Sheriff’s deputies and fish and wildlife officers are currently searching Boltz Lake for a man who may have drowned.

The man had been fishing alone and was scheduled to meet him on the lake. Police say when the friend showed up, he saw an empty boat and heard someone calling for help from the water.

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Witnesses say the man’s clothing is still lying on the dock where he jumped in the water.

Three Arizona women arrested last summer after state police allegedly found nearly 23 pounds of heroin hidden in a pickup truck during a Lehigh County traffic stop have been formally charged in federal court.

Martha Coughanour-Flores, 56, Anna Maria Chavez, 55, and Enjoli Monique Ward, 33, all of Tucson, were charged Tuesday with conspiracy to distribute more than a kilogram of heroin, possession with intent to distribute heroin, and aiding and abetting.

The woman were arrested in July after a trooper stopped Coughanour-Flores for allegedly tailgating on Interstate 78 in Upper Macungie Township. Court documents say federal authorities had alerted agents in Pennsylvania that the truck would be in the area and possibly be carrying drugs.

http://liarcatchers.com/drugdogsweeps.html

Coughanour-Flores gave a state trooper permission to search her pickup truck and a police drug dog indicated the presence of narcotics.

Officers found 13 brick-shaped packages that tested positive for heroin. They were initially charged in Lehigh County District Court with possessing 13 kilograms of heroin worth $13 million, but the federal Drug Enforcement Administration took over the case in August.

The charges filed Tuesday indicate the weight of the heroin after packaging had been removed was about 10 kilograms. The women were charged by information, which means they have given up their right for a grand jury to decide whether charges are warranted and are likely to plead guilty.

Attorneys for the women did not return calls.

According to a court document filed in federal court in August, DEA agents in Arizona alerted counterparts in Allentown that Coughanour-Flores’ truck would be passing through the area July 25, possibly carrying illegal drugs.

After the traffic stop and arrests, Ward described Coughanour-Flores as the ringleader. She told federal agents that Coughanour-Flores; Ward’s mother, Chavez; and Ward’s 3-year-old daughter left Tucson three days before they were arrested in Pennsylvania on what she believed was a “dry run” to learn how to smuggle drugs.

Ward told agents that she had previously made runs from Arizona to the East Coast five or six times and had been paid between $1,000 and $2,000. Ward said she had been stopped by law enforcement in June and had lost 4 kilograms of heroin, so Coughanour-Flores took her on a run to give her experience in smuggling. Ward told agents that she didn’t know the pickup was loaded until after they left Arizona and headed toward the Lehigh Valley, court documents say.

On the same day that the women were arrested in Pennsylvania, DEA and Homeland Security Investigations agents obtained warrants and raided Coughanour-Flores’ properties in Tucson, seizing an additional quantity of cocaine.

No court date has been set for Coughanour-Flores, Chavez or Ward.

A cause of death has been released in the death of a missing Montgomery County woman was found in a pond in Mt. Sterling.

Sources say that 28-year-old Audrey Blackburn accidentally drowned. Her body was discovered by two fisherman Wednesday. Blackburn had  been missing since March 17, 2015.

She was a Pike County Native and had graduated from Columbia University in New York City. She had disappeared from her home carrying only a coffee can and filters. Her parents became concerned after they discovered Blackburn had not taken medication she needed with her.

http://liarcatchers.com/missing_persons_investigations.html

On a post on the “Find Audrey” Facebook, a group administrator posted, “Unfortunately, we have received the worst possible news today. Our hearts are too heavy for words right now, but we thank all of you who shared this page and tried to help find Audrey. She was loved by so many, and we cannot believe we will never again see her dancing down the sidewalk in fairy wings.”

Funeral arrangements have not been announced.

Kentucky State Police are investigating the death of man whose body was found floating in a Madison County creek.

Troopers tell us a group of canoeists spotted the body in Taylor Creek, near Wilgreen Lake, around 7:30 pm. After about an hour and a half of searching, a rescue squad recovered the body.

