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Press Release

New U.S. Attorney’s Office In Bowling Green Delivering On Promises To Better Serve South Central Kentucky

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Kentucky

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – In February of this year United States Attorney Russell Coleman officially opened a full-time staffed federal prosecutors’ office in Bowling Green, Kentucky, a first in the history of the Commonwealth.

Since the opening of the office in February and notwithstanding the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal prosecutors now living and working in Bowling Green, have presented, and the grand jury returned, 30 federal indictments in the Bowling Green division. The indictments include 18 cases involving firearms offenses, 10 of which also involved drugs, five stand-alone drug cases, two cases of child exploitation, and two cases involving fraud.  Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Office is actively coordinating federal investigations across 20 counties alongside numerous state, federal, and local law enforcement partners.

The scope of the enhanced law enforcement cooperation is broad, including collaboration with the following:  the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, Bowling Green-Warren County Drug Task Force, Bowling Green Police Department, Edmonton Police Department, Allen County Sheriff’s Office, Hart County Sheriff’s Office, Metcalfe County Sheriff’s Office, Simpson County Sheriff’s Office, Todd County Sheriff’s Office, Barren River Drug Task Force, South Central Kentucky Drug Task Force, Taylor County Drug Task Force, Kentucky State Police (KSP), Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), National Parks Service (NPS), United States Marshals Service (USMS), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), along with numerous Commonwealth’s Attorneys who serve as the chief state law enforcement officers of their respective circuits.

“Promises made to better protect the families of South Central Kentucky are promises being kept,” said U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. “Stay tuned as much more to come as we work with our Commonwealth’s fine lawmen and women.”

Examples of the type cases handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Office include:

  • Dusty G. Westmoreland, 30, of, Summershade, Kentucky, has been charged with Robbery after he stole a truck and drug the vehicle’s owner alongside the vehicle at Mammoth Cave National Park.  Westmoreland entered the victim’s Ford F-150 truck, which was stopped as the owner tried to help at the scene of an accident.  The victim opened the driver’s side door attempting to stop Westmoreland from stealing the vehicle.  A struggle ensued, with Westmoreland striking the victim and dragging him down the side of the road, resulting in injuries to the victim. 
     
  • Charles Joasch, 33, of Quebec, Canada, who has been indicted for conspiracy to commit mail fraud.  According to the indictment, it was part of the scheme that victims were contacted and told their loved ones had been arrested.  The victims were asked to send various amounts of money in cash in order to secure the release of their loved one.  Charles conspired in this scheme picking up packages across Georgia, Florida, and in Bowling Green, Kentucky.  He would then drop off the packages in Florida, New York, and Boston. The nationwide scheme resulted in more than $300,000 in losses.  The charge carries a penalty of not more than 20 years in prison.
  • Tamia N. Good, 22, of Eastpointe, Michigan, who has been charged federally with knowingly possessing a controlled substance (meth) with intent to distribute. According to a criminal complaint, Good was stopped in an Uber coming from Nashville, Tennessee and arrested on two outstanding warrants.  Upon a search of the vehicle approximately 5 pounds of crystal meth was recovered.  The case is being investigated by the South Central Kentucky Drug Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
  • Mark Allen Johnson, 30, of Rockfield, Kentucky, who has been charged in a three count indictment with distribution of child pornography, attempted enticement, and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor.  Johnson faces no less than 15 years in prison and no more than life behind bars.
     

Opening the full-time staffed office was a lengthy administrative process which required approval from the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, DC, and ultimately Congress.  Historically, the unstaffed office space in the courthouse was used by federal prosecutors who made the two-hour commute from the U.S. Attorney’s main office in Louisville.  The presence of the full-time federal prosecutors living and working in Bowling Green equates to enhanced working relationships and more robust investigative support to law enforcement agents, officers, and state prosecutors.    

 

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The indictment of a person by a Grand Jury is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Updated October 19, 2020