Eastern District of Kentucky
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Johnson County Clinic Owner Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky.- A Harrodsburg, Ky., man, Jeremy Bryson, 47, was convicted by a federal jury in Frankfort on Wednesday for charges related to unlawfully distributing controlled substances.
After approximately two hours of deliberations, following an eight-day trial, the jury convicted Bryson on one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, six counts of distribution of controlled substances, one count of conspiracy to use a DEA registration issued to another person, and one count of money laundering.
According to evidence introduced at trial, during the conspiracy, Jeremy Bryson and Don Bryson, his father, operated a medical clinic in Paintsville, Ky., called Appalachian Family Medicine (AFM). Don Bryson had previously surrendered his medical license in 2012 after a Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure investigation into complaints about his controlled substance prescribing practices. Jeremy Bryson hired Don Bryson as a “medical consultant” at AFM. Evidence at trial established that under Jeremy and Don Bryson’s operation, AFM functioned as a cash-only clinic that consistently issued illegitimate controlled substance prescriptions to patients. Although AFM was not registered as a pain management facility, AFM issued controlled substance prescriptions to the majority of its patients.
Between January 2021 and early 2022, 14 separate medical providers worked at AFM, many of whom left after working at the clinic for only a matter of days. The trial evidence established that Jeremy and Don Bryson pressured and used these temporary providers to issue controlled substance prescriptions while limiting the time they spent with patients and restricting their access to basic tools for safe prescribing like drug testing and prescription drug monitoring reports. In August and September of 2021, Jeremy Bryson directed the clinic’s staff to misuse an absent provider’s DEA registration number, which permits a qualifying practitioner to prescribe controlled substances, to continue issuing illegitimate controlled substance prescriptions in that absent provider’s name without her knowledge.
Additionally, evidence showed that in August 2021, Jeremy Bryson engaged in money laundering with proceeds derived from the controlled substance offenses through a check payment of $67,466.40 for the purchase of a Ram 2500 pickup truck.
Don Bryson previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances in June 2024. Don Bryson is scheduled to be sentenced on April 2.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andy Smith is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Jeremy Bryson will appear for sentencing on June 2. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence.
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Knox County Man Sentenced to 60 Years for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Corbin, Ky., man, Jerry Dunn, 60, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier to 60 years in prison, following his previous conviction of five counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
According to testimony at trial, in September 2022, Dunn engaged in the production of child pornography. Specifically, a search of Dunn’s phone revealed photos of Dunn sexually abusing a minor victim.
Under federal law, Dunn must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Division; and Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Mexican National Convicted of Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON- A Mexican national man, illegally residing in Kentucky, was convicted on Tuesday by a federal jury in Lexington for making false statements regarding citizenship and aggravated identity theft-related charges.
After two hours of deliberation, following a two day trial, the jury convicted 39-year-old Joel Sanchez-Mendoza for one count of making a false statement of citizenship to engage in unlawful employment, one count of making a false statement of citizenship to engage to obtain a Kentucky Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), and two counts of aggravated identity theft.
According to testimony at trial, Sanchez-Mendoza assumed the identity of an American citizen by using their name, date of birth, and social security number. With this information, he was able to obtain employment and a Kentucky CDL.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Lesley Allison, Special Agent in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pittsburgh Field Division, jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by HSI and USPO. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Walker.
Sanchez-Mendoza will appear for sentencing on June 25, 2026. He faces maximum of 48 months in prison, consecutive to any other sentence. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence.
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Knox County Woman Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Barboursville, Ky., woman, Raven Broughton-Jones, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier to 25 years in prison for the production of child pornography.
According to her plea agreement, on January 5, 2024, Broughton-Jones used a minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct - which Broughton-Jones herself participated in - for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct.
Under federal law, Broughton-Jones must serve 85 percent of her prison sentence. Upon her release from prison, she will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Colin Jackson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Chief Greg Lucas, Barboursville Police Department, jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by HSI and Barboursville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Fayette County Man Sentenced for Threatening a Kentucky Commonwealth AttorneyRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Lexington, Ky., man, Christopher Rhodes, 41, was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom to 42 months for interstate communication of a threat.
According to his plea agreement, on May 22, 2025, Rhodes used his Google account to send an email to Jackie Steele, who is the Commonwealth Attorney for Laurel and Knox Counties. Rhodes intended the email as a threat and specifically indicated that Steele needed curtains in his residence and made references to his wife and children and that he should fear for the safety of his family. This message was sent as part of a series of emails that spanned multiple weeks that expressed Rhodes’ anger with Steele based on Steele’s service as Commonwealth Attorney.
Under federal law, Rhodes must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Parman.
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Two Former BOP Employees Sentenced for Separate Bribery and Illegal Gratuity OffensesRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Two former employees at the Federal Medical Center Lexington (“FMC Lexington”), a federal prison managed by the Bureau of Prisons, were sentenced last week for separate incidents related to receiving illegal bribes and gratuities.
A. Jade Howard, 36, of Port Charlotte, Fl., was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for bribery. According to her plea agreement, from 2021 through October 2024, Howard was employed as a correctional officer and then as a materials handler. Howard knew that inmates were not allowed to possess contraband, including cigarettes and other illicit substances, and that she had a duty to report any such possession. Nonetheless, after being approached by an inmate at FMC Lexington about smuggling cigarettes into the facility, Howard agreed to bring the contraband into FMC Lexington in exchange for money. Howard smuggled tobacco cigarettes for the inmate, and later smuggled in what she believed to be synthetic marijuana (subsequently determined through laboratory testing to be 5F-ADB, a Schedule I controlled substance). In exchange, between December 2023 and December 2024, Howard received $18,602 through mobile banking applications.
Ariel Zulewski, 29, of Georgetown, Ky., was sentenced to 12 months, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for abusive sexual contact and receipt of an illegal gratuity. According to her plea agreement, from December 1, 2023, through February 29, 2024, Zulewski was employed at FMC Lexington as a recreational specialist. During that time, Zulewski engaged in sexual contact with an inmate, knowing that any sexual contact between FMC staff and inmates was strictly forbidden. Furthermore, Zulewski brought the inmate contraband, including tobacco and vapes, and knew that the inmate possessed a cell phone, which was also prohibited. On December 9, 2023 and January 17, 2024, Zulewski accepted CashApp payments totaling $500 for providing the inmate with the contraband and concealing his possession of contraband.
Under federal law, Howard and Zulewski must serve 85 percent of their prison sentence. Upon their release from prison, they will each be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for one year.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; William J. Hannah, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General, Chicago Field Office; and Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentencing.
The Howard investigation was conducted by DOJ-OIG and FBI. The Zulewski investigation was conducted by DOJ-OIG. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Greenfield.
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Justice Department Secures $850,000 Settlement in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Kentucky Landlord and Property ManagerRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that the owners and property managers of residential rental properties in Lexington, Kentucky have agreed to pay $850,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that two property managers sexually harassed female tenants in violation of the Fair Housing Act.
“Women should never feel unsafe in their own homes,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to vigorously protecting the rights of vulnerable tenants subjected to sexual harassment and holding housing providers and managers accountable when they violate the law.”
“The harm caused by decades of the defendants’ alleged sexual harassment, which often targeted female tenants perceived as vulnerable because of their need for housing, is difficult to quantify,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul C. McCaffrey for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “This settlement provides some measure of justice for those victims, and aims to eliminate future harassment perpetrated by these defendants against their tenants.”
“Adnan and Mohommed Shalash exploited tenants’ fundamental need for housing to commit serious abuses of power. Today’s settlement sends a clear message: those who abuse vulnerable tenants will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG), Northeast Region. “HUD OIG will not tolerate property managers or anyone in positions of authority using housing as leverage to engage in sexual harassment or abuse and will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold housing providers accountable for these actions.”
The Department’s lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky in November 2024, and amended in June 2025, alleges that for decades, property managers Adnan and Mohammed Shalash sexually harassed female tenants at various rental dwellings throughout Lexington, Kentucky. The suit alleges Adnan and Mohammed Shalash offered housing-related benefits in exchange for sexual contact, made unwelcome sexual comments and advances to female tenants, entered the homes of female tenants without their permission, subjected female tenants to unwelcome touching and groping and took adverse housing-related actions against female tenants who refused their sexual advances.
The Department’s lawsuit also names as defendants 17 owners of rental properties managed by Adnan and Mohammed Shalash, including Fox Den Properties LLC and Griffith Market Inc. The lawsuit alleges that these defendants are vicariously liable for the sexual harassment committed by their agents, Adnan and Mohommed Shalash.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General participated in the investigation that uncovered the evidence leading to the lawsuit.
