By Allyson Dix
For Glasgow News 1
The director of the Barren River Drug Task Force shared a final year-end review during a recent fiscal court meeting, where he spoke about drug trends, details on a large-scale drug bust, the partnerships that work with the local agency, and details of his personal career path.
Director Ron Lafferty has announced his retirement after 23 years of law enforcement service, and will serve through October 31, 2026, before officially stepping away.
“Twenty-three years ago, the sheriff at that time, Barney Jones, even Chris Eaton, took a chance with me and hired me as a drug task force detective,” Lafferty said. “The opening for director opened up, I applied for it, went through all the interviews, and was fortunate enough to be selected as the drug task force director.”
Lafferty has served as the director for 13 years. He also recently finished his term with the Kentucky Narcotic Officers’ Association and the National Narcotic Officers’ Association, which he said has helped give the local drug task force representation in Washington, D.C.
“I’ve had a great career, but with all things, it comes to an end,” Lafferty said. “I’ve enjoyed it immensely, I’ve loved the work that we do.”
Partnerships
The current structure of the local drug task force comprises the Barren County Sheriff’s Office, Cave City Police Department, Glasgow Police Department, and Metcalfe County Sheriff’s Office.
They work alongside the Kentucky State Police and federal agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, among other agencies.
“What does ICE have to do with drugs?” Lafferty said. “Trust me, it does.”
Lafferty also said Barren County now has a DEA office.
“This is our 23rd anniversary, and thanks to the [judge-executive] and the fiscal court, for the first time, we now have a DEA office in this county,” Lafferty said, adding that having an established office helps with funding and extra federal resources for some expenses like overtime pay for agents.
Large-scale drug bust
In 2025, the local drug task force, along with other agencies, ended a two-year investigation on a major drug trafficking organization that originated in Barren County, the director said.
Lafferty said an organization was traveling to the West Coast and bringing drugs back to the county, where they then distributed them to Warren, Metcalfe, and Monroe counties.
Detectives with the Barren River Drug Task Force were a part of a team that followed the traffickers to California and back, detailing where they were going and who they were getting drugs from, entailing “hours and hours of surveillance,” Lafferty said.
When traffickers returned from the next trip to the West Coast, they were caught and agents seized over 100 pounds of methamphetamine, 25 kilos of cocaine (about 55 pounds), fentanyl pills, 60 pounds of marijuana, and other drugs, according to Lafferty.
He said that the bust has not made the news because the FBI is working the case and press releases must filter through that agency.
“I know everybody wants to hear the headline, but don’t think we’re not doing anything because we are,” Lafferty said. “We are just on a grander scale and can’t release everything until everything is said and done.”
A local detective whom Lafferty requested the county to hire a couple of years ago was presented with an award, Kentucky Narcotics of the Year for the western part of the state, because of the bust, Lafferty said.
“To get something like that in Barren County speaks volumes for this county, the support that we have and the work they do. So, I’m very, very proud of him and all the agencies involved with him that make that happen,” he added.
Local trends
In 2025, Lafferty said 78 cases were initiated by the local drug task force that led to the seizure of drugs valued at $3,200,704.30. Cash seizures totaling $45,641 and other seized property valued at $51,000 were included in Lafferty’s statistics.
Crystal meth peaked significantly in 2023, but tapered in 2024 and 2025; however, Lafferty said 2026 has already surpassed the record year with a large seizure of meth.
“Heroin has declined, marijuana spiked a little last year, and cocaine is making a comeback,” Lafferty said.
Lafferty said the organization’s mission statement has always been to investigate and prosecute mid- to upper-level drug traffickers.
“We’re going after the bigger players and taking them out the best we can,” Lafferty said.
Director
Barren County Judge-Executive Jamie Bewley Byrd said the position for the next director has already received a few applicants, but the deadline is Aug. 17. She said the Barren River Drug Task Force has a board that will be tasked with hiring the next director, with final approval by the Barren County Fiscal Court.
To apply, resumes may be submitted to finance@barrencountyky.gov or mailed/dropped off at 117 N. Public Square, Suite 1A, Glasgow.