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We’re told they do not know the man’s name, nor his approximate age, but the body will be sent to the State Medical Examiner’s office for an autopsy.

Troopers say they will handle the case as a death investigation, unless something suspicious is discovered. They say they will be checking missing persons reports from the area for leads.

Kentucky State Police confirm John Trent has been found in Clay City Wednesday evening. The say they worked with U.S. Marshals to help find and take Trent into custody.

According to investigators, John Trent and his cousin Dallas Trent escaped from a jailer’s vehicle transporting them to Three Forks Jail from a court appearance two weeks ago.

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The jailer says a dog ran in front of a tanker and at that moment, the two men jumped out of the car and down a hill.

Officials are still looking for Dallas Trent. He’s described being approximately 5’7” weighing about 140 pounds.

Anyone with information on where Dallas Trent may be is asked to call State Police at (859) 623-2404

Lexington’s most recent murder suspect, 21-year old Dustin Yost, has pleaded not guilty to killing Vondre Smithers. Yost’s mother sat down with LEX 18 News after court on Wednesday and she said police have the wrong man.

Linda Mcclain stands by her son in the good times and the bad, even as he faced a judge for murder.

“I was devastated. My son would never hurt anybody, he’s a good kid,” said Mcclain.

http://liarcatchers.com/wrongful_death.html

However, Yost was already in jail this week, when he was charged with killing Vondre Smithers. Last month, Smithers was shot in the head and found dead in the middle of Bellefonte Drive.

“I feel so bad, I mean nobody should have to die like that. And I hope whoever really done it, they get caught. But, I believe my son didn’t do it,” said Mcclain.

She said her son, who is a father himself, a former ROTC and college student, was friends with Smithers. Mcclain said the pair were together the night Smithers was murdered. However, she emphasizes that her son is not to blame.

“He is just a good person. Just caught up at the wrong time at the wrong place,” said Mcclain. She said Smithers was in Yost’s car the night he was killed. However, she said there’s more to this case, and someone else was responsible. When asked who, or how, she said she did not want to comment on the case any further.

Mcclain said she’s focused on the truth. Last month, when Smithers’ family mourned him, that’s what they begged for. With news of Yost’s arrest they said Vondre Smithers can finally rest peacefully. Closure and the truth is what Mcclain said she hopes for too.

“Pray for my family and Vondre Smithers’ family,” said Mcclain.

Yost is charged with murder and evidence tampering. He is scheduled to be back in court on April 22nd.

Two men have been arrested in Colorado after allegedly coming here to have sex with children, and a third man has pleaded guilty in a similar case, federal officials said Monday.

Brian Franklin Howard, 37, of Las Vegas, was arrested Thursday at Denver International Airport; and Matthew Hornung, 33, of Harrisburg, Penn., was arrested March 28 after driving here, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

http://liarcatchers.com/pedophile_tracking.html

Both men allegedly had contact on the Internet with a Homeland Security Investigations agent who posed as a single mother with children ages 10 and 14. Both suspects allegedly arranged to have sex with the children and traveled here for that purpose, the release said.

A third man, Darwin Gowen, 62, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty on March 31 to one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, federal prosecutors said. Gowen, who faces a 30-year prison sentence and a fine of up to $250,000, remains in custody pending sentencing. Gowen traveled to Denver by plane and was arrested at DIA.

The cases were investigated by HSI and the Colorado State Patrol.

Howard and Hornung remain in federal custody. Howard has a detention hearing scheduled Wednesday. Hornung is being held without bond.

A death investigation is underway in southern Kentucky.

Kentucky State Police were called about an abandoned vehicle on Monday evening in the Crooked Creek area of Rockcastle County.
Troopers were able to determine that the vehicle was connected to a woman reported missing from Lexington.

http://liarcatchers.com/missing_persons_investigations.html

After searching the immediate area, troopers discovered a body. That person was later identified as Amelia E. Jones, 41, of Lexington.

Jones’ cause of death has not been determined. Police do not suspect foul play at this time. An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.