Two brothers have been convicted of conspiring to supply cocaine from a Mexican drug cartel to Louisville’s biggest drug trafficking organization — one that the government said distributed more than a ton of cocaine from 2008 to 2010.
A jury found Abel and Ramon Flores guilty of conspiring to supply the drug to the organization led by Michael A. McCarthy Jr. in a scheme in which 26 people have been convicted.
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McCarthy, who pleaded guilty, testified against Abel Flores, 41, and Ramon Flores, 34, who prosecutors showed moved the drug to Louisville from Southern California.
The verdict were returned by the jury after only one hour of deliberations and entered by Judge Charles R. Simpson III on Wednesday.
Sentencing for the Floreses and other defendants is set for March 12. They face from 10 years to life in prison and a fine of up to $10 million .
When the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives finally broke up the ring through an investigation they dubbed “Operation Across the Pond” (the Ohio River, in this case) authorities seized 37 kilograms of powder cocaine, 1 kilo of crack cocaine, an arsenal of more than 20 assault rifles and $4 million in cash.
“These convictions illustrate the importance of law enforcement collaboration across jurisdictional lines,” U.S. Attorney David Hale said in a statement. “Their combined efforts curtailed a violent interstate drug organization. Our communities are safer as a result.” This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Davis and Robert Bonar.
The Courier-Journal reported in July that McCarthy was only in his 20s and so young that his underlings called him “Youngin.” Described as respectful and soft-spoken — he had no felony convictions, let alone any for drug trafficking — McCarthy lived quietly with his girlfriend and children in a $353,000 home on a one-acre plot in Spencer County.
Court-approved wiretaps show that they called their kilo bags “briskets” and referred to selling the drug as “swerving.” They transported their product in 18-wheelers and race-car haulers and they stored it in three stash houses near the Watterson and Gene Snyder expressways.
