According to Wayne County Sheriff Tim Catron on August 12, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals has denied a motion filed by Defendant Troy Huff to suppress evidence related to a search of Huff’s vehicle which resulted in his arrest.
This Federal case started back on September 29, 2021, when the Wayne County Sheriff Office and the Lake Cumberland Drug Task Force in a joint operation set up an undercover controlled purchase of illegal narcotics here in Wayne County. This case was turned over to the Federal Court System through the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration. On September 29, 2021, Wayne County Sheriff Office Deputies Derek Dennis, Jerry Coffey along with Lake Cumberland Drug Task Force Director Wayne Conn contacted Huff in the parking lot of Hicks Grocery located on East Kentucky Highway 90.
This location was the pre-determined location where the undercover purchase was to take place. Huff’s appeal was based on the Deputies and Director Conn not having a constitutional right of probable cause to search his vehicle. In the Federal Appeal Court Ruling, the Deputies and Director had the legal right to search Huff’s vehicle for probable cause using evidence obtained before the search and the use of Wayne County Sheriff Office K-9 Unit Deputy Dunya before the search was conducted. The search of Huff’s vehicle resulted in approximately 2 pounds and 9.58 ounces of methamphetamine, approximately 56 grams of cocaine, approximately 67 grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture, 50.5 grams of fentanyl pills, 4 other assorted controlled substance narcotic pills, a digital scale, and a reported stolen Glock handgun from Pulaski County, and a total of $905.00 in cash. Huff was charged and arrested by Deputy Dennis at that time for possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, receiving stolen property (firearm), trafficking in a controlled substance-1st degree- 2nd or greater offense (greater than or equal to 2 grams of methamphetamine)-(enhanced), trafficking in a controlled substance-1st offense (heroin)-(enhanced), trafficking in a controlled substance-1st degree-1st offense (greater than or equal to 4 grams of methamphetamine)-(enhanced), possession of a controlled substance-2nd degree (drug unspecified)-(enhanced), possession of a controlled substance-1st degree (drug unspecified)-(enhanced) and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The Court cited several Federal Statues for the denial of Huffs appeal to suppress the evidence in this case. Huff plead guilty on April 28, 2022, to the federal charges of knowingly and intentionally with the intent to distribute 50 grams of methamphetamine, 40 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine, knowingly possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and knowingly he had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment of one year, then knowingly possess a firearm.
The case will now be returned to the United States District Court Eastern District of Kentucky Southeastern Division London for final sentencing.