Pursuant to the settlement agreement, the defendants must pay $845,000 to tenants who were harmed by Adnan and Mohammed Shalash’s harassment and a $5,000 civil penalty to the United States. The settlement agreement permanently bars Adnan and Mohammed Shalash from contacting tenants harmed by their harassment, permanently bars them from managing residential rental properties, and mandates training and the adoption of policies and procedures to prevent future discrimination at residential rental properties owned or managed by either defendant.
If you are a victim of sexual harassment by another landlord or property manager or have suffered other forms of housing discrimination, call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743 or submit a report online. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. This settlement is part of the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative. The initiative, which the Department launched in October 2017, seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative, the department has filed 52 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered close to $18 million for victims of such harassment.
Justice Department Secures $850,000 Settlement in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Kentucky Landlord and Property ManagerRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that the owners and property managers of residential rental properties in Lexington, Kentucky have agreed to pay $850,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that two property managers sexually harassed female tenants in violation of the Fair Housing Act.
“Women should never feel unsafe in their own homes,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to vigorously protecting the rights of vulnerable tenants subjected to sexual harassment and holding housing providers and managers accountable when they violate the law.”
“The harm caused by decades of the defendants’ alleged sexual harassment, which often targeted female tenants perceived as vulnerable because of their need for housing, is difficult to quantify,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul C. McCaffrey for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “This settlement provides some measure of justice for those victims, and aims to eliminate future harassment perpetrated by these defendants against their tenants.”
“Adnan and Mohommed Shalash exploited tenants’ fundamental need for housing to commit serious abuses of power. Today’s settlement sends a clear message: those who abuse vulnerable tenants will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG), Northeast Region. “HUD OIG will not tolerate property managers or anyone in positions of authority using housing as leverage to engage in sexual harassment or abuse and will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold housing providers accountable for these actions.”
The Department’s lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky in November 2024, and amended in June 2025, alleges that for decades, property managers Adnan and Mohammed Shalash sexually harassed female tenants at various rental dwellings throughout Lexington, Kentucky. The suit alleges Adnan and Mohammed Shalash offered housing-related benefits in exchange for sexual contact, made unwelcome sexual comments and advances to female tenants, entered the homes of female tenants without their permission, subjected female tenants to unwelcome touching and groping and took adverse housing-related actions against female tenants who refused their sexual advances.
The Department’s lawsuit also names as defendants 17 owners of rental properties managed by Adnan and Mohammed Shalash, including Fox Den Properties LLC and Griffith Market Inc. The lawsuit alleges that these defendants are vicariously liable for the sexual harassment committed by their agents, Adnan and Mohommed Shalash.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General participated in the investigation that uncovered the evidence leading to the lawsuit.
Pursuant to the settlement agreement, the defendants must pay $845,000 to tenants who were harmed by Adnan and Mohammed Shalash’s harassment and a $5,000 civil penalty to the United States. The settlement agreement permanently bars Adnan and Mohammed Shalash from contacting tenants harmed by their harassment, permanently bars them from managing residential rental properties, and mandates training and the adoption of policies and procedures to prevent future discrimination at residential rental properties owned or managed by either defendant.
If you are a victim of sexual harassment by another landlord or property manager or have suffered other forms of housing discrimination, call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743 or submit a report online. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. This settlement is part of the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative. The initiative, which the Department launched in October 2017, seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative, the department has filed 52 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered close to $18 million for victims of such harassment.
Scott County Man Sentenced for Armed Fentanyl and Fluorofentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Georgetown, Ky., man, Jamon Ritter, 35, was sentenced on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove to 132 months for possession with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of fluorofentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to his plea agreement, on July 2, 2024, Ritter – who was wanted on active warrants – led law enforcement on a reckless, high-speed vehicular chase in Scott County, eventually bailing out of his vehicle and fleeing on foot before being apprehended. Following the chase, law enforcement searched the vehicle Ritter was driving and found a Glock pistol, ammunition, and a variety of drugs, which KSP laboratory testing determined to be 122 grams of fentanyl, 1.707 grams of cocaine, and 29.786 grams of fluorofentanyl. Ritter admitted possession of the narcotics during the search and also admitted to possessing the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime.
Under federal law, Ritter must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Sheriff Jeremy Nettles, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by ATF and Scott County Sheriff’s Office. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker.
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Lexington Man Sentenced to 65 Years for Firearms and Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington, Ky., man, Keith Lamont Stallworth, 41, was sentenced on Thursday by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell to 65 years in prison after previously being convicted of multiple firearms charges and pleading guilty to drug trafficking charges.
In August 2025, Stallworth was convicted of carrying and using a firearm during a drug trafficking crime; possessing a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; possessing a firearm as a convicted felon; possessing a machine gun; and failing to register the machine gun. Stallworth also previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and using a residence for the purpose of manufacturing and distributing controlled substances.
According to testimony at Stallworth’s trial for the firearm charges, in August 2023, Stallworth was arrested in possession of a .57 caliber Palmetto Arms pistol that contained high velocity rifle rounds and an extended magazine capable of holding an additional 29 rounds. A search warrant at Stallworth’s downtown Lexington apartment yielded a large quantity of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, hundreds of rounds of ammunition as well as a 9mm handgun and an illegally modified .40 caliber pistol. The pistol was installed with a machinegun conversion device, sometimes called a “switch” or “Glock switch,” that converted the firearm to a fully automatic weapon defined under federal law as a machinegun.
Under federal law, Stallworth must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field; Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department; Chief Michael Fleming, Nicholasville Police Department; and Sheriff Kevin Grimes, Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office, announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by DEA, ATF, KSP, Lexington Police Department, Nicholasville Police Department, and Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker and retired Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger West.
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Lexington Man Sentenced for Distribution of Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington, Ky., man, Michael Smitha, 52, was sentenced on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell to 140 months for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to his plea agreement, in December 2023, law enforcement received information that Smitha was distributing quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in Central Kentucky. From December 29, 2023, through May 9, 2024, law enforcement used a confidential source to make controlled purchases of fentanyl and methamphetamine from Smitha.
Smitha has a prior federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute oxycodone in May 2014.
Under federal law, Smitha must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 8 years.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Commander Kalan Perdue, Gateway High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by ATF and Gateway HIDTA Task Force. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker.
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Cincinnati Man Convicted of Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.- A Cincinnati, Ohio, man was convicted on Thursday by a federal jury in Lexington of possession with intent to distribute a fentanyl analogue and fentanyl.
After 2 hours of deliberation following a two-day trial, the jury convicted 32-year-old Daquan Gatling of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to evidence presented at trial, on March 17, 2024, Gatling crashed into a utility pole in the Georgetown corridor area of Lexington and fled the scene of the accident. Officers searched the vehicle and found drugs, a scale, and plastic baggies in a backpack in the backseat. The evidence in the case connected him to the collision and the drugs found inside the vehicle, which were tested and found to contain more than 100 grams of a mixture of a fentanyl analogue and more than 40 grams of fentanyl. At the time of the offense, Gatling was on federal supervised release following a conviction in the Eastern District of Kentucky for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Colin Jackson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by HSI and Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle Winslow and Joel King are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Gatling is scheduled to be sentenced on June 16. He faces a minimum of 10 years in prison. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence.
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Lexington Man Sentenced for Money Laundering and Wire Fraud Involving COVID Relief LoansRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Lexington man, John A. Hopkins, 48, was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove to 24 months, for money laundering and wire fraud arising out of fraudulently obtained Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.
According to his plea agreement, from April 14, 2020, through October 19, 2021, Hopkins devised a scheme to fraudulently obtain funding from federal pandemic relief programs. He did this by making false statements about various companies, including Blurock LLC, John A Hopkins, Jahopm, and Hopkins Drywall, named in loan applications submitted to the United States Small Business Administration and other lenders. During this time, Hopkins submitted 10 fraudulent EIDL applications, one fraudulent EIDL modification application, and one fraudulent PPP application.
For example, on July 3, 2020, Hopkins submitted an EIDL application stating he was an independent contractor named John A. Hopkins. This application falsely and grossly inflated his revenues serving as a pastor for the 12 months prior to the start of the pandemic. As a result of this fraudulent application, the SBA approved the Hopkins’s EIDL application and issued a loan in the amount of $44,000 and a $1,000 EID advance. As to another EIDL loan, Hopkins fraudulently obtained an EIDL increase in the amount of $352,000, after sending an email containing falsehoods to two members of Congress seeking Congressional assistance in obtaining the loan increase. Through further misrepresentations, Hopkins also obtained a PPP loan in the amount of $120,000 for a business entity called Blurock LLC.
In total, Hopkins attempted to fraudulently obtain $1,729,257 in COVID relief funds, of which $517,000 was approved. After receiving the fraudulently obtained SBA funds, Hopkins engaged in numerous transactions over $10,000, using the proceeds of his deceptive conduct to pay off non-business debt, pay for his personal rent, gift money to friends, invest in cryptocurrency, and engage in gambling activities, among other things.
