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The United States Attorney's Office
Eastern District of Kentucky
PRESS RELEASE
August 24, 2007
LONDON, Ky. — Two from Floyd County who were indicted in March 2007 pleaded guilty on August 21 before United States District Court Judge Danny C. Reeves, admitting their roles in the Pamela Justice and Darrell Triplett drug conspiracy.
Loucilla Thornsberry, 50, also known as Louvella Tackett, pleaded guilty to two counts of the indictment, while Steve Tackett, 43, pleaded guilty to three counts of the indictment, charging the use of the telephone to knowingly cause, or facilitate, the unlawful distribution of cocaine.
Investigators with the Federal Bureau of Investigation intercepted two phone conversations between Justice and Thornsberry on August 31, 2006 and September 1, 2006, along with three phone conversations between Justice and Tackett on August 31, 2006, September 9, 2006, and October 3, 2006, all discussing the sell and purchase of cocaine.
Thornsberry and Tackett were arrested on March 29, 2007. Thornsberry admitted to officers that she had purchased about 2 grams of cocaine a month for the past five years from Justice. Tackett admitted to officers that he was purchasing cocaine from Justice for several years and that he also sold her marijuana on occassion. During the course of the conspiracy, Pamela Justice distributed to Thornsberry and Tackett approximately 4 ounces of cocaine.
Thornsberry is scheduled to be sentenced on December 4, 2007 at 1:30 p.m. and faces up to four years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000 and supervised release for up to one year. Tackett is scheduled to be sentenced on December 3, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. and faces up to eight years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000 and supervised release for up to three years.
However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and applicable federal statutes.
Out of the 12 individuals indicted in March of 2007, a total of six have pleaded guilty, which include the four mentioned above along with Johnny Michael Castle, 56, and Mica Patrick, 37. The other six, Timothy Neal Howard, Roy Branham, Terry Branham, Kathy Branham, Stephen Gearheart, and Tina Mills, are all scheduled to stand trial later this year.
Amul R. Thapar, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Tracy A. Reinhold, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, jointly made the announcement after the plea was entered. The United States is represented in the case by Assistant United Stated Attorney Stephen C. Smith.