JUNE 5, 2026 – written by WADE QUEEN
How not in the worstest of ways NOT to end the last day of the month & into the first day of the following month.
What started out as a 911 call to a possible domestic dispute on Sunday night, May 31, in rural Lawrence County, ended up with responding police finding a variety of narcotics and arresting three people for drug trafficking.
Kentucky State Police Post 14 trooper Chase Coverdale, along with a second state trooper and a Lawrence County Sheriff Office deputy, who all responded to the call in the Richardson area of Lawrence County. After questioning some people at the call scene, officers were given permission to enter the home. Once they were nside of the home, they immediately spotted some drug paraphernalia, so they obtained a search warrant, which resulted in the discovery of meth, fentanyl, cocaine, pills, marijuana and paraphernalia.
Following the discovery of the significant drug booty, the home’s three occupants, who were identified as William Blackman Friend, 44 , Brandi Annette Meade, 51, and Jonathan Andrew Meade, 38, no addresses listed for the trio; were all arrested at the home.
All three individuals were each charged with the following:
- TRAFFICKING IN CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, 1ST DEGREE, 1ST OFFENSE – (> OR = 2 GRAMS METHAMPHETAMINE);
- POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA; DRUG PARAPHERNALIA – BUY/POSSESS;
- TRAFFICKING IN CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, 1ST DEGREE, 1ST OFFENSE – (> OR = 4 GRAMS COCAINE);
- TRAFFICKING IN CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, 1ST OFFENSE (CARFENTANIL OR FENTANYL DERIVATIVES);
- POSSESSION CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, 3RD DEGREE – DRUG UNSPECIFIED;
- PRESCRIPTION CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE NOT PROPER CONTAINER 1ST OFFENSE;
- TRAFFICKING IN CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, 1ST DEGREE, 1ST OFFENSE – (> OR = 10 D.U. DRUG UNSPECIFIED).
- Will Blackman Friend was additionally charged with: *TAMPERING WITH PHYSICAL EVIDENCE.
William Friend, Brandi Meade, and Jonathan Meade were all transported to and booked & lodged in the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center in Paintsville,where each of the three are currently being held on a $25,000 cash bond.
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