Under federal law, Hopkins must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Kelly K. Moening, Special Agent in Charge, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Great Lakes Field Division; and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigations, Detroit Field Division, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the IRS-CI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Dieruf is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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New York Man Sentenced for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Sunnyside, New York, man, Wilson Molina, 33, was sentenced on Monday by U.S. District Judge Rober Wier to 120 months for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to his plea agreement, beginning in February 2024 and continuing through December 2024, Molina conspired with others to distribute controlled substances, including counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. The fentanyl pills were manufactured to appear as if they were legitimate oxycodone 30mg pills; similarly, the methamphetamine pills mimicked the appearance of legitimate amphetamine and dextroamphetamine pills (commonly known by the brand name, “Adderall”. On multiple occasions, Molina supplied one of his co-conspirators with controlled substances that they then shipped into the Eastern District of Kentucky. Molina and his co-conspirators coordinated distribution of the fentanyl and methamphetamine from Queens, New York, maintaining massive quantities of the counterfeit pills in a storage unit close to Molina’s residence. On February 10, 2025, DEA executed a search warrant at a storage unit used to hold the drugs Molina was trafficking, and agents seized more than 3.4 million counterfeit pills.
Under federal law, Molina must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; jointly announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Rosenberg.
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Floyd County Man Sentenced to 192 Months for Armed Fentanyl and Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. – A Martin, Ky., man, Justin Bryant, 35, was sentenced on Monday by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning to 192 months for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, including methamphetamine and fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to his plea agreement, on December 11, 2023, law enforcement encountered Bryant during a traffic stop in which he possessed 22.76 grams of methamphetamine, 3.57 grams of fentanyl and fluorofentanyl, and a loaded handgun, which he admitted he possessed to protect himself from the dangers of drug dealing. Based on multiple prior felony convictions, Bryant was not permitted to possess the firearm. Bryant was arrested but was subsequently released, and continued to engage in drug trafficking. On March 1, 2025, law enforcement encountered Bryant again, and he had in his possession 81.256 grams of methamphetamine.
Under federal law, Bryant must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Division; Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Sheriff John Hunt, Floyd County Sheriff’s Office, announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, KSP, and the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Trimble.
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South Carolina Man and Coal Mine Owner Sentenced for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Meggett, South Carolina, man, John Quintrell, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier to 48 months in prison for willful failure to pay over more than $22 million in taxes owed to the IRS.
According to his plea agreement, from at least September 2018 through April 2025, Quintrell was the sole owner of Civil LLC, a mining business, located in Harlan County. Civil LLC was required to withhold taxes from its employees’ paychecks, including federal income taxes, as well as Medicare and Social Security taxes (i.e., FICA taxes). For the period of October 1, 2019, through March 31, 2025, Quintrell caused Civil LLC to withhold federal income taxes and FICA taxes from employees' paychecks, as it should have done; however, Quintrell then willfully caused the business to fail to account for, and pay over, to the IRS approximately $22,146,389.56 in federal income taxes, FICA taxes, as well as the employer's share of such payroll taxes.
Quintrell was also ordered to pay $22,146,389.56 in restitution.
Under federal law, Quintrell must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigations, Detroit Field Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the IRS. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Mattingly Williams is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Magoffin County Man and Former Teacher Sentenced for Attempted Online Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. – A Salyersville, Ky., man, Jordan Cobb, 32, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning to 132 months in prison, for attempted online enticement of a minor.
According to his plea agreement, in April and May 2023, Cobb was employed as a middle school teacher, and he engaged in a Snapchat conversation with a former student of his, who was a minor. In the course of the conversation, Cobb sent the minor a series of sexually explicit messages, offers to provide the minor with marijuana, and a plan to meet for sexual intercourse.
Under federal law, Cobb must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Division; and Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Leslie County Man Sentenced for Attempted Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. – A Hyden, Ky., man, Finley Wooton, 33, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning to 180 months in prison, following his conviction for attempted production of child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, on April 10, 2023, Wooton engaged in a Facebook Messenger conversation with a minor victim. During the conversation, Wooton sent sexually explicit images and asked for sexually explicit images in return. By doing so, Wooton used Facebook Messenger to attempt to persuade the minor victim to produce child pornography.
Under federal law, Wooton must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Division; and Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Boone County Man Indicted for Cyberstalking and Sending Threatening Communications to United States Congressman and United States SenatorRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, KY- A Florence, Ky., man, Benjamin Aaron Keebler, 55, was indicted on January 15 for cyberstalking and sending threatening communications to a United States Congressman and a United States Senator.
The indictment alleges that from February 2023 to May 2025, Keebler used a cell phone to engage in a course of conduct with the intent of harassing and intimidating a United States Congressman. Specifically, the indictment alleges that on separate occasions Keebler called a phone system affiliated with the Congressman and threatened to injure the Congressman, including a threat to shoot him in the head at a town hall, and a threat to lynch the Congressman. In addition to those threats, the indictment alleges that Keebler used a cell phone to call a phone system affiliated with a United States Senator and threaten injury against that person as well, stating, among other things, “somebody needs to come to [the Senator’s] house and do a . . . hammer visit.”
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Chief Michael G. Sullivan, U.S. Capitol Police, announced the indictment.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the U.S. Capitol Police. The indictment was presented to the grand jury by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andy Boone.
Keebler’s initial appearance in court occurred on January 29, 2026. He faces a maximum of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. However, any sentence following a conviction would be imposed by the Court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
Any indictment is an accusation only. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Mexican National Sentenced for Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Mexican National, Israel Ortiz Velasco, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves to 300 months for a money laundering conspiracy and a conspiracy to import controlled substances into the United States, including 400 grams or more of fentanyl and five kilograms or more of cocaine.
According to his plea agreement, from approximately June to December 2017, Ortiz agreed with others to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, knowing and intending that those drugs would be unlawfully imported from Mexico into the United States for distribution. During the conspiracies to distribute drugs and to launder money, Ortiz was in Mexico, and his Mexico-based coconspirators supplied the fentanyl and cocaine imported into the Eastern District of Kentucky. Ortiz admitted his role in the distribution of kilograms of powder fentanyl and fentanyl pressed into counterfeit pills, and approximately 25 kilograms of cocaine. Once the drugs were distributed in the Eastern District of Kentucky, the bulk cash proceeds of distribution were collected and transferred to Mexico by wire transfers, structured deposits at financial institutions, and other money laundering methods.
Under federal law, Ortiz must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon Ortiz’s release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Paul C. McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Lawrence Weathers, Chief of Police, Lexington Police Department, and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Bradbury prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from FBI, ATF, DEA, IRS, and HSI with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
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Clark County Man Sentenced to 40 Years for Methamphetamine Trafficking and Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Clark County, Ky., man, Tommy Martin, 70, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves to 480 months’ imprisonment for multiple counts of distributing and possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine; possessing, carrying, and using firearms in furtherance of and during and in relation to his drug trafficking crimes; and possession of multiple firearms by a convicted felon.
On September 24, 2025, Martin was found guilty by a federal jury in Lexington of 11 felony violations: six counts of distributing methamphetamine, one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of carrying or using a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to evidence presented at trial, between July 1 and October 10, 2024, Martin sold various quantities of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Clark and Montgomery Counties. In addition to the methamphetamine, Martin, a convicted felon, sold a firearm to the informant. The investigation culminated in a search of Martin’s residence in Montgomery County in December of 2024, revealing additional quantities of methamphetamine intended for sale as well as firearms in Martin’s possession.
Under federal law, Martin must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon Martin’s release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Paul C. McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division, and Chief Travis Thompson, Winchester Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the ATF and the Winchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paco Villalobos prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Boyd County Man Receives 10 Year Sentence for Armed Fentanyl Trafficking and Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. – A Boyd County, Ky., man, Terry Gannon, 52, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning to 120 months’ imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to his plea agreement, in February 2025, law enforcement received information that Gannon was distributing large amounts of drugs from his residence in Boyd County. On February 25 and 27, 2025, law enforcement utilized a confidential informant to purchase a total of four grams of fentanyl from Gannon. A subsequent law enforcement search of Gannon’s vehicle and residence uncovered 89.934 grams of fentanyl, 1.27 grams of methamphetamine, eight firearms, ammunition, scales, baggies, a suspected drug ledger, and $11,049 in cash.
Gannon admitted to possessing the drugs with intent to distribute them. He also admitted that he possessed a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
Gannon was previously convicted of trafficking drugs in the third degree and trafficking drugs in the second degree in the Court of Common Pleas, Lawrence County, Ohio, and was therefore prohibited from possessing any firearm.
Under federal law, Gannon must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon Gannon’s release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for four years.
Paul C. McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Director Scott Hardcorn, Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the ATF and the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Harlan County Man Sentenced to 60 Years for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Harlan, Ky., man, Brandon Farley, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier to 60 years in prison, following his previous conviction of two counts of production of child pornography.
