Tales from Kentucky Sheriffs

5. Moonshine, Marijuana, and Meth

Chapter 5 MOONSHINE, MARIJUANA, AND METH The stories in this chapter detail the changing scene of illegal substances, ranging from the old days of moonshine whiskey to marijuana to the more recent—and more alarming—rise in the production and use of methamphetamine. Although the days of moonshine are for the most part gone, stories of its heyday persist. These sometimes feature hardened criminals who would stop at nothing to protect their illegal interests; alternatively, however, making moonshine was often a family effort necessary for survival in hard economic times. One amusing story reveals two sheriffs whose own fathers were bootleggers. Marijuana succeeded moonshine as the illegal drug of choice, and many stories reveal that sheriffs were kept busy searching and destroying patches of plants, which were usually hidden in secluded areas or grown in cornfields or other croplands. Often law enforcement officials had to burn the contraband before witnesses—or take photos—to avoid suspicion that they kept the plants themselves. The sheriffs report that drug-related offenses increasingly involve meth—much to their distress, as experience has taught them that the danger meth poses to its users is far greater than that of moonshine or marijuana. The drug was originally manufactured primarily in rural pockets, but more recently meth labs are springing up anywhere and everywhere, all across the state. In response to what Daviess County sheriff John Cain refers to the “methamphetamine epidemic,” Drug Task Forces have been established throughout Kentucky. These have had some successes, as the stories below indicate, but meth continues to be a serious problem. 114 Tales from Kentucky Sheriffs No Need for Moonshine Around 1981, which was the last year of my first term, I was told there was a moonshine still out here on Slim Island Road toward Jackson Orchard. So, I called ATF [the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives] and told them there’s supposed to be a moonshine still out on Slim Island Road. The agent said, “A moonshine still? Hell, I ain’t never worked one of them cases, it’s been so long ago.” We pondered around, and he wound up saying, “Just go out there and tell them we know what they are doing, so don’t do it no more.” I went out there and told a fellow, “Hey buddy, you need to quit making whiskey.” He said, “Oh, I ain’t doing that.” Actually, he did, but we haven’t heard anything more about it. And here in Bowling Green, we were talking the other day about bootlegging, but I ain’t heard anything like that going on. I guess that’s because the liquor stores stay open till 2:00 in the morning, then open back up at 6:00. So there’s not even a bootlegger in Bowling Green anymore, but there might be one up around Smiths Grove. Jerry “Peanuts” Gaines, Warren County, July 20, 2009 Out with the Old and in with the New On Saturday night during the first time I was sheriff, my wife and I and the chief Constant, who was police chief and who later succeeded me as sheriff for one term, went to the Grand Ole Opry. My boys said, “We’re going to raid all the bootleggers in Smiths Grove.” And that night they raided the bootleggers, about five of them. When I got home that night my phone was ringing off the hook. These phone calls were from the people that had been buying moonshine whiskey from the bootleggers. They’d say, “You SOB, we got you elected, and now you’ve caught our bootleggers. We have to drive all the way to Bowling Green to get a drink.” Well, I thought, “Damn.” We more or less got it through, and I said, “We’re going to have to cut it down some. I’ll bother you no more, and you won’t bother me.” So I don’t know what it’s like in Smiths Grove now. That was the last bunch of bootleggers we had. I think we scared them out; they moved out. There was one that got too old to make moonshine whiskey, and he died out. Moonshine, Marijuana, and Meth 115 I don’t know of any in Warren County now. We’ve got a Drug Task Force here in Warren County now, and they catch four or five meth makers every...