Pappy Thieves May Be Indicted Next Week as Part of “Huge Case” that Goes Beyond Bourbon

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Listen to the podcast interview above as Franklin County Sheriff Pat Melton indicates that several suspects in the Pappy Van Winkle theft could be indicted next week. Although Melton never directly comments on whether this announcement will be regarding the Pappy or recent Wild Turkey theft, he continues to make mention of the “two bourbon thefts” in this interview with BourbonBlog.com‘s Tom Fischer

While a press conference / announcement was scheduled for today, Tuesday, April 14, “major developments” in the case yesterday caused Melton and his team to reschedule it for next week. Melton tells us this case is a “multi-faceted, huge case” with both a bourbon side and steroid side. Melton signals that the U.S. Postal Service might have been illegally utilized on the steroid side.

Melton says the list of suspects is more than just a couple of individuals and implies a ring of activity which none of us might have ever guessed was part of either of the stolen bourbon cases.

Check out the timeline of BourbonBlog.com‘s extensive coverage including important questions we were first to ask along with first reports of events during the case over almost two years.

Melton says he can’t comment on if the “stolen bourbon” has actually been located, but he stresses that bourbon enthusiasts and BoubonBlog.com followers “will be pleased” with the announcement. Thus, it sounds like there is hope that some of the bourbon has been recovered.

“Detectives have been working a long time on both of these cases and have done a fantastic job. We anticipate several indictments and arrest warrants being handed down after being presented to a grand jury,” says Melton.

Prior to the arrest of Gilbert Thomas Curtsinger last month as a suspect in the case of stolen Wild Turkey Bourbon, Melton told BourbonBlog.com in our December 2014 interview that his detectives were closer to solving the Pappy case and indicated he indeed believed he knew the identity of the thief (or thieves). Melton says Curtsigner has been arrested but not indicted yet, and again seems to hint at that Curtsigner is also involved the Pappy Van Winkle theft.

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Timeline of Events in Pappy Theft Case from 2013 to Present

10-16-2013 – Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon reported stolen, first interview with Sheriff Melton – BourbonBlog.com is first to ask about a possible reward, which is offered later.

10-18-2013 Spotting the Stolen Pappy – BourbonBlog.com is first to raise the question of recorded strip stamp numbers on the bottles of stolen Pappy to aid detectives and consumers in identifying the stolen bottles from any other bottle of Pappy. This is a question that is yet unanswered to this day.

10-23-2013 Surveillance Footage released – public asked for help in locating “person of interest.”

10-24-2013 Interview with Liquor Store Where Pappy Suspect Was Caught on Camera – BourbonBlog.com is first to identify Package & More Liquor Store as the location where the “person of interest” was captured on surveillance.

10-27-2013 Bardstown High Principal Chris Pickett Identified as Man in Pappy Surveillance Video

10-28-2013 BourbonBlog interviews Attorney of Chris Pickett – First interview of its kind with attorney for Chris Pickett.

11-24-2013 Bardstown High School Principal No Longer Person of Interest, interview with Sheriff Melton

12-02-2013 $10,000 Reward Offered in Pappy Theft Case

04-03-2014 Five Whiskey Worth Stealing BourbonBlog.com organizes historic tasting of other rare bourbons and whiskeys.

12-14-2014 Sheriff Believes He Knows Identity of the “Pappy Thief.” Interview with Sheriff Melton –

03-12-2015 Wild Turkey Bourbon Theft Suspect Arrested, Pappy Van Winkle Connection? Interview with Sheriff Melton