According to testimony at trial, Farley sexually abused a minor that was in his care and took photos of that abuse.
Under federal law, Farley must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Division; and Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Seven Farmers and a Tobacco Warehouse Manager Sentenced for Crop Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Cave City, Ky., farmer, Larry Walden, 69, was sentenced to 52 months’ incarceration by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, after pleading guilty to conspiring to commit money laundering, by committing crop insurance fraud.
According to his plea agreement, Walden owned and rented farmland in Barren County, on which he grew burley tobacco, among other crops. He maintained insurance coverage over his tobacco crop from at least 2014 to 2023. For Crop Years 2014 through 2019, Walden used services offered at Farmers Tobacco Warehouse in Boyle County, to obtain false documentation to support false claims of loss on his crop insurance.
As part of the conspiracy, Walden wrote checks to Farmers Tobacco Warehouse, to make it appear as though the tobacco he raised and sold was actually purchased from Farmers Tobacco Warehouse. Conspiring with Thomas Kirkpatrick, manager at Farmers Tobacco Warehouse, Walden also received fake receipts in further attempts to conceal the scheme. Walden presented copies of these cancelled checks along with fake purchase receipts to his insurance adjuster. His insurance adjuster used this paperwork to justify deflating Walden’s production reports, thereby increasing his indemnity payment. With his proceeds, Walden paid off lines of credit and purchased new assets.
Walden also admitted to running the same fraud scheme through Greensburg Tobacco Market and Fair Deal Tobacco, located in Greensburg, Ky., and Littleton, North Carolina, respectively. He further sold tobacco under the names of neighbors and relatives without reporting that production on his insurance claims. In total, Walden’s fraud caused $9,960,817.19 in loss to crop insurers. Upon his release, Walden will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years. In addition to his prison sentence, Walden was ordered to pay $9,960,817.19 in restitution.
Other farmers have also been sentenced for their role in the same conspiracy to commit crop insurance fraud and have been sentenced as followed.
- Thomas Kirkpatrick, 67, of Stanford, Ky., the former manager of Farmers Tobacco Warehouse, was sentenced to 48 months in prison, two years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $16,156,345 in restitution.
- David Hunt, 63, of Campbellsville, Ky., a farmer who obtained fake documentation from Kirkpatrick in order to support fraudulent claims to indemnity payments under an organic tobacco insurance coverage policy, was sentenced to 42 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $5,427,365 in restitution.
- Terry Wilson, 67, an Edmonton, Ky, farmer who used Farmer Tobacco Warehouse to facilitate his fraud conspiracy, was sentenced to time served, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $667,679.00 in restitution.
- Christopher Wilson, 50, Terry Wilson’s son, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $669,447 in restitution.
- David Wisdom, 69, a Glasglow, Ky., farmer who used Farmer Tobacco Warehouse to facilitate his fraud conspiracy, was sentenced to 48 months, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $1,941,007 in restitution.
- Robert D. Birge, Jr., 51, a Summer Shade, Ky., farmer, was sentenced to 6 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $1,114,519 in restitution.
Additionally, earlier this month, Harlan Ray Highfield, 63, of Brooksville, Ky., was sentenced to 42 months’ incarceration, stemming from his crop insurance fraud scheme that involved obtaining crop insurance policies in nominee names, among other offenses. He was sentenced to three years’ supervised release and was ordered to pay $1,060,460 in restitution.
Under federal law, these defendants must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences.
“These defendants fleeced programs intended to protect agricultural producers,” said Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “While the vast majority of farmers conduct themselves with great integrity, the sentences imposed in these cases should serve as a warning to any producers or warehouse operators considering similar crop insurance fraud.”
“There is no place in our society for opportunists who choose to defraud public programs at the expense of honest, hard-working American farmers,” stated Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office. “This case is a prime example of law enforcement partners collaborating over a number of years to ensure the conspirators are identified and penalized appropriately, while simultaneously working to protect one of our nation’s most vital industries.”
“The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) appreciates the collaboration with our law enforcement partners and the prosecutors in this case. USDA OIG is committed to investigating individuals who engage in crop insurance fraud in order to preserve the integrity of USDA programs,” said USDA OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Miles Davis. “We thank the United States Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency Special Investigations Staff, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Kentucky Department of Insurance and Department of Justice, Eastern District of Kentucky for their partnership with us on this impactful investigation.”
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Miles Davis, Acting Special Agent in Charge, United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisville Field Office; and Karen Wingerd , Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, jointly announced the sentences.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, United States Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency Special Investigations Staff, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Dieruf and Andrea Mattingly Williams.
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Lexington Business Owner and Business Agree to Pay $860,000 to Resolve Improper Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON Ky. – A Lexington-based shared workspace management and consulting firm, Workspace Strategies, and one of its owners, Karen Condi, agreed to pay the United States $860,779.50 to resolve allegations that it improperly obtained, and received forgiveness for, Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for which it was not eligible.
Congress created the PPP in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to small American businesses struggling to pay employees and other expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the PPP, eligible small businesses could receive forgivable loans guaranteed by the SBA through two rounds of funding, referred to as First Draw and Second Draw PPP loans. When applying for PPP loans, borrowers were required to certify that they were eligible for the requested loans and that the information they provided was true and accurate. Regulations provided various requirements for use of PPP funds, including limitations on the manner in which the loans could be utilized. Borrowers who applied for Second Draw loans also were required to certify that they experienced at least a 25% reduction in quarterly gross receipts as a result of the pandemic.
Workspace Strategies applied for, received, and obtained forgiveness for First and Second Draw PPP loans collectively valued at nearly $600,000. The settlement resolves allegations that Workspace Strategies and Condi falsely certified that loan proceeds would be and were utilized for payroll expenses and other permissible purposes. In fact, Workspace Strategies and Condi allegedly used a portion of the proceeds for impermissible purposes, including for Condi’s personal benefit. Further, the settlement resolves allegations that Workspace Strategies and Condi falsely certified that Workspace Strategies’ gross receipts fell at least 25% as a result of the pandemic in its Second Draw PPP loan application. Based on these false certifications, Workspace Strategies received loans for which it was ineligible and received forgiveness of loan funds to which it was not entitled.
“Our office is committed to holding accountable businesses and individuals who improperly obtained or used COVID-19 relief funds,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Paul McCaffrey. “The loans were intended to help eligible small businesses survive the pandemic. When business owners misspend those funds, or businesses falsely certify their eligibility for pandemic relief, it is critically important that we recover taxpayer dollars.”
“This settlement demonstrates the excellent results achieved through the combined efforts of SBA and the Department of Justice to forcefully respond to PPP misconduct,” said SBA's General Counsel Wendell Davis. "Misallocation and misuse of federal funds undermines SBA and the entire federal government's pandemic relief efforts, and SBA continues to devote a major effort alongside our partners at DOJ to investigate abuse and recover funds on behalf of the American people.”
The Government’s work in this investigation illustrates its commitment to combatting COVID-19 fraud. The United States encourages anyone with information about potential fraud involving COVID-19 to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. PPP recipients also may voluntarily disclose self-discovered evidence of fraud involving the PPP to U.S. Attorney’s Offices.
The settlement resolves a lawsuit brought by a private citizen under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party can file a civil action on behalf of the United States, thereby bringing allegations of fraud to the Government’s attention, and share in any financial recovery. As part of this resolution, the individual who filed the qui tam complaint will receive a portion of the settlement proceeds. This case is captioned United States ex rel. Emily Parker v. Condi Management Group, LLC, d/b/a Workspace Strategies and Karen Condi, Case No. 5:23-CV-00030-KKC.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Long, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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Former McCreary County Assistant Principal Sentenced for Attempted Online Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Strunk, Ky., man, and former Assistant Principal of McCreary County High School, Aaron Anderson, 52, was sentenced on Thursday by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier to 120 months in prison, for attempting to persuade a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity online.
According to court documents, in August 2023, Anderson was the McCreary County High School Assistant Principal, an began communicating with the minor victim via Microsoft Teams on the victim’s school-issued Chromebook. Anderson and the victim spoke daily on Teams, and Anderson engaged in a pattern of grooming via the Teams messages that included terms of endearment, offers of gifts, and frequent praise to the minor victim. The grooming messages were part of the enticement as they were intended to flatter her, build intimacy, and create a sense of obligation. Furthermore, in his plea agreement, Anderson admitted to enticing the victim to engage in sexual contact in his office.
Under federal law, Anderson must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and KSP. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Pike County Man Sentenced for the Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. – A Raccoon, Ky., man, Lonnie James Maynard, 54, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning to 210 months in prison, for the production of child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, on January 17, 2025, Maynard engaged in the production of child pornography. Specifically, a search of Maynard’s phone revealed a Snapchat conversation in which he directed a minor child to send Maynard sexually explicit photos. At Maynard’s direction, the minor child sent Maynard a sexually explicit video of the minor child.
