Calloway County Woman Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Transportation of Stolen Firearm

Paducah, KY – A Calloway County, Kentucky woman was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for illegally transporting a stolen firearm. 

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement. 

According to court documents, Denise Collins, 35, illegally transported and received a firearm stolen outside of the state of Kentucky on April 25, 2022. The firearm, a Sig Sauer, model P365 XL, .9-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, was a stolen firearm transported from Tennessee to Kentucky by Collins, aided and abetted by Gary Rowland. The firearm was ultimately used by Rowland to shoot and kill Calloway County Chief Deputy Sheriff Jody Cash on May 16, 2022. 

Collins was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

“The tragic murder of Chief Deputy Cash serves as a stark reminder for all Kentuckians of the sacrifices made daily by those who wear the badge and keep our communities safe,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “Along with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we will continue to strategically investigate and aggressively prosecute those who violate federal firearms laws so that the Western District is safer for all who live and work here.”

“Kentucky lost a hero, a man who dedicated his life to serving the Commonwealth, when Calloway County Chief Deputy Jody Cash was murdered,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Morrow. “This is a terrible reminder of what can happen when a firearm ends up in the hands of someone prohibited from possessing them. ATF is committed to combatting firearms trafficking and the violence it can cause in our communities. I commend the ATF case agents, the prosecution team and our law enforcement partners including Kentucky State Police, Murray Police, McCracken County Sheriff’s Office, and the Paris Police Department in Tennessee, who worked together to bring some sense of justice to Deputy Cash and his family.”

This case was investigated by the ATF with the assistance from the Kentucky State Police, the Murray Police Department, the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office, and the Paris Tennessee Police Department.

 Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Porter prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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