A joint federal, state and local undercover operation tabbed “Operation Gabbi Doolin” resulted in multiple charges against seven child predators in Elizabethtown and Louisville.
Among those facing charges are 54-year-old Melvin Dowell, of Rineyville, and 23-year-old Travis Puckett, of Elizabethtown, who were charged with attempted enticement of minor and transfer of obscene material to a minor.
In September 2019, K105 reported on Dowell’s arrest in a story found by clicking here.
They both face a mandatory minimum 10-year prison sentence.
In addition to the arrests, multiple investigative leads were developed that continue to assist law enforcement with the apprehension of child predators.
This operation was named in honor of Gabbi Doolin, a seven-year-old child from Scottsville who was kidnapped and murdered from her brother’s youth football game in Allen County in 2015.
“Kentucky law enforcement has no more important mission than to protect our kids,” U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman said. “And we can conceive of no more meaningful way honor to Gabbi Doolin and her family than to work together, federal, state, and local, in an operation in her name to remove predators from our Commonwealth. More to come.”
“The local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies that carried out this joint operation are committed to stopping child predators so that no family has to endure the incredible loss the Doolin family has felt these last five years,” Attorney General Daniel Cameron said. “We share a goal to find child predators and remove them from communities before they act. Every arrest that we make stops a potential criminal act against a child, and we will continue to do everything in our power to leverage our resources and work together to protect Kentucky’s children.”
In addition to Dowell and Puckett, five other suspects have been charged with federal offenses, they include:
- Charles Ashley, 66, of Adolphus, has been charged with the attempted enticement of a minor, attempted transfer of obscene matter to a minor, and attempted production of child pornography. He faces not less than 10 years for the enticement charge, not less than 15 years for the attempted production charge and not more than 10 years for attempted transfer of obscene matter to a minor. The maximum potential sentence is life in prison.
- Jimmy Kwizera, 22, of Louisville, has pleaded guilty to transfer of obscene material to a minor. He faces not more than 10 years in federal prison at sentencing which has been scheduled for December 10, 2020. Kwizera was arrested with Dowell in September 2019. K105’s story on that arrest can be found by clicking here.
- Joseph Zakhari, 33, of Louisville, has been charged in a Superseding Indictment with attempted online enticement of a minor, attempted transfer of obscene matter to a minor, and attempted production of child pornography. He faces not less than 10 years for the enticement charge, not less than 15 years for the attempted production charge and not more than 10 years for attempted transfer of obscene matter to a minor. The maximum potential sentence is life in prison.
- Jeffrie Corn, 25, of Louisville, has been charged with attempted enticement of a minor and attempted transfer of obscene matter to a minor. He faces not less than 10 years for the enticement charge and not more than 10 years for attempted transfer of obscene matter to a minor. The maximum potential sentence is life in prison.
- Eric Vanhandle, 54, Louisville, has been charged with attempted enticement of a minor. He faces not less than 10 years in prison for the charge. The maximum potential sentence is life in prison.
(Photo: Melvin Dowell)
By Tom Latek, Kentucky Today, and Ken Howlett, News Director, K105.com