Under federal law, Maynard must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes Law Enforcement with its 2025 Law Enforcement Excellence AwardsRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Acting United States Attorney Paul McCaffrey honored several federal, state, and local law enforcement professionals on Wednesday, for their outstanding contributions to investigations and prosecutions in the Eastern District of Kentucky.
The Office’s 2025 Law Enforcement Excellence Awards were presented during a ceremony at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Lexington and recognized exceptional work in a number of cases involving Office priority areas, including violent crime, drug trafficking, overdose deaths, money laundering, government program fraud, and child exploitation.
“The results we obtain in court to keep Eastern District of Kentucky communities safe and to preserve taxpayer dollars are only possible because of the exceptional work of our law enforcement partners,” said Acting United States Attorney Paul McCaffrey. “The men and women recognized today stand out for their tremendous courage and character in the pursuit of justice.”
The following law enforcement officers and organizations were honored:
- Ted Jones, Special Agent, FBI
- Matt Resch, Special Agent FBI
- Ben Hughes, Staff Operations Specialist, FBI
- Josh Smith, Postal Inspector, U.S. Postal Inspection Service
- Kimberly Kidd, Special Agent, FBI
- Michael Frazee, Deputy, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office; Task Force Officer, DEA
- Todd Tremaine, Special Agent ATF
- John Barnett, Special Agent, ATF
- Jason McCowan, Detective, Manchester Police Department; Task Force Officer, ATF
- Brian Lewis, Deputy, Laurel County Sheriff’s Office; Task Force Officer, ATF
- Stanley Williams, Task Force Officer, FBI; University of Kentucky Police Department
- Jeff Monnin, Special Agent, U.S. Department of Agriculture- Office of Inspector General
- Diane Ansley, Special Investigator, U.S. Department of Agriculture RMA
- Tressa Whittington, Forensic Accountant, FBI
- Jared Volk, Supervisory Special Agent, IRS
- Chris Boyd, Detective, Newport Police Department; Task Force Officer, DEA
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Highlights Drug Trafficking and Illegal Firearm Possession Sentencings During Lapse in Federal AppropriationsRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Throughout the 43-day lapse in government funding, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky continued to advance the Department of Justice’s mission in priority enforcement areas, including drug trafficking, violent crime, and illegal possession of firearms. Below are highlights of sentencings that the U.S. Attorney’s Office secured in connection with several drug and violent crime-related cases prosecuted during the recent lapse in federal appropriations.
Monday, October 6
A Lexington, Ky., man, Bryan Anicasio-Miranda, 24, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to his plea agreement, on March 30, 2021 Anicasio-Miranda was convicted of first degree fleeing or evading police in Fayette Circuit Court. On at least two occasions, December 18, 2022 and December 16, 2024, Miranda was found in possession of firearms that he was prohibited from possessing because of his previous felony conviction.
A Reynoldsburg, Ohio, man, Samuel Young, 44, was sentenced to 37 months for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to his plea agreement, on March 13, 2024, law enforcement conducted a stop on a vehicle driven by Young and recovered a firearm in his possession. Young admitted to being previously convicted of a felony and knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
A Lexington, Ky., man, Khmari Smith, 22, was sentenced to 324 months for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking offenses. In May 2023, law enforcement began investigating an individual distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl in Lexington and identified the vehicle being used to transport the drugs into the area. On July 10, 2023, law enforcement located the vehicle traveling from Detroit to Kentucky and observed the vehicle following another car and mirroring its movements, which led them to believe the vehicles were connected. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on both vehicles. Khmari Smith, and his brother and co-defendant, Khari Qunarll Smith, 24, were found in one vehicle, with no evidence of drugs. In the other vehicle, Smith’s co-defendant, Brianna Hanspard, 30, of Detroit, was found with 4.6 kilograms of methamphetamine and 199.7 grams of fentanyl. Hanspard admitted to entering into an agreement with Khmari Smith and others to transport drugs from Detroit to Lexington for payment.
Further investigation proved that Khari and Khmari Smith continued their drug distribution, from sources in Detroit. In August 2023, law enforcement searched their leased residences in Lexington. At the first residence they found 354.4 grams of fentanyl and 216.3 grams of methamphetamine; at the second, the found additional methamphetamine and fentanyl, as well as a drug processing room. Law enforcement also found 18 firearms at the first residence and 12 firearms at the second residence. Khmari Smith admitted that he received those firearms as payment for the drugs he distributed. Khari Smith was previously sentenced to 200 months and Hanspard was sentenced to 84 months.
Wednesday, October 8
A Corbin, Ky., man, Jonathan Blevins, 40, was sentenced to 110 months for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to his plea agreement, beginning in April 2024 through June 2024, Blevins conspired with his co-defendants, Randy Lester, Jeffrey Gray, and Kathy Baird, to distribute methamphetamine in Laurel and Knox Counties. Blevins would obtain 1.5 pounds quantities of methamphetamine from his source of supply to distribute to several mid-and lower-level drug dealers and users. Blevins’ co-defendants were previously sentenced as followed: Baird received 27 months in prison; Gray received 53 months in prison; and Lester received 140 months in prison.
Friday, October 10
A Burlington, Ky., man, Gary Wayne Isaacs, 47, was sentenced to 186 months for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to his plea agreement, on June 6, 2024, law enforcement stopped Isaacs’ vehicle, and Isaacs gave a false name and social security number. Officers searched the vehicle and found 73.89 grams of methamphetamine that he admitted he possessed with the intent to distribute it to others.
Tuesday, October 14
A Lexington, Ky., man, Khalil Washington, 28, was sentenced to 240 months for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to his plea agreement, on April 4, 2023, law enforcement arrested Washington following a traffic stop and seized 1,360 grams of methamphetamine, 28 grams of fentanyl, and a loaded firearm. Washington admitted to possessing the drugs with intent to distribute to others and that he possessed the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking.
A London, Ky., man, Jeffrey L. McDaniel, 56, was sentenced to 120 months for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to his plea agreement, beginning in June 2024 through July 2024, McDaniel conspired with others to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine through Laurel, Knox, and Whitley Counties. As part of the conspiracy, McDaniel would obtain upwards of ounce quantities of meth from his source of supply and distribute it to mid-and lower-level drug dealers and users.
A Lexington, Ky., man, John Robert Eckler, 46, was sentenced to 70 months for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to his plea agreement, in August 2022, a package was seized that contained 14 one-pound bags of methamphetamine. Law enforcement conducted a controlled delivery of the package, which was picked up by Eckler. Eckler later admitted to law enforcement that he possessed the methamphetamine, and he knew the package contained a controlled substance, and he intended to give the package to another individual.
Thursday, October 16
A Corbin, Ky., man, Matthew Martin, 43, was sentenced to 78 months for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. According to his plea agreement, from June 2023 through June 2024, Martin conspired with his co-defendants, Laura Huffman, 35, and Erica Mullis, 35, to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl to others in Whitley, Knox, and Laurel Counties. Both co-defendants were sentenced on October 15—Huffman received 57 months in prison and Mullis received 84 months in prison.
Friday, October 31
A London, Ky., man, Ronald Dugger, 64, was sentenced to 88 months for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to his plea agreement, on June 17, 2024, law enforcement responded to a residence where Dugger, who was on federal supervised release, was residing. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the residence and found $1,680 in cash and 38.076 grams of methamphetamine. Dugger admitted that he was obtaining methamphetamine from multiple suppliers, and he intended to distribute it to others.
Monday, November 3A United States Penitentiary inmate, Eric Watson, 34, was sentenced to 108 months for assaulting a federal officer. According to his plea agreement, on December 25, 2023, two inmates at USP McCreary began fighting. When instructed by staff to stop, Watson instead advanced towards staff, whose efforts to subdue him did not initially work. Watson then took an Officer to the ground and struck him multiple times with a closed fist until responding staff gained control.
A Lexington, Ky., man, Jacque Harmon Jones, 26, was sentenced to 150 months for possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of fluorofentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to his plea agreement, law enforcement searched Jones’ residence in February 2024 and discovered three bags of a fluorofentanyl and fentanyl mixture and $27,020 in drug proceeds inside a diaper bag. Additional fentanyl pills and a loaded firearm were found inside the master bedroom. Jones admitted that he possessed the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activity.
A Lexington, Ky., man, Quincy Taylor, 39, was sentenced to 360 months for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. According to evidence at trial, on October 27, 2021, Taylor was involved in a single-vehicle collision on southbound I-75. After exiting his vehicle, Taylor attempted to provide a bystander with a bag containing 45 grams of cocaine and a firearm. After the bystander declined, Taylor hid the bag near brush along the exit ramp. Taylor then left the scene by hitchhiking with a second bystander to Richmond, Ky. Taylor had multiple prior convictions for felony drug trafficking. As a convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Additionally, based on his significant prior criminal history, Taylor qualified as an Armed Career Criminal, which enhanced his sentence.
