Wed
Apr 20 2016
04:36 pm
KPD officer indicted on drug, other charges
By: R. Neal

The TBI announced this afternoon that eight individuals, including one KPD officer, were indicted as a result of a recent joint drug investigation with KPD and the Knox Co. DA. More details in the TBI press release after the break...

EIGHT INDICTED FOLLOWING TBI DRUG INVESTIGATION IN KNOX COUNTY

KNOXVILLE – An investigation by Special Agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Drug Investigation Division, with the assistance of the Knoxville Police Department and Knox County District Attorney General’s office, has resulted in the indictment of eight individuals, including a Knoxville police officer, on a variety of drug-related charges.

On February 24th, Knoxville Police Chief David Rausch contacted Knox County District Attorney General Charme Allen and TBI Director Mark Gwyn to request assistance in investigating one of his officers he suspected was involved in criminal activity. Over the course of the past two months, TBI Special Agents with the Drug Investigation Division developed information that several individuals, including a Knoxville police officer, were involved in the distribution of various drugs, including Oxycodone and Oxymorphone. Some of these transactions occurred within a drug-free school zone. These transactions occurred largely within Knox County, but also expanded into east and middle Tennessee.

On Tuesday, the Knox County Grand Jury was presented with the results of this investigation. The Grand Jury returned indictments charging eight individuals with a total of 35 counts of drug-related charges. This morning, TBI Special Agents and officers with the Knoxville Police Department began taking into custody those who were indicted.

As of this afternoon, those who have been taken into custody include:

Joshua Hurst, 38, Knoxville – Three counts of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Deliver Schedule II Oxycodone over 200g in a Drug Free Zone, Three counts of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Deliver Schedule II Oxymorphone over 200g in a Drug Free Zone, Four counts of Official Misconduct, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Dangerous Felony, Possession with Intent to Deliver Oxymorphone in a Drug Free School Zone, Possession with Intent to Deliver Oxymorphone, Two counts of Possession with Intent to Deliver Oxycodone in a Drug Free Zone, Possession with Intent to Deliver Oxycodone, Two counts of Delivery of Oxymorphone in a Drug Free School Zone, Delivery of Oxycodone, Delivery of Methamphetamine

Milbern Breeden, Jr., 50, Knoxville –Three counts of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Deliver Schedule II Oxycodone over 200g in a Drug Free Zone, Three counts of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Deliver Schedule II Oxymorphone over 200g in a Drug Free Zone, Delivery of Oxycodone in a Drug Free Zone, Sale of Oxycodone in a Drug Free Zone, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Dangerous Felony

Erin Keenan, 41, Knoxville –Three counts of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Deliver Schedule II Oxycodone over 200g in a Drug Free Zone, Three counts of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Deliver Schedule II Oxymorphone over 200g in a Drug Free Zone, Delivery of Oxycodone in a Drug Free Zone, Two counts of Sale of Oxycodone in a Drug Free Zone, Possession with Intent to Sell Oxycodone, Possession with Intent to Sell Morphine, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Dangerous Felony

Pamela Moretta, 43, Knoxville – Three counts of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Deliver Schedule II Oxycodone over 200g in a Drug Free Zone, Three counts of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Deliver Schedule II Oxymorphone over 200g in a Drug Free Zone, Sale of Oxymorphone in a Drug Free Zone, Two counts of Sale of Oxymorphone, Sale of Oxycodone

Trevor Loy, 37, Wartburg – Three counts of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Deliver Schedule II Oxycodone over 200g in a Drug Free Zone, Three counts of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Deliver Schedule II Oxymorphone over 200g in a Drug Free Zone, Delivery of Oxycodone in a Drug Free School Zone

Jacob Hurst, 35, Clarksville – Three counts of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Deliver Schedule II Oxycodone over 200g in a Drug Free Zone, Three counts of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Deliver Schedule II Oxymorphone over 200g in a Drug Free Zone

Paul Gilbertson, 44, Knoxville – Three counts of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Deliver Schedule II Oxycodone over 200g in a Drug Free Zone, Three counts of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Deliver Schedule II Oxymorphone over 200g in a Drug Free Zone

Joshua Hurst, Breeden, Keenan, Moretta, Loy and Gilbertson have been booked into the Knox County Jail, and each has a $100,000 bond. There is not currently a booking photo for Gilbertson. Jacob Hurst has been booked into the Montgomery County Jail on a $100,000 bond.

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Average Guy's picture

Makes me think back to Chris

Submitted by Average Guy on Wed, 2016/04/20 - 6:56pm.

Makes me think back to Chris Gibson of the Baumgartner trial. His claim that "law enforcement" was providing drugs to the judge was ridiculed because of who he was.

Doesn't look so ridiculous today.

Hildegard's picture

Baumgartner resigned five

Submitted by Hildegard on Thu, 2016/04/21 - 2:58pm.

(To Average Guy) Baumgartner resigned five years ago. All of the whispers were about bad eggs in KCSO, not KPD, which is where this officer was employed. The TBI was ready to burn anybody, then as now, but as far as I recall, Baumgartner was the only official catch. He was buying his dope from street people, not from law enforcement. And at that time, at least, KPD and KCSO were in a pissing contest to see who could make the other agency look worse. From the look of this case, this officer got corrupted by people on the outside, not on the inside. Just thought I'd throw that in before the conspiracy nannies start to keening.

Average Guy's picture

How do you know where he got them?

Submitted by Average Guy on Thu, 2016/04/21 - 3:35pm.

That it would take 5 years to make a case is not unheard of here.

Baumgartner hit up his bailiff for her drugs.

She was a KCSO deputy.

She claims she told her superiors.

Hildegard's picture

Baumgartner is rumored to

Submitted by Hildegard on Thu, 2016/04/21 - 4:03pm.

Baumgartner is rumored to have hit up anybody who looked like they might have shoulder pain for their dope, and to have bullied staffers into sharing their scripts. But that's not the same thing as a dirty cover up. If that's true, he should have been indicted for extortion. There was a whistleblower in that case, or TBI would have never gotten wind of it.

But this case is unrelated. That bailiff was KCSO. Hurst, the defendant in this case, is KPD. The average cop working for either agency would disembowel himself on the Gay Street Bridge at high noon before he'd cooperate in any conspiracy or investigation with the other.

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