Williamsburg police make third straight bootleg bust

Williamsburg police seized 2,143 cans of beer, 40 bottles of liquor and about $250 cash while executing a search warrant Wednesday afternoon in the Redbird area.

About 5 pm., police executed a search warrant at the residence of Nicholas Wade Parker, which was located 1050 Ky. 895, according to Williamsburg Public Affairs Officer Shawn Jackson.

Prior to obtaining the search warrant, a police "cooperating source" made a controlled buy at the residence, Jackson said.

Police charged Parker, 56, with illegal sale of alcoholic beverages in a dry option territory.

Parker was the only person arrested at the scene.

"He did state to officers that he was just trying to make a living, and that he ran a clean operation and didn’t sell to any minors," Jackson said. "However, bootlegging or the illegal sale of alcoholic beverages in a dry option territory is still illegal."

This was the third bootlegging bust that Williamsburg police made in eight days.

"This has been part of an ongoing investigation over the last week," Jackson said. "As far as the alcohol seized, this has been the largest of the three."

Much of the beer was found packed into an ice chest similar to ones seen at convenience or grocery stores that are used to store ice, Jackson said.

He said Parker was very cooperative with authorities, and boasted that he had the "coldest beer" in Whitley County.

"He said he was just trying to make a living. Unfortunately for him, it is still illegal to make a living that way," Jackson said.

Detective Bobby Freeman is leading the investigation. Chief Wayne Bird, Lt. Jason Caddell, K-9 Officer Brandon Prewitt, and Jackson also assisted with the investigation.

"The investigation is continuing, and we will continue to fight the illegal sale of alcoholic beverages here in Whitley County," Jackson added. "The investigation is ongoing and we hope to make more arrests."

He said that the recent crackdown on bootleggers has been prompted by complaints about the illegal sale of alcohol particularly sales to minors and complaints by parents.

"This is just part of the ongoing investigation into several complaints we have had around the county about the illegal sale of alcohol," Jackson said.

"A big part of that along with some of the complaints we are receiving is some of them are selling to minors. We can’t pinpoint who is selling to the minors."