Tuesday, November 4
Two defendants, Jaloni Andrews, 35, of Richmond, Ky., and Bridgett Vance, 57, of Strunk, Ky., were sentenced to 144 months and 27 months, respectively, for drug distribution charges. Andrews was sentenced to distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl. According to his plea agreement, on March 4, 2024, a confidential informant met Andrews to obtain fentanyl and during the meeting Andrews sold the informant 521 blue round pills, which collectively weighed 54.83 grams. Event though the pills were marked with a “30” on one side and a “M” on the other side, like a real oxycodone pill, Andrews admitted that they were fake and contained fentanyl instead.
Vance previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute oxycodone. According to her plea agreement, Vance sold oxycodone pills in McCreary County by obtaining the pills from a local supplier, but then began traveling to Lexington, Ky., to obtain pills from suppliers there. On October 24, 2023, law enforcement tracked Vance traveling to her supplier in Lexington and they conducted a traffic stop on her vehicle. During a search, law enforcement located 293 oxycodone 30mg pills and $3,529 in cash. Vance admitted that she possessed these pills and intended to distribute them as she had done in the past.
Thursday, November 6
A Munford, Alabama, man, Floyd Jenkins, 46, was sentenced to 212 months for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to his plea agreement, Jenkins worked with his co-defendants, Frederick Holt, Jr., 51, to import methamphetamine and fentanyl into the Johnson County area. Specifically, on December 4, 2024, law enforcement seized more than 300 grams of methamphetamine in Jenkins’ vehicle, which he admitted he possessed and intended to distribute. Holt was previously sentenced in August 2025 to 65 months for his role in the methamphetamine trafficking.
Wednesday, November 12A London, Ky., man, Shane Brock, was sentenced to 97 months for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to his plea agreement, between January 2021 to March 2022, Brock received pound quantities of methamphetamine from co-defendant Stacey Smith, who distributed to multiple mid-level dealers. Brock, in turn, sold the drugs to other methamphetamine traffickers and end users. Brock admitted to being responsible from between 500 grams and 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine distribution.
The final defendant in large methamphetamine distribution conspiracy, Charles Phillip Dozier, of Baxter, Ky., was sentenced to 100 months for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to Dozier’s plea agreement, on February 14, 2023, Dozier was found to be in possession of 140 grams of methamphetamine at a local motel where he was staying. Law enforcement also found a loaded handgun hidden in the ceiling tile in the room, near the methamphetamine. Dozier’s co-defendants were previously sentenced to the following: Jessica Nicole Creech received 64 months; Gregory Mills received 164 months; and David Hale received 180 months in prison.
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London Man Sentenced for Money Laundering Conspiracy Involving COVID Relief LoansRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A London man, Joshua Pennington, 51, was sentenced on October 17 by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom to 22 months, for conspiracy to commit money laundering of fraudulently obtained Economic Injury Disaster Loans and Paycheck Protection Program loans.
According to Joshua Pennington’s plea agreement, his co-defendant, Nicole Pennington, made materially false statements on applications for Small Business Administration (SBA) loans made available to qualified applicants in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Six of the loan applications were approved for a total of $1,090,398.35 in fraudulently obtained SBA loan proceeds. Between May 2020 and June 10, 2021, Joshua Pennington and his co-defendant knowingly laundered over $1,000,000 in criminally derived funds, via transactions over $10,000. They used the money to renovate their kitchen, pay for plastic surgery, purchase a Viking River Cruise trip, withdraw cash, purchase vehicles, and pay off loans and mortgages.
Joshua Pennington’s co-defendant, Nicole Pennington, is scheduled for sentencing on January 27, 2026.
Under federal law, Pennington must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for two years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Kelly K. Moening, Special Agent in Charge, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Great Lakes Field Division; and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigations, Cincinnati Field Division, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the IRS-CI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Dunn-Pirio is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Florida Man and Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Sell Counterfeit Drugs on Dark WebRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Boca Raton, Fl., man, Michael Basalyga, 36, and woman, Reina Chirinos de Urena, 39, were sentenced on October 9 by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier to 80 months and 45 months, respectively, for conspiring with others to produce and sell counterfeit drugs.
According to their plea agreements, Basalyga and Chirinos de Urena worked with their co-conspirators, Omar Thomas Wala, Vienna Cavanaugh, and Philbert Campbell, to make and sell counterfeit alprazolam, commonly known by the brand name Xanax. As part of the conspiracy, Basalyga, Chirinos de Urena, and their co-defendants made pills that looked similar to real tablets and were stamped with numbers used by legitimate manufacturers, but were in fact made from other substances, including clonazolam and etizolam, designed to replicate the effects of alprazolam.
The conspiracy involved selling directly to known customers and by selling the counterfeit drugs under pseudonyms on darknet marketplaces. People purchased the drugs with cryptocurrency across the United States, including in Kentucky.
Under federal law, Basalyga and Chirinos de Urena must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences. Upon his release from prison, they will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for two years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA, with assistance from the FBI, IRS, and United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Rosenberg is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Ohio Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Norwood, Ohio, man, Marcus Goodwin, 37, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning to 200 months in prison, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to his plea agreement, Goodwin conspired with others to distribute over a kilogram of crystal methamphetamine from March 1, 2024 through February 14, 2025 in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Using a confidential informant, law enforcement conducted four controlled purchases of crystal methamphetamine totaling more than a kilogram from Goodwin. Upon arresting Goodwin, law enforcement found three handguns at a hotel room where he was staying, and an additional handgun and 1,192.9 grams of crystal methamphetamine at his residence. Three additional handguns were seized from a location Goodwin used to distribute drugs.
Goodwin was previously convicted of drug trafficking and voluntary manslaughter with specification in the Court of Common Pleas for Hamilton County, Ohio and served a sentence of 14 years for those offenses.
Under federal law, Goodwin must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Louisville Field Office; Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Detroit Field Division; and Chief Jeff Mallery, Florence Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, DEA, and Florence Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Highlights Immigration Sentencings During Lapse in Federal AppropriationsRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Throughout the 43-day lapse in government funding, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky continued to advance the Department of Justice’s mission in priority enforcement areas, including immigration enforcement. Below are highlights of sentencings that the U.S. Attorney’s Office secured in connection with several immigration-related cases prosecuted during the recent lapse in federal appropriations.
Tuesday, October 7
A Mexican national, David Gomez-Rodriguez, 44, illegally residing in Pulaski County, was sentenced to 14 months for illegal reentry into the United States. According to his plea agreement, he was removed from the U.S. on August 19, 2022, and on December 6, 2024, he was encountered again in [location] without having sought or received permission to return to the United States. Prior to his first removal in August 2022, Gomez-Rodriguez had a felony conviction for rape in Nelson County, Kentucky.
Thursday, October 9
A Guatemalan national, Juan Esteban Mejia-Ajpop, illegally residing in Newport, Ky., was sentenced to 26 months for aggravated identity theft and use of false identification documents to obtain employment. According to his plea agreement, on two occasions in October 2023 and April 2024, the defendant presented a fraudulent California identification card and a forged Social Security card to secure employment. The information on the forged cards corresponded to another person who is a United States citizen.
A Guatemalan national, Bernabe Domingo-Aguilar, illegally residing in Newport, Ky., was sentenced to 60 months for illegal reentry into the United States after having been convicted of a felony. Domingo-Aguilar had been removed from the United States four prior times, most recently in 2019. Three of the previous removals followed criminal charges. In 2022, Domingo-Aguilar was unlawfully present in the U.S. when he committed rape on a minor in Kentucky.
Tuesday, October 14
A Mexican national, Antonio Balderas-Arellano, 25,, was sentenced to 21 months for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court documents, the defendant was found on February 21, 2025, in Scott County after previously being deported to Mexico in November 2023 from Atlanta.
Monday, October 20
A Mexican national, Javier Perez-Ruiz, 37, illegally residing in Louisville, Ky., was sentenced to time served (approximately 124 days) for illegal reentry into the United States after being found in Scott County. According to his plea agreement, Perez-Ruiz was previously convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine in August 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, was sentenced to 13 months, and was deported on March 5, 2013.
Tuesday, October 28
A Honduran national, Jose Hernandez Garcia, 25, illegally residing in Corbin, Ky., was sentenced for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. According to his plea agreement, the defendant was traffic-stopped for operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol. A search of the vehicle uncovered a loaded firearm in the backseat next to an open beer bottle. Garcia did not have legal status to be in the United States.
Thursday, October 30
A Mexican national, Miguel Ruiz Sanchez, illegally residing in Shelby County, Ky., was sentenced to 12 months for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court documents, Sanchez had previously been deported from the U.S. on four different occasions - March 2011, April 2012, April 2014, and February 2017 – and had a felony conviction prior to those removals.
