Posted on 03/13/2015 11:52:13 AM PDT by Red Badger
FRANKFORT, Ky. (WKYT) - The Franklin County Sheriff's Office made an arrest Wednesday after a large theft from the Wild Turkey distillery in Anderson County.
Sheriff Pat Melton said the investigation was launched after receiving a text message on their tip line. Melton said this case is "one of the bigger ones we've worked" and it is "rapidly developing."
Investigators have been working this case "for the last several days," Melton said.
Gilbert Thomas Curtsinger, 45, was arrested at his home on St. Johns Road and booked Wednesday night at the Franklin County Regional Jail. When officers picked up Curtsinger, they also found several other illegal items, including steroids.
The large haul was the five barrels of 2008 bourbon, which were taken from Wild Turkey Distillery in Anderson County. Melton said investigators found the barrels, which are worth between $3,700 and $6,000 each, behind a storage building or shed on Curtsinger's property.
"Obviously this is a significant amount of bourbon. It's more than I've ever seen," Sheriff Pat Melton said.
Investigators say Curtsinger worked in the loading dock area at Buffalo Trace. Melton said there is another suspect who works at Wild Turkey. He declined to name that suspect. The sheriff also would not say how they managed to steal the barrels, which weigh 500 pounds each, because it's part of the ongoing investigation.
Melton would not connect this case -- but did not rule out -- the possibility that it could be tied to the October 2013 theft of tens of thousands of dollars worth of Pappy Van Winkle. In that case, the Pappy was reported stolen from the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort.
"I'm very optimistic. I said that a long time ago when this first started and I'm as optimistic now. We're still working this case. Detectives are working and we're following up on every lead. The more leads we get on Pappy, the more were gonna follow those up," Sheriff Pat Melton said.
No one has been charged in that case, but Melton reiterated that he is optimistic that they will solve that case.
"We're following every lead ... we're going to move very slow and methodically to make sure we dot our I's and cross our T's," he said. "We're working it and following every lead. We will continue doing so. I'm optimistic."
Gilbert faces four counts of possessing a controlled substance (anabolic steroids), buying/possessing drug paraphernalia and receiving stolen property more than $10,000.
I know. But I couldn’t resist!............................
Good one.
Your honor, my client was merely aging the whiskey off site as a courtesy to the distiller.
I must peruse the contents of those barrels for accuracy in the evidence list.......................It’s gonna take me a while.................
Strange how the lab is taking longer than normal to test the evidence.
There’s a lot of evidence to verify..........................
The texted tip-off: Bubba didn't get his share?
How did we go from Bourbon to "Anabolic Steroids" in the last para?
What the heck is "Pappy van Winkel?" Is it any good?
Recommend thieves be rewarded for originality and ingenuity. I see no crime here.
http://oldripvanwinkle.com/products/pappy-van-winkles-family-reserve-23yr/
Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 23yr
23 Year, 95.6 Proof
This very rare, limited edition bourbon takes generations of distilling know-how to produce. Only the most careful and expensive distilling method can be used to create a whiskey as special as this one. This is the same distillation as our famous 20 year old Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve. These barrels were carefully selected from the heart of the warehouse. This whiskey should be enjoyed neat. Any ice or water will dilute the uniqueness.
Rated “Five Stars” by Paul Pacult
Get me that rat bastard's name!
Pappy van Winkle is the gold standard for bourbon. And it costs about as much.
Pat Melton doesn’t miss an opportunity to get his sizable mug on TV. He acted rather rashly in his eagerness to nab the Pappy Van Winkle burglar when he too-aggressively pursued the wrong man. The “wrong man” is a school principal whose character was harmed by Melton’s zealousness. Melton appeared on several TV news reports while searching for the Pappy Van Winkle thief.
I take it the purloined liquor has never been found?.......................
The Pappy’s not been found. Yet. But Melton’s still after the purloiners.
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