Eastern District of Kentucky

ASHLAND, Ky. – An inmate at the U.S. Penitentiary (USP) at Big Sandy, Malik Alleyne, 30, was sentenced to 30 months in prison on Tuesday, October 13th, 2026, by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning, after pleading guilty to two counts of assaulting a federal officer resulting in bodily injury.             

On January 21, 2026, Alleyne became disruptive in his cell at USP Big Sandy. When staff ordered Alleyne to stop, he brandished a razor blade fashioned to a plastic handle. Once staff entered the cell, Alleyne attacked an officer – including punching, biting, and striking – several times, causing bodily injury. 

Jason Parman, 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 Kelly Ridings prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

– END –

LONDON, Ky. – A Somerset, Ky., woman, Tiffany Helton, 43, was sentenced on Wednesday to 90 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. 

Between December 12, 2025, and January 12, 2026, in Pulaski County— which is in the Eastern Judicial District of Kentucky—law enforcement utilized a confidential informant (CI) for controlled purchases of methamphetamine mixture (meth) at the Defendant’s residence on three occasions. As part of the January 12, 2026, transaction, the Defendant accepted pre-payment for two ounces of meth from the CI, traveled to Lexington and met co-Defendant Robert Conley to obtain the meth for the transaction, returned back to her Pulaski County residence, and then weighed out, bagged, and provided the CI approximately 56 grams of meth. 

Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Sheriff Bobby Jones, Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Pearce Nesbitt prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

– END –

ASHLAND, Ky. – A Martha, Ky., man, Josh Ferguson, 42, was sentenced on Tuesday to 5 years’ probation, with 12 months of home detention and electronic monitoring, and a $20,000 fine by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for knowingly discharging waste product into waters of the United States.           

According to his plea agreement, in the fall of 2025, the Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection (“Kentucky DEP”) received a tip about the discharge of “brine water,” a waste product of oil production, into the Left Fork Blaine Creek in Lawrence County. On September 3, 2025, a Kentucky DEP inspector investigated the site where Ferguson owned two oil production wells. A hose connected to a metal brine tank ran through a field to the Left Fork Blaine Creek, where it was actively discharging waste product into the waterway. Downstream of the discharge, the water was orange with no signs of life, and water samples indicated extremely elevated chloride levels. When interviewed by the Kentucky DEP inspector, Ferguson admitted that he had been discharging brine water into the creek in order to save money, that he did not have a permit to do so, and that the conduct had been ongoing for two years. The Left Fork Blaine Creek is a water of the United States. 

Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky and Anthony R. Hatton, Commissioner, Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by SA Ryan Baker with the EPA-CID and Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Greenfield prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

– END –

Frankfort, Ky. – A Shelbyville man, Natividad Aguilera Garcia, 40, pleaded guilty on Friday, October 9, 2026, before Chief U.S. District Judge David L. Bunning to receipt of child sexual abuse material, inducing illegal immigration, making false statements to the United States, and presenting false documentation to the United States. 

 According to his plea agreement, Garcia, a Honduran citizen and legal permanent resident of the United States, met a minor while visiting family in Honduras. The minor reported that, while in Honduras, Garcia courted her. Upon his return to the United States, Garcia received sexually explicit images of the minor. The minor reported, and electronic evidence shows, that Garcia persuaded the minor to illegally enter the United States. Once in the United States, the minor went to a shelter for unaccompanied alien children, overseen by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (“ORR”), a sub-agency of Health and Human Services. Thereafter, Garcia falsely represented to ORR that he was the minor’s uncle, also presenting a false Honduran birth certificate to establish the familial relationship. ORR relied on these falsehoods and decided to place the minor in Garcia’s care. Garcia picked the minor up from the Louisville airport. Days after picking up the minor, Garcia’s ex-wife reported Garcia’s conduct to the shelter, prompting law enforcement’s investigation. Garcia’s plea agreement does not contain admissions regarding his conduct with the minor after he picked her up from the airport. However, soon after law enforcement contacted Garcia about the minor’s whereabouts, Garcia searched the internet for information about how long after intercourse sexual contact can be detected.                         

Garcia was indicted in March 2024. The court docket indicated several delays associated with Garcia obtaining new counsel.   

“This prosecution demonstrates federal law enforcement’s commitment to protecting children outside of our borders from conduct that originates within our borders; ensuring the integrity of our borders; and deterring those who would lie to the United States government to gain custody of an alien child for nefarious purposes,” said Jason Parman, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky.

“HSI is committed to protecting vulnerable individuals - including unaccompanied alien children - and holding accountable those who use deception, fraud, and exploitation to victimize others,” said HSI Nashville acting Deputy Special Agent in Charge Michael Perez. “Working alongside our federal, state, and local partners, we will continue to investigate these complex cases, support victims, and pursue those who violate the law.”

“Today’s guilty plea underscores the critical importance of protecting vulnerable children from those who seek to exploit them,” said Jason E. Meadows, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This case demonstrates the strength of our partnerships with Homeland Security Investigations, the Kentucky State Police, and the Shelbyville Police Department.  Together, we remain steadfast in our commitment to pursuing those who prey upon minors, holding those who commit such crimes accountable, and safeguarding the integrity of federal programs designed to protect children.”

Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Dennis M. Fetting, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations-Nashville; Jason E. Meadows, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General; Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Bruce W. Gentry, Shelbyville Police Department; jointly announced the guilty plea.

The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, Shelbyville Police Department, and Kentucky State Police.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Melton and Aubrey Girouard.

Garcia is scheduled to be sentenced on February 10, 2027. He faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of twenty years in prison, in addition to a $250,000 fine (if applicable). However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes. 

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. 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.

— END — 

FRANKFORT Ky. – A Louisville, Ky., man, Edward Long, 22, was sentenced on Friday to 84 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. 

