Soccer Coaches Face Formal Drug Charges

EVANSVILLE — The two Harrison High School girls' soccer coaches facing drug possession charges appeared in Vanderburgh Circuit Court Wednesday afternoon.

A probable cause affidavit filed in the case reveals more details about the traffic stop that led to the arrest of coaches Blake and Brock Gourley, 26 and 25 respectively, and 24-year-old Ryan Kennedy.

An Evansville Police detective pulled over the car Blake Gourley was driving Friday afternoon after the vehicle reportedly ran a red light on Covert Avenue. According to the affidavit, the officer saw all three men in the car moving around when it came to a stop. Detectives asked all three to get out of the car.

Police searched the car with Blake Gourley's permission, according to the affidavit, and found a bag with 14 pills in the backseat as well as a syringe with liquid inside. The liquid tested positive for heroin.

Brock Gourley told police the pills were kratom capsules he and his brother use to treat opiate addiction, according to the affidavit. Blake Gourley said the same, according to police. Investigators tested the pills, according to the affidavit, and found they were actually methcathinone.

Methcathinone is a stimulant like methamphetamine or prescription drugs such as Adderall. It is a Schedule I drug, meaning it has a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use.

Kratom, which can have effects similar to the effect of narcotics, is not considered a reliable addiction treatment, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA issued a public health advisory in November warning people that kratom can lead to addiction, seizures and possibly death.

According to the affidavit, Brock Gourley also told police he and his brother use opiates and marijuana and that the syringe was Kennedy's. Police say Kennedy was sitting in the back seat, near the spot the syringe was found, and Brock Gourley was in the front passenger seat.

Blake Gourley reportedly said he used opiates and listed drugs he had used including heroin, pills and "oxies," the affidavit states.

Kennedy told police none of the items were his. One detective reported seeing track marks on Kennedy's arm.

Each of the three men is charged with possession of a narcotic and unlawful possession of a syringe, both level 6 felonies. They each face a charge of misdemeanor possession of a synthetic drug as well, and Blake Gourley is charged with another level 6 felony for maintaining a common nuisance.

Blake and Brock Gourley were not being held in Vanderburgh County Jail as of Wednesday morning. Their bond was previously set at $8,000 but lowered to $1,000 cash by Vanderburgh Circuit Court Judge David Kiely, according to court records.

Both men posted bond Tuesday, court records show.

Kennedy is still listed as an inmate at the jail. His bond remains set at $8,000 cash.

Blake Gourley was promoted to head coach of the Harrison girls' soccer team last year. Brock Gourley is an assistant coach for the team. Both men joined the coaching staff in 2013.

Neither man was listed as a coach on the EVSC athletics website as of Wednesday, though Blake Gourley is still listed as girls' soccer head coach on Harrison's website.

EVSC spokesman Jason Woebkenberg refused to comment on whether or not the two men were still school employees.

Resources

For more information on addiction treatment and prevention resources in the Evansville area, visit the Mayor's Substance Abuse Task Force website at msatf.org.

The national Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration also offers a 24-7 hotline in English and Spanish. Operators can give information on substance abuse and refer people to treatment options. The hotline can be reached by calling 1-800-662-4357.

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