Williamsburg police seized 806 cans of beer and a small amount of cash while executing a search warrant Friday evening in far eastern Whitley County.
Police charged Steven Yount, 42, of 442 Bennett Branch Road, with illegal sale of alcoholic beverages in a dry option territory and having a prescription controlled substance not in the original container.
"This is just another step in our on-going investigation into the illegal sale of alcoholic beverages across our fine county," said Williamsburg Public Affairs Officer Shawn Jackson.
"We are getting some of this alcohol off the streets and making the communities across the county a safer place for our citizens."
After a "cooperating source" made a controlled buy earlier in the day, police obtained a search warrant that they executed at a 535 Bennett Branch Road residence about 7:30 p.m. belonging to Dale Bolton. The beer was discovered in a garage behind the residence, Jackson said.
"It is believed that an employee of the operation was the one running the so-called business today," Jackson said. "Mr. Yount’s did stated to us that he was working for the owner of the property selling alcoholic beverages but was not selling medications."
As to whether Bolton might also face charges since he owned the residence, Jackson said that the investigation is continuing and "as always other arrests are possible."
While police seized slightly less alcohol than they had during the last three bootleg busts that have taken place over the last 10 days, Jackson said that the beer ranks up there with the coldest beer police have seized so far.
He said there were three full sized refrigerators loaded down with alcoholic beverages.
"This being a Friday evening, we believe that the business had been pretty much wide open from mid-afternoon up until we executed the search warrant," Jackson said.
"We feel like they had probably already sold a substantial amount of alcohol. He was running a tight race with the gentlemen we arrested the day before yesterday of having the coldest beer in the county."
Jackson said that Yount had read newspaper articles about bootleggers boasting they had the coldest beer in the county and he felt his "might be close. He did have some in the freezer."
In addition to the beer, Jackson said police discovered a couple of small pills believed to be a type of hydrocodone in Yount’s pocket.
"Mr. Yount’s stated that it was his prescription. However, he had not had a chance to take it and did not have it in the original container," Jackson said.
Yount was arrested without incident and lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center.
Detective Bobby Freeman is heading the investigation.
Chief Wayne Bird, Jackson, Officer Todd Allen and Kentucky State Police Trooper Les Moses also assisted with the investigation.
"We really appreciate the Kentucky State Police assisting us in our investigation. We are really glad to have a good partnership with the state police," Jackson added.
