Pubdate: Sat, 09 Feb 2002 Source: Messenger-Inquirer (KY) Copyright: 2002 Messenger-Inquirer Contact: http://www.messenger-inquirer.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1285 Author: Dylan T Lovan, Associated Press NINE CHARGED IN METH RING BREAKUP Son Of State Senator Among Those Indicted The son of a state senator and a Henderson attorney have been indicted in what police in western Kentucky are calling a breakup of a giant methamphetamine ring. Michael David Herron, a Henderson real estate agent and son of Sen. Paul Herron, was indicted on one count of intent to distribute methamphetamine and five counts of aiding and abetting the drug's distribution, police said. The 54-year-old Herron, attorney Edwin "Eddie" Jones and two area men, Tommy Singleton, 42, of Beaver Dam and Jewell Sorrell, 25, of Drakesboro, were arrested Wednesday night on the federal indictments. Police found some cocaine on Jones, 37, as he was arrested in front of his downtown office in Henderson, police said. Herron, Jones, Singleton and Sorrell were jailed in the Henderson County Detention Center on Wednesday night and taken to federal court in Owensboro for arraignments Thursday. Herron was released on bond at the hearing. Herron, who is also an auctioneer, could not be reached for comment Friday. A secretary at his office said she didn't know when he would return. Sen. Paul Herron, a Democrat from Henderson, reached by phone on Friday, 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 Henderson, who at 77 is the oldest member of the Kentucky General Assembly. The first arrests in the bust came in January, when five men were arrested after a grand jury handed down indictments for conspiracy to distribute meth, according to a statement from the Pennyrile Narcotics Task Force. The drug ring is accused of distributing "hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine in western Kentucky, specifically Hopkins, Christian and Henderson counties," the statement said. Two of the five men arrested after the January indictments, Paul G. Lloyd of Madisonville and Gary W. Miller of Mortons Gap, operate a strip club in Christian County called Club Paradise. Cheyenne Albro, head of the Madisonville-based Pennyrile Task Force, said the strip club is linked to the drug ring, but he couldn't say in what way because of an "ongoing investigation." Albro said it's likely there will be more arrests in the case. Albro also said he couldn't talk about Herron's alleged role in the ring. "All of those people (arrested) were part of a distribution ring for methamphetamine in western Kentucky ... that's about all I can say," he said. The investigation, began five years ago by local sheriff's offices, state police and the Pennyrile Narcotics Task Force, was boosted by the arrival of a new Drug Enforcement Administration office in Hopkins County, Albro said. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D