2 men face federal drug, weapon charges in connection with south Louisville liquor store raid
Two men are facing federal drug and weapon trafficking charges following the raid of a liquor store in the Newburg neighborhood, Louisville Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives spokesperson Jennifer Hicks confirmed Wednesday.
Sukhjit Bains, 51, and Jonathan Ernspiker, 42, were indicted on Jan. 8 for charges related to trafficking in firearms, distribution of a mixture of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, according to court records.
Bains is also charged with one count of illegal possession of a machine gun for allegedly carrying a Glock outfitted with a 3D printed accessory that allows the weapon to shoot as an automatic, prosecutors said in a news release.
Both defendants are prohibited from having firearms because they’ve been convicted of felonies in the past.
A door is seen shattered after officers with LMPD and the ATF forcibly entered the Liquor Palace location at 5601 Preston Hwy., on Friday morning. Jan. 10, 2025
Ernspiker first appeared in court and entered a not guilty plea on Friday — the same day Louisville Metro Police officers and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives raided Liquor Palace 5, located in the 5600 block of Preston Highway.
Bains made his initial court appearance on Monday and will appear for an arraignment and detention hearing Thursday, according to court records.
If convicted, Ernspiker faces at least 10 years in prison, while Bains faces at least 15 years. Both have the possibility of receiving a life sentence, officials said.
The criminal proceedings come as Louisville Metro Alcoholic Beverage Control announced the temporary suspension of Liquor Palace 5’s liquor license on Wednesday.
Officials with the ATF declined to comment on how the liquor store is implicated in the investigation, though Kentucky Secretary of State records show Bains was an incorporator for Liquor Palace 5, Inc. in its initial filings with the office in 2009, but is no longer listed as an officer of the business.
Contact reporter Killian Baarlaer at kbaarlaer@gannett.com or @bkillian72 on X.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Federal indictments connected to Louisville’s Liquor Palace 5 raid
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