The Hopkinsville man and former high school basketball coach arrested earlier this week on federal drug trafficking charges made his initial appearance in federal court Wednesday and has a detention hearing scheduled for today.
30-year-old Melvin D. Brown was arrested Tuesday in Hopkinsville. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the western district of Kentucky, law enforcement executed search warrants at four different locations associated with Brown and on multiple bank accounts.
Initial items recovered included approximately $100,000 in cash, $164,000 from bank accounts, marijuana, fentanyl, and a firearm.
Brown is charged with one count of drug conspiracy; two counts of laundering of monetary instruments; and 14 counts of use of a communication facility in committing, causing, and facilitating the commission of a drug trafficking felony.
Brown is accused of conspiring with others to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine. According to the indictment, Brown and his co-conspirators allegedly distributed bulk quantities of cocaine in the Hopkinsville and Tulsa, Oklahoma areas from July 2020 to May 2021.
The cocaine was allegedly imported from Mexico and transported by couriers in vehicles to Oklahoma and to Brown in Kentucky. The conspirators regularly used cell phones and coded phrases to coordinate their drug transactions.
The indictment said the conspirators received bulk quantities of currency as payment for cocaine deliveries and conducted financial transactions using banks in Oklahoma and elsewhere. Brown is charged in the indictment with making two financial transactions designed to conceal the nature and origin of the illicit proceeds.
Brown made an initial appearance in Paducah on Wednesday and is scheduled for a detention hearing today. He is lodged in the McCracken County Jail.
Brown was the boys’ basketball coach at University Heights Academy and was named the region coach of the year last week. The school announced Tuesday that they had parted ways with Brown and are seeking a new head coach.