Meet the drug-dealing Indianapolis pastor who outdid 'Breaking Bad'

An Indianapolis pastor has pleaded guilty to manufacturing nearly 100 tons of “synthetic” drugs in an extraordinary conspiracy that involved his fundamentalist church, a married couple who are crooked cops, a music producer and a school teacher.

This article was originally published by The Influence, a news site that covers the full spectrum of human relationships with drugs. Follow The Influence on Facebook or Twitter.

Robert Jaynes Jr. used his Irvington Bible Baptist Church as a base of operations to manufacture and distribute the drug K2, commonly referred to as a “synthetic cannabinoid.”

When the authorities raided the Irvington Bible Baptist Church they caught church members red-handed in the process of manufacturing and packaging Spice or K2. Details of the international conspiracy then unraveled, revealing a surprising cast of players. Jason and Theresa Woods, both Hendrix County sheriffs deputies were indicted in connection with the drug ring, as was Jaynes’ sister, Sherry Parsons, who is a local school teacher.

Roger Upchurch, a music producer who helped distribute the K2, admits that he was a “leading member of an international drug trafficking organization.” Money laundering was a crucial part of the operation and church members wrote checks to foreign suppliers of chemicals and laundered money. One church member keep detailed records of the church’s illegal transactions.

While all of this was ongoing Jaynes continued his fire-and-brimstone preaching, urging his congregation to turn away from Satan and earthly temptation. His guilty plea means that he will be sentenced to a maximum of 12 and a half years in prison. Other defendants have received less heavy sentences or diversion agreements.

This article was originally published by The Influence, a news site that covers the full spectrum of human relationships with drugs. Follow The Influence on Facebook or Twitter.