A Corbin woman was arrested Friday evening for complicity to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence in connection with the death of a witness in a high profile human trafficking and engaging in organize crime case out of Bell and Harlan counties, according to the Bell County Sheriff’s Department.
The Corbin Police Department assisted the United States Marshals Service in serving the arrest warrant in the Knox County area of Corbin.
Corbin Police Cpl. Chris Brown, Patrolman First Class Jarrett Carr and Patrolman Austyn Weddle took Hailey Lynn Gilbert, 22, into custody without incident, and served her with the Bell County arrest warrant. She was taken to the Knox County Detention Center where she was booked at 10:23 p.m. Friday.
Gilbert’s arrest is in connection with an ongoing case involving the arrest of Darrell Carnahan, 69, of Harlan County, for multiple sex and drug offenses, engaging in organized crime and human trafficking, according to the Bell County Sheriff’s Department.
The case stems from an investigation into the death of a key witness against Carnahan, which was his brother, Bobby Smith. Smith was found dead in late August, the Bell County release stated.
Four other people had previously been arrested in connection with Smith’s death, and an additional arrest was made dealing with the original sex offense case.
Gilbert is the sixth person arrested in connection with the case, according to the release, which does not provide any details about her alleged role in the case.
Knox County Detention Center records do not indicate whether bond has been set in Gilbert’s case.
Background
On Sept. 1-2, Bell County officials and officers from multiple agencies, including the United States Marshal Service Central Kentucky Fugitive Task Force, carried out several arrests in connection with Smith’s death. Smith’s brother, Carnahan, was arrested in July for multiple sex offenses, according to the Bell County Sheriff’s Department.
“An investigation revealed that Carnahan had contacted Tonya Monroe, Cody Pace, and Landon Pace from the Bell County Detention Center, where he has been housed since his arrest. Carnahan asked the trio to reach out to witnesses and change their testimony against him,” a Bell County Sheriff’s Department release stated.
Smith, who had power of attorney for his brother, was a key witness against Carnahan in the sex trafficking case. He was found dead in Harlan the last week of August. Smith was not complying with requests to send money for bills and commissary for Carnahan at the jail.
Monroe and the Pace brothers moved into Carnahan’s residence after he was arrested.
“Through monitored jail text messages, investigators were able to establish the three had benefited financially and residentially from the death of Bobby Smith,” according to the release.
“It has been determined that all three destroyed evidence by burning it. They also concealed a cellular phone and deleted content regarding drug-related digital evidence about a third party. Tonya Monroe was found in possession of Smith’s food and debit card, and it was determined that the text messages reflect a direct monetary gain from Bobby’s Smith’s death.”
Another woman, Star Halcomb, was charged with tampering with physical evidence, intimidating a witness in the legal process and tampering with a witness.
Police also arrested Joseph Jackson, 31, of Bell County, and charged him with human trafficking (commercial sex activity) and engaging in organized crime in connection with the case.
Cody Dane Pace, 31, Landon Pace, 30, and Monroe, 49, were all charged with murder, tampering with physical evidence, intimidating a witness in the legal process and tampering with a witness. Monroe was also charged with theft–receipt of a stolen debit card, fraudulent use of a credit card value at least $1,000 but less than $10,000, and wanton abuse/neglect of an adult by a person, the release stated.
