Livermore man pleads guilty in ongoing drug case

Freddie Bourne, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
·2 min read

Aug. 9—A man involved in an ongoing criminal conspiracy investigation in McLean County pled guilty Monday at the McLean County Courthouse.

Michael K. Chambers, 44, of Livermore went before Circuit Judge Brian Wiggins to enter a plea regarding a charge stemming from an investigation of trafficking methamphetamine.

Chambers was found guilty of possession of a controlled substance in the first-degree for methamphetamine — third offense — which was amended from conspiracy trafficking in a controlled substance in the first-degree for over two grams.

Chambers is to be on supervised probation for a period of three years as opposed to a sentence of three years in the penitentiary.

A term of Chamber's probation includes serving 90 days in the Muhlenberg County Detention Center with credit for 55 days and to be released into long-term drug rehabilitation.

Five arrest warrants were executed by the McLean County Sheriff's Office with the assistance of the Pennyrile Narcotics Task Force (PNTF), Ohio County Sheriff's Office and the Owensboro Police Department in June.

A total of 11 arrest warrants were obtained for the case, with three individuals still at large as of Monday according to McLean County Sheriff Kenneth Frizzell.

According to MCSO, those involved include Chambers, Wayman Henry, 33, of Calhoun, Matthew Abney, 40, of Livermore, James Rachal, 62, of Livermore, Nathan Humphrey, 37, of Hartford, Steven Strong, 54, of Livermore, Troy Edmonds, 45, of Cleaton and Craig Avery, 32, Owensboro.

On Aug. 1, Henry and Abney entered pleas of guilty, with Henry pleading guilty to the amended charge of possession of a controlled substance in the first degree for methamphetamine — second offense — and was sentenced to supervised three years probation.

A term of Henry's probation is to serve 150 days in the Muhlenberg County Detention Center, with credit for 53 days on Aug. 1 and to be released into long-term drug rehabilitation.

Abney pled guilty to the amended charge of trafficking in a controlled substance — first offense — for methamphetamine of two or more grams and will be sentenced on Aug. 22.

Edmonds pled guilty to the amended charge of trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree for methamphetamine of two or more grams on July 11 and was sentenced to five years in prison, with credit of 25 days served in custody.