Commonwealth v. Johnson
Annotate this CaseAppellee was the target of a drug investigation conducted by investigators from the Office of the Attorney General (“OAG”) and Operation UNITE, a task force receiving federal funds that investigates drug-related crimes. No local law enforcement officer or entity participated in the investigation. Two indictments were returned by a Powell County grand jury charging Appellee with several drug-related offenses. Appellee moved to dismiss the indictments against him, holding that neither the OAG officers nor the Operation UNITE detectives had jurisdiction to conduct the investigation. The trial court denied the motion to dismiss. The court of appeals reversed, concluding that the OAG was not vested with statewide jurisdiction to investigate drug crimes. The Supreme Court reversed, holding that Ky. Rev. Stat. 218A.240(1) specifically vests the OAG with the authority to enforce and investigate drug crimes throughout the Commonwealth.
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