Tuesday, November 4
A Mexican national, Esain Benitez Alcantara, 36, was sentenced to 30 months for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. According to his plea agreement, on June 14, 2024, Lexington Police Department officers responded to a shots fired call and found Benitez Alcantara in possession of a loaded firearm, 13 live rounds of ammunition, and a quantity of cash indicative of drug trafficking. A search of the vehicle found 32 grams of methamphetamine. Benitez Alcantara admitted that he was an undocumented alien, prohibited from possessing a firearm and that he possessed the methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
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Texas Man Sentenced for Traveling for Sex with a MinorRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Tomball, Texas, man, Emre Nathaniel Baluken, 24, was sentenced on October 6 by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove to 240 months in prison, for online enticement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity and traveling for sex with a minor.
According to court documents, on November 13, 2024, Baluken drove from Tomball, Texas, to Winchester, Ky., to pick up a minor, with whom he had been communicating online for several months using X and Instagram, intending to return with the minor to Texas. After eventually being detained by law enforcement, Baluken admitted that for several months he had exchanged sexually explicit videos and photos of the victim over X and Instagram.
Under federal law, Baluken must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Chapman is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Florida Man Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Jacksonville, Fl., man, Josh Lee Knittel, 44, was sentenced on October 20 by U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves to 420 months in prison, for the production of child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, in 2006, Knittel was convicted of a sex offense involving a minor and is a registered sex offender. On July 29, 2024, a person known to the victim found inappropriate text messages between the victim and Knittel on a cell phone. The messages indicated that Knittel was paying the victim for nude pictures. A search of financial accounts and messages confirmed the exchange and on October 16, 2024, law enforcement arrested Knittel. Knittel admitted to paying for sexually explicit images of the victim.
Under federal law, Knittel must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, and Chief Tony Gray, Jr., Danville Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Danville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Melton is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Laurel County Man Sentenced for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A London, Ky., man and former paramedic, Bradley Callahan, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom to 162 months in prison, for the distribution of child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, in September 2023, Callahan distributed child pornography by making several posts to a dark web child pornography marketplace, which contained links to videos of child pornography. Included in the links were several explicit videos of child pornography.
Under federal law, Callahan must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Madison County Man Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Richmond, Ky., man, Glen Long, Jr., 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell to 360 months in prison, for the production of child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, on July 28, 2023, a victim’s mother went to law enforcement after she discovered that her minor child had been sending nude images to an unknown adult male via the internet in exchange for money for Roblox, a video game. Law enforcement obtained the victim’s cellphone, reviewed the explicit messages, and identified the adult male as Long. Long knew that the victim was 14 years old and lied about his own age, falsely telling the victim that he was 16 years old. When confronted by law enforcement, Long admitted that he used the minor victim to produce explicit visual depictions of child pornography.
Under federal law, Long must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Sheriff Mike Coyle, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the HSI and Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Lincoln County Man Sentenced for Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Kings Mountain, Ky., man, Zackary Keith Jones, 35, was sentenced on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom to 194 months in prison, for transporting a minor over state lines with the intent that the minor engage in sexual activity.
According to his plea agreement, Jones transported a minor victim over state lines, from North Carolina to Lincoln County, Ky., with the intent to engage in sexual activity. Jones used Snapchat to communicate with the victim and lied to the victim about his age to induce the victim to engage in prohibited sexual conduct. Jones also admitted that he engaged in sexual acts and sexual contact with the minor victim during and after the interstate transportation of the victim. The victim, who was reported missing from North Carolina on December 8, 2023, was found by law enforcement on December 25, 2023 in a hidden compartment in the floor of a bedroom at Jones’ residence.
Under federal law, Jones must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 20 years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; Russell Coleman, Kentucky Attorney General; and Sheriff Shawn Hines, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by FBI, the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. David Dalton, Commonwealth Attorney for the 28th Judicial Circuit, also provided significant assistance to the investigation and prosecution of the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Melton.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Laurel County Man Sentenced for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A London man, Edward Albert Ernsting, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom to 76 months in prison, for possession with intent to distribute fluorofentanyl and heroin, as well as a mixture containing methamphetamine.
According to his plea agreement, on April 9, 2024, Ernsting was found passed out in his vehicle at a gas station, where law enforcement recovered approximately 16 grams of a mixture containing fluorofentanyl, fentanyl, and heroin, and 14 grams of methamphetamine, as well as digital scales, baggies, and $504 in cash from Ernsting’s body and vehicle. Ernsting admitted significant heroin and fentanyl trafficking activity for a year or more before his arrest.
Under federal law, Ernsting must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; Chief Rusty Hedrick, Corbin Police Department; and Sheriff William ‘Bill’ Elliotte, Whitley County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the ATF, Corbin Police Department, and Whitley County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Pearce Nesbitt is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Louisville Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Louisville, Ky., man, Benard Babot, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell to 66 months in prison, for conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to his plea agreement, Babot knew that his coconspirators communicated with businesses located around the world, to entice them to send funds to purchase goods his coconspirators falsely purported to sell. Babot opened at least 25 business bank accounts in the actual name of, or a very similar name to, these legitimate companies, which were international food, agricultural, or chemical supply companies, for the purpose of receiving money from the victim purchasers. He opened some of these accounts in Lexington, Kentucky. According to documents filed with the Court, Babot also set up shell companies with Secretaries of State imitating the legitimate companies.
Babot would then provide the bank account information to his coconspirators, who in turn conveyed it to the victims for the purpose of directing payment. The victims wired money to Babot, and never received the goods they purchased. According to his Plea Agreement, Babot would then funnel the proceeds through additional accounts, send cashier’s checks to conspirators, wire funds to coconspirators located overseas through peer-to-peer money transmission services, and withdraw the funds for personal use, often in amounts exceeding $10,000.
In total, between January 2019 and December 2023, Babot participated in concealing more than $8.2 million in fraud proceeds, resulting from schemes to defraud over 30 international businesses located in more than 25 countries. According to documents filed with the Court, Babot earned $2,480,392.11 as a result of his participation in the offense and used these proceeds on personal expenditures and personal business ventures, such as his night club in Louisville.
Under federal law, Babot must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; jointly announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Dieruf is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Estill County Man Sentenced for Attempted Online Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – An Irvine, Ky., man, Steven Randall Neal, 37, was sentenced on Monday by U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves to 292 months in prison, for attempting to persuade a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity online.
According to court documents, in 2021, Neal began messaging the minor victim, whom he knew through their family, on Facebook Messenger. On multiple occasions Neal communicated with the victim online, attempting to get the victim to send sexually explicit pictures and ultimately enticing the minor to engage in sexually explicit activity. Furthermore, Neal admitted that on two occasions, he engaged in hands-on sexual abuse of the victim and that he used Facebook Messenger to request the victim’s presence so he could continue the sexual contact.
Under federal law, Neal must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; Russell Coleman, Kentucky Attorney General; and Sheriff Mike Coyle, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by FBI, Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, and Madison County Sheriff’s Office. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Melton.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Cincinnati Man Sentenced for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Cincinnati, Ohio, man, Kevin Prince Davis, 46, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning to 180 months in prison, for possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
According to his plea agreement, Davis was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped for a traffic violation traveling on I-75. The officer who made the stop noticed the smell of marijuana from the passenger side of the vehicle. Davis was found with marijuana in his pocked. A search of the vehicle revealed six bricks of cocaine in the rear cargo area. Davis unsuccessfully attempted to flee on foot and eventually admitted to ownership of the cocaine.
Davis has a previous federal conviction of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms of cocaine.
Under federal law, Davis must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the HSI and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Harlan Man Convicted of Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky.- A Harlan, Ky., man was convicted on Thursday by a federal jury in London for producing child pornography.
After 45 minutes of deliberation following a two-day trial, the jury convicted 42-year-old Brandon Farley of two counts of production of child pornography.
According to testimony at trial, Farley sexually abused a minor that was in his care and took photos of that abuse.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Division; and Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Farley is scheduled to be sentenced on January 7, 2026. He faces a maximum sentence of 60 years in prison. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Scott County Man Sentenced for Armed Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Georgetown, Ky., man, Marvelous Davis, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell to 93 months in prison, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to his plea agreement, on November 12, 2024, law enforcement performed a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Davis was a passenger. During the search of the vehicle, law enforcement located an unserialized firearm, also known as a “ghost gun,” under Davis’ seat. Law enforcement also found 39.7 grams of pressed pills containing fentanyl. Davis admitted to possessing the drugs with intent to distribute to others and that he possessed the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activity.
Under federal law, Davis must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Division; Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department; and Chief Darin Allgood, Georgetown Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, KSP, Lexington Police Department, and Georgetown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Melton is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Lexington Man Convicted of Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.- A Lexington, Ky., man was convicted on Wednesday, August 27, by a federal jury in Lexington for several firearms offenses.
