The investigation started several months ago after numerous complaints came in to the Paducah Police Department. Police Detective Sgt. Ryan Conn said officers were dispatched to the area for wrecks, shots fired, prostitution, and reports of people with guns.
“We had complaints of public drinking, loud music, drug use and sales, fights, and of children being around these activities,” said Conn.
The mostly residential area has a vacant lot that many were complaining about, so surveillance was set up.
“It was an open-air drug market in the vacant lot there,” Conn said. “People would show up routinely, both customers and sellers, to conduct their business. The quality of life was on a downhill slide with the increase in crime, drugs, various disturbances and violence. The purpose of this investigation and clean-up was to give the entire neighborhood back to the residents who actually live there.”
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Fourteen people were arrested or cited on November 29, and since then, five more have been arrested on warrants.
Forty-nine year-old Brian Williams, 25 year-old Mynesser Hill, 54-year-old Arthur Lee, all of Paducah, were arrested for trafficking in a controlled substance (cocaine).
Police also arrested 39-year-old Regina Floyd of Paducah for possession of a controlled substance (cocaine), and 47-year-old William Bolen of Paducah for trafficking in a synthetic drug. When Bolen was arrested on the warrant, he was in possession of synthetic drugs and cash, so he faces an additional trafficking charge as well.
According to police, there are warrants for the arrest of five more people, listed below:
Thirty-five-year-old Mauricus Haynes of Paducah, charged in a warrant with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (previous arrests have been on charges of murder, trafficking in a controlled substance, fleeing and assault).
Twenty-eight-year-old Devonta O. Woods of Paducah, charged in a warrant with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (previously arrested on charges of trafficking in a controlled substance and assault).
Fifty-five-year-old Marcus Bowen of Paducah, charged in a warrant with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (previously arrested on charges of possession of a controlled substance, fleeing, resisting arrest and trafficking in a controlled substance).
Forty-three-year-old Charles Pittman of Paducah, charged in a warrant with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (previously arrested on charges of possession of a controlled substance, driving under the influence and trafficking in a controlled substance).
Fifty-year-old Tony McClellan of Paducah, charged in a warrant with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (previous arrested on charges of resisting arrest and unlawful possession of a weapon).
Anyone with information on these suspects should call Paducah Police at 270-444-8550 or call Crime Stoppers at 270-443-TELL.
Conn said as of Friday, the area around South 8th Street and Oscar Cross Boulevard is quite a bit calmer.
“The area has quieted down considerably,” he said. “This is a good example how corruption of the community, drug activity and criminal acts will not be tolerated in Paducah.”
