St. Paul Road couple indicted on meth manufacturing, gun, theft charges

michael-s-drake-12-14
michael-s-drake-12-14

The Grayson County Grand Jury has indicted a St. Paul Road couple after a mid-December raid found the two were manufacturing methamphetamine, trafficking in marijuana and participating in a theft ring.

The grand jury indicted 43-year-old Michael Drake and 39-year-old Heather Drake on charges including manufacturing methamphetamine, cultivating marijuana, trafficking in marijuana, possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), receiving stolen property (over $10,000), possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. All of the charges are enhanced by each suspect’s firearm possession.

Both Drakes are convicted felons and face dozens of years in prison if convicted.

The investigation into the couple began the morning of Thursday, December 13, 2018, when Grayson County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Sonny Poteet and Sgt. Clay Boone responded to a report of stolen truck parts at a property on Peonia Road. The victim told police he was missing four truck beds, multiple front and rear bumpers and a tailgate, along with other truck parts.

The victim said the value of the stolen property, according to the arrest citation, was in excess of $40,000.

(Grayson County Sheriff Norman Chaffins said the total amount of stolen vehicle parts located was over $70,000.)

At approximately 2:15 that afternoon, Poteet was traveling in the 2600 block of St. Paul Road when he noticed two trailers containing truck parts at a residence. Poteet notified Boone of what he found, and upon Boone’s arrival, they went to the residence to continue the investigation.

As Boone and Poteet arrived, a vehicle containing Michael Drake left the residence, according to the arrest citation. Boone and Poteet stopped the vehicle and took Drake back to his residence. The owner of the stolen truck parts was summoned to the scene to identify the parts as his, which he did.

A search warrant was then served at the residence, with police finding additional stolen car parts. During the search for vehicle parts, police located drugs. A second search warrant was obtained and executed at the residence by the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office and Greater Hardin County Narcotics Task Force.

During the execution of that warrant, law enforcement found methamphetamine, a methamphetamine manufacturing operation, a marijuana grow operation with 15-20 plants, and packaged marijuana, police said. Firearms were also seized from the property.

Heather Drake was arrested the next day. The man driving the vehicle Michael Drake was in as law enforcement arrived at his St. Paul Road home, 50-year-old Charles Haycraft, of Leitchfield, was arrested and charged with driving on a DUI suspended license, possession of a controlled substance (methadone), prescription drugs not in proper container, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Michael Drake previously pled guilty to manufacturing methamphetamine after he was arrested in March 2005 in Grayson County. A court filing in that case said, “A series of methamphetamine related items were found in the search (of Drake’s property). Tests confirmed that methamphetamine was present in the majority of the items seized.”

On October 5, 2018, Michael Drake was also arrested in Grayson County for DUI, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Both suspects are being held in the Grayson County Detention Center and face dozens of years in prison if convicted of the charges.

Heather Drake

By Ken Howlett, News Director

Contact Ken at ken@k105.com or 270-259-6000