Kentucky State Police arrested 35 year-old Jason Koerner, a Louisville resident, after an undercover investigation determined that child pornography files were being distributed on the internet from the internet at his home.
According to the police report, Kentucky State Police found eleven files that were child pornography. Koerner is charged with nine counts of distribution of matter portraying the sexual performance of a minor and eleven counts of possession of matter portraying the sexual performance of a minor.
Koerner pleaded not guilty at his arraignment. His bond was doubled from $25,000 to $50,000 by the judge. He is also ordered to have no computer access and to not be around children.
A career criminal from Georgia was sentenced today to 30 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, by Senior District Judge Thomas B. Russell, for multiple robberies, including brandishing a firearm announced Acting United States Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr. There is no parole in the federal system.
The federal charges stemmed from “Project Recoil,” the on-going partnership of multiple Jefferson County, Kentucky law enforcement agencies, to maximize penalties for the most violent offenders and to reduce violent crime in our community.
Xavier Demetrius Porter, 40, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on December 5, 2014, to nine counts of obstructing interstate commerce through robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm during a robbery, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. In 1996, Porter was convicted of three counts of armed robbery, in case number 96-R-398 in Dougherty County (Georgia) Superior Court. During those robberies, he used a sawed-off shotgun.
“Through the cooperation of federal, state and local law enforcement, a violent and dangerous repeat offender will spend the next 30 years behind bars. Project Recoil’s commitment to a team approach is our most effective weapon against crime. Together, we are getting results and making our community a safer place, “ stated Acting U.S. Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr.
“Today’s sentence sends a very strong message that federal, state and local law enforcement agencies are working together to make Louisville a safer community. Anyone contemplating a gun-related crime should realize the possible consequences,” stated Louisville Metro Police Chief Steve Conrad.
“Today, an armed and violent criminal was removed from the Louisville community for a long time. Strong partnerships among federal, state and local law enforcement and with the public we serve are making a positive difference. Gun violence will not be tolerated in Louisville,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Stuart Lowrey.
Porter admitted to robbing Spinelli’s Pizza located at 2905 Goose Creek Road on March 5, 2013, the Subway located at 3503 South Hurstbourne Parkway on March 7, 2013, the Subway located at 8056 New LaGrange Road on March 17, 2013, Circle K located at 4600 Wattbourne Lane on April 15, 2013, the White Castle located at 3705 Bardstown Road on April 16, 2013, the Thornton’s located at 3909 Taylorsville Road on April 17, 2013, the Subway located on Bishop Lane on April 17, 2013, Cigarette Outlet located on Six Mile Lane on April 18, 2013, and the Adam and Eve store on South Hurstbourne Parkway on April 18, 2013. The federal robbery charges are brought pursuant to the Hobb’s Act, which criminalizes robberies that affect interstate commerce. During eight of the robberies, Porter brandished a firearm. During the first two robberies, he used a small black handgun. During the last five robberies, he used a pistol-grip 12 gauge shotgun. At the time of his arrest, Porter was clutching the money he stole from Adam & Eve in his hand.
Assistant United States Attorney Jo E. Lawless prosecuted the case. The Louisville Metro Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation.

Credit: Louisville Metro Police
As this year’s murder count spikes in Louisville, LMPD Chief Steve Conrad promises that they are addressing the issue which he says “tear[s] at the fabric of our community.” Conrad was joined at a recent press conference by a number of federal agencies including the FBI, DEA, ATF and the U.S. Marshal Service. Together the law enforcement agencies comprise the new task force which will carry out “Operation Trust” to address the violence.
Chief Conrad asked the community to not only trust them but “to help us by becoming part of the solution to the violent crime problems we’re seeing.” That violence includes the 20+ homicides in Louisville so far this year – far above the three at this time last year. Despite the increase in homicide numbers, LMPD personnel point out that the number of shootings is about the same as in previous years although more of the shootings have resulted in deaths.
Conrad promised that the new taskforce would get to the root of the violence. According to the LMPD homicide unit’s Lt. Todd Kessinger, that root is likely one of the common elements in a vast majority of the metro area’s crime and violence: drug activity. At this time, the task force is expected to focus on two neighborhoods in particular – the Russell neighborhood, in LMPD’s 1st division and the Shawnee neighborhood in the 2nd division – which account for three quarters of the shootings so far this year.
LMPD is asking anyone with information about crimes in the metro areas, including the multiple unsolved murders, to call its tip line at 574-LMPD.
The number of 2015 homicides in Louisville grew again this week, bringing the number to 15 for the year. Police say that the shooting happened around 5:00 AM Wednesday on North 26th Street near St. Xavier Street.
The victim, a male in his late teens or early twenties, was pronounced dead at the scene. There are no suspects at this time.
If you have any information on this shooting, please call LMPD at (502) 574 – LMPD
LMPD announced today that there will be no charges filed in shooting of three teens that resulted in the death of 18 year-old Anthony Smith, Jr. The case is being called justifiable homicide.
While detectives cannot reveal some information about the on-going investigation, they did say that there was a three-against-two fight in a vehicle leading up to the shooting. Police say that the person who fired the fatal shot was “in fear of imminent danger, or in fear of their own life, or another person’s life”, which allows for the use of deadly force in self-defense under KRS 503.
The Smith family wants justice for their son, and they are concerned that there will not be any charges at this time.

Credit: Louisville Metro Police
Within 24 hours, four people were murdered this past weekend in Louisville.
Near the intersection of Dixie Highway and Hill Street, Aaron Combs and Julie Clemons were found dead at 4:30 AM Saturday morning with gun shot wounds. There is still no suspect in this case. Police say that is difficult to find witnesses because of the time at which the murder occurred.
Approximately twelve hours later, three teenagers were shot on Adrienne Way in Shively. Witnesses believed that they had heard fireworks coming from an abandoned house, but the sounds were actually gun shots. The victims were 15-19 years old. The shooting left one dead and the other two in critical condition at University Hospital. There have been no arrests in this case.
Again, about twelve hours later, police found Martel Hall dead from a gunshot wound in his front yard on Powell Avenue. No arrests have been made in this case either.
This weekend added four more to the already high number of murders in Louisville for the year. leaving the total now at 14.
On Friday, Louisville Metro Police responded to a 911 call from a woman that claimed her there was a strong odor coming from her neighbor’s apartment and she believed that they were cooking methamphetamine. When police arrived, the tenant of the apartment, 45 year old Jimmy Ashford, gave permission for his home to be searched.
Once inside the apartment, police confirmed that there was a strong odor in the apartment. They then found a bottle in the bathroom that was smoking. Police immediately evacuated the apartment. The Louisville Metro Police Clandestine Lab Team was then brought in to dismantle the lab. The team found paraphernalia and a vessel containing chemicals commonly used to produce crystal meth.
LMPD arrested Ashford, as well as 41 year old Lena Brock and 39 year old Dana Potts. Both women were at the apartment with Ashford. All three are being charged with the manufacture of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.