LAUREL COUNTY — A 3-day investigation ended Thursday with two arrests, multiple pounds of methamphetamine, firearms and explosives.
According to the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office, an investigation was initiated on Tuesday by Deputy Dylan Messer. Further investigation revealed that Jalen Pasley, 29, of Louisville was bringing in the meth to Dustin Bice, 29, of Corbin. Pasley, also known as Jalen Marshall, was delivering multiple pounds of methamphetamine to Bice, with the intent of distributing the substance.
That prompted the Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Interdiction Team and the Kentucky State Police Auto Theft Unit to use a license plate reader to intercept Pasley as he traveled to Corbin on Wednesday night, which proved successful. However, Pasley initially stopped for police, then fled, leading them on a high speed chase along Interstate 75 from Exit 38 in London to the 19-mile marker in Whitley County. It was there that Pasley was involved in a non-injury crash, according to the press release.
Once Pasley was in custody, police then had the chore of finding approximately 2 pounds of meth that Pasley had thrown from the vehicle – which was done, with the help of London City Police and Kentucky State Police. The meth was located around the 36-mile marker, an area Pasley passed through just after police attempted to stop him. He was lodged in the Laurel County Correctional Center. Pasley, who is a convicted felon, was also found in possession of a firearm.
Further investigation led the South East Kentucky Regional Special Response Team and the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office to Bice’s residence on London Avenue in Corbin to conduct a search warrant. There they found explosives and firearms, and called in the Kentucky State Police Hazardous Devices Unit and the ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) to safely dispose of the explosives. Bice then joined his partner in the drug distribution ring at the Laurel County Correctional Center.
The press release states that the case has been referred to the federal Drug Enforcement Agency for prosecution.
Pasley is held under $10,000 cash bond. He is charged with speeding, 26 mph over the limit; first-degree fleeing or evading police in motor vehicle, careless driving, reckless driving, and second-degree wanton endangerment of a police officer. He is set for a court appearance on Feb. 1.
Bice is listed as a federal prisoner with no bond allowed on the Laurel County Correctional Center’s website.
Those involved in the investigation were: K-9 Detective Jake Miller, who is also the case officer; Det. Bryon Lawson, Deputy Landry Collett, Deputy Justin Taylor, and Deputy Tommy Houston; Detective Nick Metcalf with the KSP Auto Theft unit, KSP DESI, KSP K-9 Trooper Dallas Eubank, members of the London Police Department, South East KY Regional SRT, officials with ATF and the Laurel County EMS.
