Cornbread mafia
Encyclopedia
The Cornbread Mafia was a organized crime syndicate based in Marion County, Kentucky
, first made public in June, 1989, when federal prosecutors revealed that 70 men, mostly from Marion County, but also two adjacent counties, Nelson and Washington, were arrested for organizing a marijuana trafficking ring that stretched across the midwest.
The name was first used by law enforcement, when they realized the scope of the organization. The name was part of an effort to invoke the RICO
statute, adding time to everyone's sentence, and allowing the government to seize the group's assets.
Beginning with "The Minnesota 17", 70 Kentuckians were accused of growing 182 tons of marijuana on 29 farms in 10 states, including Minnesotahttp://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PD&s_site=twincities&p_multi=SP&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB5D746453C1064&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska,http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_nIhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rogFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1874,4360193&dq=kentucky+marijuana+kansas&hl=en Missouri and Kansashttp://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YJEzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=suYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5141,3615654&dq=kentucky+marijuana+kansas&hl=en, which federal prosecutors considered to be the "largest domestic marijuana syndicate in American history."http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dvMrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Q2oFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1252,4869514&dq=cornbread-mafia&hl=en
By the end 1991, prosecutors had arrested more than 100 members of the Cornbread Mafia, mostly from Lebanon, Kentucky
.http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dv0fAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Nv4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=2844,4755844&dq=cornbread-mafia&hl=en
For much of the 80s, the Cornbread Mafia was reported upon by photojournalist Steve Loweryhttp://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LH&s_site=kentucky&p_multi=LH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=118EB783436EA1B0&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM and print journalist Al Crosshttp://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4N0rAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gWQFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4210,4747246&dq=al-cross+marijuana&hl=en.
By 2007, the term "cornbread mafia" had come to mean general Southern-style corruptionhttp://www.arkansasleader.com/2007/03/top-story-sherwood-showdown.html. There is also a song by Molly Hatchet
called Cornbread Mafiahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UddW3f4QCDo and a now-defunct band that called itself Cornbread Mafia
http://www.louisvillemusicnews.net/webmanager/index.php?WEB_CAT_ID=49&storyid=3819.
in Washington County. If arrested, Boone would likely serve life in prison without parole because the bust would be his third federal strike under the Three Strikes Law
. Consequently, Boone became a fugitivehttp://www.lcni5.com/cgi-bin/c2.cgi?023+article+News+20080916115010023023004 and the subject of a segment of America's Most Wanted
http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id=59229&refresh=1http://www.wkyt.com/news/headlines/63351932.html. Johnny Boone has two Facebook fan pages with greater than 2,500 supporters each http://www.facebook.com/pages/Johnny-Boone/131627050630. There has also been a song written saluting Johnny Boonehttp://ky.usmjparty.org/the-news/55-the-ballad-of-qjohn-booneq.html.
A book on the Cornbread Mafia and Johnny Boone by James Higdon is due to be released on April 20, 2012 by Lyons Press, an imprint of Globe Pequot Press, which is a division of [Morris Communications].
Marion County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,212 people, 6,613 households, and 4,754 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 7,277 housing units at an average density of...
, first made public in June, 1989, when federal prosecutors revealed that 70 men, mostly from Marion County, but also two adjacent counties, Nelson and Washington, were arrested for organizing a marijuana trafficking ring that stretched across the midwest.
The name was first used by law enforcement, when they realized the scope of the organization. The name was part of an effort to invoke the RICO
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly referred to as the RICO Act or simply RICO, is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization...
statute, adding time to everyone's sentence, and allowing the government to seize the group's assets.
Beginning with "The Minnesota 17", 70 Kentuckians were accused of growing 182 tons of marijuana on 29 farms in 10 states, including Minnesotahttp://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PD&s_site=twincities&p_multi=SP&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB5D746453C1064&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska,http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_nIhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rogFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1874,4360193&dq=kentucky+marijuana+kansas&hl=en Missouri and Kansashttp://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YJEzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=suYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5141,3615654&dq=kentucky+marijuana+kansas&hl=en, which federal prosecutors considered to be the "largest domestic marijuana syndicate in American history."http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dvMrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Q2oFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1252,4869514&dq=cornbread-mafia&hl=en
By the end 1991, prosecutors had arrested more than 100 members of the Cornbread Mafia, mostly from Lebanon, Kentucky
Lebanon, Kentucky
Lebanon is a city in Marion County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 6,331 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Marion County. Lebanon is located in central Kentucky, southeast of Louisville. A national cemetery is located nearby....
.http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dv0fAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Nv4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=2844,4755844&dq=cornbread-mafia&hl=en
For much of the 80s, the Cornbread Mafia was reported upon by photojournalist Steve Loweryhttp://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LH&s_site=kentucky&p_multi=LH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=118EB783436EA1B0&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM and print journalist Al Crosshttp://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4N0rAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gWQFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4210,4747246&dq=al-cross+marijuana&hl=en.
By 2007, the term "cornbread mafia" had come to mean general Southern-style corruptionhttp://www.arkansasleader.com/2007/03/top-story-sherwood-showdown.html. There is also a song by Molly Hatchet
Molly Hatchet
Molly Hatchet is an American southern rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1975. They are widely known for their hit song "Flirtin' with Disaster" from the album of the same title. The band, founded by Dave Hlubek and Steve Holland, took its name from a prostitute who allegedly mutilated...
called Cornbread Mafiahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UddW3f4QCDo and a now-defunct band that called itself Cornbread Mafia
Cornbread mafia
The Cornbread Mafia was a organized crime syndicate based in Marion County, Kentucky, first made public in June, 1989, when federal prosecutors revealed that 70 men, mostly from Marion County, but also two adjacent counties, Nelson and Washington, were arrested for organizing a marijuana...
http://www.louisvillemusicnews.net/webmanager/index.php?WEB_CAT_ID=49&storyid=3819.
Johnny Boone
The most notable member of the Cornbread Mafia was and is Johnny Boone, who was the ringleader of the Minnesota-based marijuana ring busted in October, 1988, for which he served about 15 years in prison. In June 2008, police discovered Boone growing 2,421 marijuana seedlings on his farm outside of Springfield, KentuckySpringfield, Kentucky
Springfield is a city in and county seat of Washington County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 2,634 at the 2000 census. It was established in 1793 and probably named for springs in the area.-Geography:...
in Washington County. If arrested, Boone would likely serve life in prison without parole because the bust would be his third federal strike under the Three Strikes Law
Three strikes law
Three strikes laws)"are statutes enacted by state governments in the United States which require the state courts to hand down a mandatory and extended period of incarceration to persons who have been convicted of a serious criminal offense on three or more separate occasions. These statutes became...
. Consequently, Boone became a fugitivehttp://www.lcni5.com/cgi-bin/c2.cgi?023+article+News+20080916115010023023004 and the subject of a segment of America's Most Wanted
America's Most Wanted
America's Most Wanted is an American television program produced by 20th Television, and was the longest-running program of any kind in the history of the Fox Television Network until it was announced on May 16, 2011 that the series was canceled after twenty-three years, with the final episode...
http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id=59229&refresh=1http://www.wkyt.com/news/headlines/63351932.html. Johnny Boone has two Facebook fan pages with greater than 2,500 supporters each http://www.facebook.com/pages/Johnny-Boone/131627050630. There has also been a song written saluting Johnny Boonehttp://ky.usmjparty.org/the-news/55-the-ballad-of-qjohn-booneq.html.
A book on the Cornbread Mafia and Johnny Boone by James Higdon is due to be released on April 20, 2012 by Lyons Press, an imprint of Globe Pequot Press, which is a division of [Morris Communications].