After 40 minutes of deliberation following a three-day trial, the jury convicted 41-year-old Keith Lamont Stallworth of carrying and using a firearm during a drug trafficking crime; possessing a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; possessing a firearm as a convicted felon; possessing a machine gun; and failing to register the machine gun.
According to testimony at trial, in August 2023, Stallworth was arrested in possession of a .57 caliber Palmetto Arms pistol that contained high velocity rifle rounds and an extended magazine capable of holding an additional 29 rounds. A search warrant at Stallworth’s downtown Lexington apartment yielded a large quantity of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, hundreds of rounds of ammunition as well as a 9mm handgun and an illegally modified .40 caliber pistol. The pistol was installed with a machinegun conversion device, sometimes called a “switch” or “Glock switch,” that converted the firearm to a fully automatic weapon defined under federal law as a machinegun.
Stallworth previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and using a residence for the purpose of manufacturing and distributing controlled substances.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field; Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department; Chief Michael Fleming, Nicholasville Police Department; and Sheriff Kevin Grimes, Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by DEA, ATF, KSP, Lexington Police Department, Nicholasville Police Department, and Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger West is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Stallworth is scheduled to be sentenced on December 1. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, and a mandatory minimum sentence of 40 years. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence.
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Dayton Man Sentenced for Fentanyl Analogue TraffickingRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Dayton, Ohio, man, Germel Hughes, 45, was sentenced on Friday, by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning to 222 months in prison, for conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue and aiding and abetting the intended distribution of 100 grams or more of a mixture containing a fentanyl analogue.
According to court documents, on January 2, 2024, law enforcement used a confidential informant to arrange a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Earnest Bryson, who agreed to sell a kilogram of fentanyl to the informant. On the following day, Bryson and co-defendants Julius Cole and Gerald Young traveled from Dayton, Ohio, to Fort Wright, Kentucky, to deliver the drugs to the informant. Soon after they arrived, law enforcement parked behind their vehicle and forcibly removed them from the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed that an attempt was made to destroy the drugs by mixing them with Coca-Cola. Some of the mixture was tested, however, and found to contain fentanyl as well as fluorofentanyl, a fentanyl analogue. Further investigation revealed that Hughes supplied 100 grams or more of drugs intended to be distributed to the informant.
Cole and Young have both pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges and have been sentenced to 132 months and 18 months, respectively.
Under federal law, Hughes must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Director Scott Hardcorn, Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by ATF, DEA, Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Winslow is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Wisconsin Man Sentenced for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Milwaukee, Wi., man, Alexander Laykovich, 27, was sentenced on Friday by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell to 48 months in prison, for unlawful possession of a firearm by a person who has been adjudicated as a mental defective.
According to his plea agreement, on January 25, 2024, Laykovich was stopped by a Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Deputy while driving in the Stanford, Ky., area. He had been driving from Wisconsin to North Carolina to Kentucky, where he intended to visit Fort Knox. When Laykovich was stopped, he was wearing body armor, a recording device, and possessed knives, a gas canister, and eight firearms, with six of the firearms being semiautomatic weapons capable of accepting large capacity magazines, and ammunition. A search of his storage unit and delivery boxes in Wisconsin revealed an additional 15 firearms, among other improvised explosive device parts and grenades.
In January 2023, Laykovich had been entered into the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, because he had been adjudicated a mental defective and received a lifetime prohibition from purchasing firearms. Laykovich was aware of the 2023 adjudication and knew he was prohibited from owning a firearm. The firearms in Laykovich’s possession on January 25, 2024, had either been purchased by him prior to the January 2023 adjudication and prohibition, or were purchased by his girlfriend afterwards.
Under federal law, Laykovich must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
“Illegal firearm possession poses a serious threat to the safety of our communities,” said Acting United States Attorney Paul McCaffrey. “This case reflects the strong collaboration between our office and our federal, state, and local partners, and we are grateful for their commitment to removing illegal firearms from our streets and holding offenders accountable under the law.”
“As a result of law enforcement’s swift actions, a potential act of violence against one of our military installations was thwarted and a large supply of illegally purchased firearms was removed from the hands of a dangerous individual. With this sentence, the defendant has been held accountable for his blatant disregard of the law,” said Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Louisville Field Office. “As always, FBI Louisville and our partners across the Commonwealth are committed to protecting the communities we serve and encourage the public to remain vigilant and immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement.”
Acting U.S. Attorney McCaffrey, FBI Special Agent in Charge Olson; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Sheriff Shawn Hines, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, ATF, KSP, and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Dieruf is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Ohio Siblings Sentenced for Laundering $784,045 in Drug ProceedsRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – An Ohio brother and sister, Christiopher Grover Reynolds, 52, of Toledo, Ohio, and Claudette Reynolds, 51, were sentenced on Thursday by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell to 37 months, for their roles in collecting drug proceeds in the United States and laundering those funds, or their equivalent value, back to Mexico on behalf of a cartel.
According to court documents, Christopher Reynolds collected proceeds from the sale of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and marijuana in Toledo and notified a Mexico-based cartel that the funds were ready for laundering and transfer to Mexico. On six occasions, Reynolds personally delivered the money – totaling $784,045 – or enlisted his sister to do so. The money was later transferred to Mexico via cryptocurrency.
A search of Christopher Reynolds’s residence and a traffic stop of Claudette Reynolds led to a seizure of $184,415 in bulk cash, several pounds of marijuana, counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine and fentanyl, two firearms (a .40 caliber pistol and an AR-15 rifle), and a money counting machine.
Under federal law, Christopher Reynolds and Claudette Reynolds must serve 85 percent of their prison sentence. Upon their release from prison, they will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
“The defendants helped Mexican drug traffickers collect and disguise the profits from selling methamphetamine and fentanyl in Toledo,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Their money laundering activities fueled the importation of dangerous drugs into the Midwest. This prosecution reflects the Criminal Division’s commitment to staunch the flow of cash to cartels and protect communities from the devastating consequences of drug trafficking.”
“Money launderers like the Reynolds are critical links in the cartel’s drug trafficking chain,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Paul McCaffrey. “We are grateful for the tireless efforts of our law enforcement partners in working to disrupt and dismantle that chain.”
“Every dollar they laundered was done so on the backs of overdose victims and their families,” said Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott, head of DEA’s Louisville Division. “By acting as the cartel’s bankers, these siblings helped fuel the fentanyl and meth crisis tearing through Ohio. DEA will hunt down anyone who dares to wash cartel money — because if you launder blood money for drug traffickers, you will face justice alongside them.”
The DEA Lexington Resident Office investigated the case, working closely with the Detroit Field Division and Rocky Mountain Field Division and assisted by DEA offices in Mexico, Toledo, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Birmingham, Chicago, Cincinnati, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Louisville, Baltimore, Des Moines, Milwaukee, Portland, Columbia, and Rapid City, with the IRS Criminal Investigation Division.
Trial Attorney Elizabeth R. Rabe of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Deputy Criminal Chief Gary Todd Bradbury of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and other transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
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Mercer County Man Sentenced to 40 Years for Sex Trafficking ChildrenRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Harrodsburg, Ky., man, Larry Coffman, 42, was sentenced on Thursday, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell to 40 years in prison, for two counts of sex trafficking of children and committing a felony involving a minor while being required to register as a sex offender.
Coffman was convicted of the charges in April 2025. According to testimony at trial, in February 2023, Coffman solicited, recruited, and enticed two minor victims to engage in a sex act in exchange for something of value. At the time of the offenses, Coffman had been convicted of a prior sex offense and, as a result, was required to register as a sex offender.
Under federal law, Coffman must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Chief Scott Elder, Harrodsburg Police Department; and Sheriff Mike Coyle, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by HSI, Harrodsburg Police Department, and Madison County Sheriff’s Office. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Final Defendant Sentenced in Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Pontiac, Michigan, man, Marvin Hunter, Jr., 32, was sentenced on Thursday by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell to 132 months, for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to his plea agreement, between August 2021 and March 7, 2024, Hunter regularly imported methamphetamine and fentanyl from Michigan into Magoffin County. Hunter had local associates in Magoffin County who assisted him in distributing the drugs to other dealers and users there. During a search of the Magoffin County residence that was their operational base in April of 2023, law enforcement located over a kilogram of methamphetamine, over 40 grams of fentanyl, and three firearms. Law enforcement subsequently used a confidential informant to make controlled purchases of methamphetamine and fentanyl from Hunter.
Hunter’s co-defendants were previously sentenced for their role in the drug trafficking conspiracy. Jennifer Fletcher, 45, and Minnie Johnson, 60, both of Salyersville, Ky., each received 84 months in prison and five years of supervised release.
Under federal law, Hunter must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Sheriff William “Bill” Meade, Magoffin County Sheriff, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA and the Magoffin County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Trimble is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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