Undercover Meth Purchase Results in Large Drug Bust

HENDERSON, KY 3/25/21- During the past week, detectives with the Pennyrile Narcotics Task Force (PNTF) and the Henderson County Sheriffs Office have been conducting surveillance on the residence for possible drug trafficking in the area. Detectives were able to execute a controlled meth buy.

According to the PNTF, the purchase was made from Randy Hardrick (59) at his residence in the 1800 block of Old Madisonville Road in Henderson County. Detectives say, after receiving complaints and tips of heavy short term traffic at the residence, it alerted them to a possible drug trafficking situation. Undercover agents were able to purchase several grams of methamphetamine from Hardrick during the sting operation.

The suspected trafficking investigation resulted in a search warrant on Hardrick’s Old Madisonville Road residence Thursday after he had returned from a trip to Illinois. During the surveillance, detectives followed Hardrick driving from a residence in the county heading back towards Henderson, deputies made contact with Hardrick and his female passenger as they pulled into a convenience store located in the 2600 block of South Green Street to purchase gasoline. Hardrick was arrested without incident after detectives located over 3 grams of suspected methamphetamine in his cigarette package along with over $700.00 in cash in his pocket. Hardrick and his 46-year-old female passenger were cooperative and were then transported to his Old Madisonville Road residence by deputies where other detectives and deputies were already on scene.

Detectives advised Hardrick of the search warrant issued for his residence and that is when detectives received additional information that two other females should be inside the residence. Detectives attempted to make contact with them but didn’t get a response at which time they made entry and secured the residence.

Hardrick, still being cooperative with detectives, agreed to open a locked safe located in his bedroom next to his desk where deputies had observed a suspected meth pipe while clearing the residence. During the search of the steel safe, detectives located a black nylon bag which contained several baggies of suspected methamphetamine weighing over 200 grams. Also located in the safe, detectives found a large amount of U.S. currency and over 3 ounces of suspected Spice (K-2 synthetic Marijuana) along with approximately 24 grams of Marijuana, numerous pieces of drug paraphernalia including pipes, digital scales, packaging material as well as used and unused syringes.

Detectives say there was blue notebook also located containing names and initials with dollar amounts believed to be sale records of drug transactions of money paid and owed.

According to the release, other packages of suspected methamphetamine were located in and around Hardrick’s desk and in his bedroom. Detectives were able to seize approximately ½ pound of methamphetamine having a street value
of approximately $11,000.00 along with the spice- (Synthetic Marijuana) and Marijuana valued at $1,100.00 along with over $3,000.00 in U.S. currency.

The Hardrick investigation is still on-going and additional arrests and charges are pending. The female passenger with Hardrick was released with no charges.

Randy Hardrick was arrested and lodged by the Henderson Sheriff Deputies in the Henderson County Detention Center on a $2500.00 Full Cash Bond on the charges of:

• (1) TRAFFICKING CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE 1ST. METH > 2 GRAMS > 2nd Offense.

-HCWatchNews