a concealed deadly weapon, marijuana possession and first-degree persistent felony offender. Mitchell also is charged with second-degree persistent felony offender, according to the indictment.

Others indicted on Jan. 9 are:

• Tammy Tharpe, 41, Lisa Ann Court, Richmond, first-degree controlled substance trafficking (less than 2 grams of methamphetamine), trafficking in a controlled substance (fentanyl) and two counts of second-degree persistent felony offender.

• Danny McKinney, 62, South Porter, Richmond, first-degree controlled substance trafficking (more than 2 grams of methamphetamine) and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Andrew Lowery, 45, Third Street, Richmond, three counts of controlled substance trafficking (heroin) and controlled substance trafficking (fentanyl).

• Kenneth Slaughter, 28, Race Street, Richmond, two counts of first-degree controlled substance trafficking (4 grams or less of cocaine).

• Solomon Whiting, 34, North Street, Richmond, two counts of trafficking marijuana (less than 8 ounces) and marijuana trafficking (greater than 8 ounces, but less than 5 pounds).

• Isaac Polly, 19, Chris Drive, Richmond, first-degree wanton endangerment, leaving the scene of an accident, failure of owner to maintain required insurance and reckless driving.

• Robert Fraley, 47, Clay City, first-degree controlled substance possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, commercial driver’s license under the influence of alcohol/drugs and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs.

• Kenneth Harrison, 24, Bowling Green, first-degree controlled substance possession, marijuana possession and speeding 23 miles per hour over the speed limit.

• Michael Marcum, 32, Lancaster, first-degree bail jumping.

• Harmon Burkhart, 43, Candlewood Drive, Berea, first-degree bail jumping.

An indictment does not indicate guilt, only that grand jurors believe the state has enough evidence to prosecute.