Pubdate: Sat, 09 Feb 2002
Source: Courier-Journal, The (KY)
Copyright: 2002 The Courier-Journal
Contact:  http://www.courier-journal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/97
Author: Dylan T Lovan
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

SENATOR'S SON INDICTED; DRUG RING ALLEGED

The son of a state senator and a Henderson attorney have been indicted in 
what police in Western Kentucky call a breakup of a ring that moved 
"hundreds of pounds" of methamphetamine.

Michael David Herron, a Henderson real estate agent and son of Sen. Paul 
Herron, was indicted on federal charges of conspiracy to possess with the 
intent to distribute methamphetamine and aiding and abetting the drug's 
distribution, according to the office of the U.S. attorney for the Western 
District of Kentucky. Eight others were indicted on the same charges, a 
statement from the U.S. attorney's office said.

Each faces at least 10 years in prison if convicted and up to a $4 million 
fine.

The 54-year-old Herron, attorney Edwin "Eddie" Jones and two others were 
arrested Wednesday night on the federal indictments. Police found cocaine 
on Jones, 37, as he was arrested in front of his downtown office in 
Henderson, police said. The five others were arrested in January.

Herron, Jones, Tommy Singleton, 41, of Beaver Dam and Jewell Sorrels, 25, 
of Drakesboro were jailed in the Henderson County Detention Center 
Wednesday night and taken to federal court in Owensboro for arraignments 
Thursday. Herron was released on bond at the hearing.

Herron, also an auctioneer, could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Sen. Paul Herron, a Henderson Democrat, reached by phone yesterday, said he 
considered his son's arrest a private matter.

"I do not know anything about the situation. . . . I am sorry this has 
happened," said the senator, who at 77 is the oldest member of the Kentucky 
General Assembly.

The indictment said the nine people charged conspired to distribute 500 
grams or more of methamphetamines between January 1997 and last month.

All nine are accused of distributing "hundreds of pounds of 
methamphetamines in Western Kentucky, specifically Hopkins, Christian and 
Henderson counties," according to a statement from the Pennyrile Narcotics 
Task Force.

Cheyenne Albro, head of the Madisonville-based Pennyrile Task Force, said 
he couldn't talk about Herron's alleged role in the ring.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager