Andrew C. Thornton II

For the jockey, see Andrew Thornton.

Andrew C. Thornton II (1945–1985) was a head member of "The Company", a drug smuggling ring in Kentucky. The son of Carter and Peggy Thornton of Threave Main Stud farm in southern Bourbon County, Kentucky. Drew grew up living a privileged life in the Lexington, Kentucky area and attended the private Sayre School with many other Lexington blue bloods. He later transferred to Sewanee Military Academy and then joined the Army as a paratrooper. After quitting the Army, he became a Lexington police officer [1] on the narcotics task force. He then attended the University of Kentucky Law School. During his tenure, he began smuggling [1].

Thornton had a criminal conviction for drug possession while he engaged in drug trafficking. On a particular smuggling run from Colombia, having dumped packages of cocaine off near the Blairsville, N. Georgia, Andrew jumped from his auto-piloted Cessna 404[2]. In the September 11, 1985 jump, he was caught in his parachute and ended up in a free fall to the ground. His dead body was found in the back yard of Knoxville, Tennessee resident Fred Myers[3]. The plane crashed over 60 miles away in Hayesville, North Carolina[4]. At death Thornton was wearing night vision goggles, a bulletproof vest, Gucci loafers, and a green Army duffel bag containing approximately 40 kilos (79 lbs.) of cocaine valued at $15 million, $4,500 in cash, knives, and two pistols. Three months later, a dead black bear was found in the Chattahoochee National Forest that had apparently overdosed on cocaine dropped by Thornton.[5]

The story of Andrew C. Thornton II was examined in Dominick Dunne's Power, Privilege, and Justice and in Sally Denton's The Bluegrass Conspiracy.[6] Robert L. Williams, Cowboys Caravan, looks into the death of his son David, and his skydiving relationship with Drew Thornton. Andrew “Drew” Thornton was also detailed in a Discovery Channel double-length episode of “The FBI Files” named “Dangerous Company” in 2003.

Known Associates

Harold Brown, DEA agent
Bradley F. Bryant, childhood friend and partner in "The Company"
William Taulbee Canan, former Lexington police officer
Dan Chandler, son of Kentucky Governor Albert Benjamin "Happy" Chandler, Sr.
James Purdy Lambert, owner of Lexington's Library Lounge night club and friend and business associate of Governor John Y. Brown, Jr.
Henry S. Vance, staff member of Governor John Y. Brown, Jr.
Wallace McClure Also Known As "Mike Kelly" - associate in Lexington (now deceased)
David "Cowboy" Williams, skydiver, good friend, alleged smuggler, died in plane crash, two weeks after Thornton.
Rebecca Sharp, girlfriend and confidante of Drew Thornton.
Derrick "Rex" James, associate in Fort Lauderdale, Fl., arrested in December, 1982. Served 10 year sentence for selling drug plans. Owned a transport business, called Cargo Dominica; operated the business from the Hotel Susserou in Roseau, Dominica.

References

  1. ^ DeMott, John S. (1985-10-12), "Cocaine's Skydiving Smugglers", Time: 2, http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,960158,00.html 
  2. ^ AP (1988-02-08), "Woman to Go on Trial As Smuggler's Helper", The New York Times: 1, http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DEEDD153EF93BA35751C0A96E948260 
  3. ^ "American Notes Drugs", Time: 1, 1985-09-23, http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,959901,00.html 
  4. ^ National Transportation Safety Board (1985-09-11). "NTSB Accident Report Identification: ATL85LA273". NTSB. http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001214X37705&key=1. Retrieved 2007-02-17. 
  5. ^ "Cocaine and a Dead Bear", The New York Times: 1, 1985-12-23, http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E06E4DA123BF930A15751C1A963948260 
  6. ^ Sally Denton, The Bluegrass Conspiracy: An Inside Story of Power Greed, Drugs and Murder, revised edition, Avon, 1990; Lincoln, NE: iUniverse, 2001.