United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Kentucky

08/14/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/14/2026 13:54

Federal Grand Jury Indicts 7 for Owensboro Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy following Homeland Security Task Force Investigation

Louisville, KY - Following a lengthy Homeland Security Task Force investigation, a federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, returned an indictment on July 15, 2026, charging seven defendants, including three Mexican and two Guatemalan nationals, as part of an Owensboro-based methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking conspiracy. The defendants were arrested and the indictment was unsealed in federal court this week.

U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Todd C. Smith of the DEA Chicago Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Chief Arthur Ealum, Jr. of the Owensboro Police Department made the announcement.

According to the indictment, Ramon Molina-Torres,47, of Mexico, Francisco Pablo Alonzo, 23, of Guatemala, Diego Pablo Alonzo, 25, of Guatemala, Christopher Blaine McLimore, 41, of Owensboro, Deven Bellamy, 23, of Owensboro, Ayseymer Soto-Gomez, 24, of Mexico, and Eliazar Lopez-Pedraza, 46, of Mexico, were all charged with one count of conspiring together and with others to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 5 kilograms or more of cocaine from October 2025 through July 14, 2026, in Daviess County, Kentucky, and elsewhere.

Additionally, Molina-Torres was charged with 5 counts of distributing methamphetamine and having a prior serious drug felony conviction; Francisco Pablo Alonzo was charged with 2 counts of distributing methamphetamine; and Diego Pablo Alonzo was charged with 1 count of distributing methamphetamine.

On August 11, 2026, Molina-Torres, Francisco Pablo Alonzo, Diego Pablo Alonzo, Bellamy, and Soto-Gomez made an initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Lopez-Pedraza will make an initial appearance on August 12, 2026. McLimore is currently in state custody on unrelated charges and will make an initial appearance at a future date. If convicted, each of the defendants face a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner stated, "The Homeland Security Task Force continues to investigate and charge significant drug trafficking organizations throughout Western Kentucky. The success of the Homeland Security Task Force results from interagency cooperation and the dedication of the men and women of law enforcement who have devoted their careers to public safety."

"This investigation demonstrates the value of coordinated law enforcement efforts to disrupt drug trafficking organizations operating in our communities," said Todd C. Smith, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Chicago Field Division. "Through the Homeland Security Task Force and in partnership with the U.S. Attorney's Office, federal, state and local law enforcement agencies combined intelligence, resources and investigative expertise to target individuals allegedly involved in the distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine. DEA remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to dismantle drug trafficking networks, remove dangerous drugs from our communities, and hold those responsible accountable."

FBI Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson stated, "This indictment should serve as a wake-up call to criminal organizations who are fueling the deadly drug trade throughout the Commonwealth. The FBI, as part of the Louisville Homeland Security Task Force, is working alongside our law enforcement partners at every level to ensure those who exploit our communities for their own profit face the full force of the law."

"The Owensboro Police Department will continue its efforts to arrest and prosecute criminals who exploit those who suffer from addiction. We hope narcotics traffickers will someday realize the risk of mandatory federal prison time far outweigh the benefits of selling drugs in our community," said Owensboro Police Chief Arthur Ealum, Jr. "We appreciate the continued collaboration with our federal, state and local partners to combat the flow of narcotics in and around the Greater Owensboro Metropolitan Area."

There is no parole in the federal system.

This case is being investigated by the DEA Evansville Resident Office, the FBI Owensboro Resident Agency, and the Owensboro Police Department, with assistance from IRS-CI, HSI Bowling Green Office, and the Indiana State Police.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Dahl and Mark Yurchisin are prosecuting the case with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Aaron Cooper.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Louisville comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, and IRS, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Kentucky.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Kentucky published this content on August 14, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on August 14, 2026 at 19:54 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]