On November 11, 2024, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Long was a passenger. During a search of the vehicle, officers located a piece of luggage that contained approximately 3 kilograms of fentanyl. Long admitted obtaining the fentanyl from a residence in Lexington, Ky., earlier that evening and that he intended to distribute the fentanyl to others. 

Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Bruce Gentry, Shelbyville Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Shelbyville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Morgan and James Chapman prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

– END –

COVINGTON, Ky. – Two men, Ryan Cooley, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Nicholas Sturgill, of Villa Hills, Ky., were sentenced on Thursday to prison terms of 12.5 years and 10 years, respectively, by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. 

              An investigation revealed that on May 21, 2025, Nathaniel Ferguson, Cooley and Sturgill’s co-defendant, sold approximately 50 pressed pills containing fentanyl and xylazine to Cooley. Cooley then sold the pills to Sturgill, who brought them to his Kenton County residence and shared them with the victim, who died the next day. Toxicology results and autopsy findings confirmed that the victim’s death resulted from an overdose involving fentanyl and xylazine.

             During the investigation, agents recovered additional blue pills and drug paraphernalia from the residence, all of which tested positive for fentanyl and xylazine. Sturgill admitted to purchasing such pressed pills from Cooley for approximately one year, including those involved in the fatal incident, and provided text messages corroborating the transactions. Surveillance footage from the May 21 sale further confirmed Cooley’s involvement and showed him arriving at the scene of the drug transaction in a vehicle driven by Ferguson.

            Under law enforcement direction, Sturgill conducted controlled purchases of pills from Cooley on multiple dates in June and July 2025. Laboratory testing revealed that the pills contained various dangerous substances, including fentanyl analogues, xylazine, ketamine, and carfentanil. Agents later executed a search warrant at Cooley’s residence, where he admitted to supplying the pills and identified Ferguson as his source. Cooley’s communications with Ferguson confirmed their relationship. A subsequent controlled purchase arranged through Cooley led to the recovery of additional pills supplied by Ferguson, which again tested positive for fentanyl-related substances.

           Ferguson was sentenced on September 16, 2026, to 22 years in prison for his role in fentanyl distribution leading to the victim’s death by overdose.

“This case is another tragic example of the devastation caused by illicit fentanyl, and it is the third fentanyl distribution case resulting in an overdose death to be sentenced in our district in the past month,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Parman. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to identify those who distribute these dangerous drugs and hold them accountable when their actions result in the loss of life.”

            Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Scott Hardcorn, Director of the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force, and Chief Matthew Hall, Villa Hills Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

            The investigation was conducted by the DEA, the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force, and the Villa Hills Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. 

– END –

COVINGTON, Ky. – A Carson, California man, Genghis Khan Ali Stevenson, 48, was sentenced on Friday to 150 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for possession with intent to distribute an aggravated quantity of fentanyl.  After service of his sentence, Stevenson will be on supervised release for 5 years.

Law enforcement learned that Stevenson was a passenger on a flight from the Greater Cincinnati Airport to Los Angeles on March 28, 2024, and encountered Stevenson as he was about to board the plane. Over $15,000 in cash was seized from his carry-on bag, along with 251 grams of fentanyl from his checked bag.

Stevenson has a violent history, including felony convictions for second degree robbery and taking of a motor vehicle from possession of another by a means of force and fear (carjacking).

Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Scott Schwartz, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, jointly announced the sentencing.

The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

– END –

COVINGTON, Ky. – A Burlington, Ky., man, Landan Strong, 21, was sentenced on Wednesday to 54 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Chad Meredith; Strong previously pleaded guilty to possessing firearms while being an unlawful user of/addicted to controlled substances in violation of federal law.  

On October 8, 2025, law enforcement responded to Walton Verona High School following multiple reports of an individual with a weapon on campus. Witnesses and school surveillance footage showed a white male with long black hair, dressed in black, conceal a firearm on school grounds. Several area schools were locked down as a result. Law enforcement identified, located, and detained the individual, Strong, who admitted hiding firearms in the woods near the high school and showed deputies where they were located.

Deputies recovered multiple loaded firearms, assorted ammunition, and the clothing Strong was wearing. Law enforcement also found pressed fentanyl pills and a small amount of marijuana on Strong.  He told deputies he purchased one of the firearms that was found (a 1911-style handgun) from a friend who he had just smoked marijuana with. Strong also admitted that he had been abusing – and was addicted to – fentanyl.  A subsequent search of Strong’s residence resulted in the seizure of an additional .22 caliber pistol, ammunition, marijuana, blue pills, Alprazolam tablets, and drug paraphernalia.        

Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Sheriff Les K. Hill, Boone County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the ATF and Boone County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine Leonhard is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. 

– END –

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Two Richmond, Ky., residents, Destiny Burns, 24, and Aaron Whittamore, 33, were sentenced to 11 years and 12 years in prison, respectively, on Monday, October 5, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Chad Meredith for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. 

            Beginning in June 2025, law enforcement used a confidential informant to conduct a series of controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Burns. The investigation culminated in a traffic stop of Burns and Whittamore on August 22, 2025, after law enforcement observed Whittamore entering Burns’s vehicle carrying multiple bags. During the traffic stop, officers located multiple gallon- sized Ziplock bags containing a total of approximately 2,035 grams of methamphetamine, along with $1,109 in U.S. currency. As part of their individual plea agreements, Burns and Whittamore each admitted to engaging in a conspiracy to and possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. 

            Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; Chief Rodney Richardson, Richmond Police Department; and Sheriff Mike Coyle, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.

            The investigation was conducted by the DEA, KSP, Richmond Police Department, and Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paco Villalobos prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

– END –

LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man, Victorian Valdimar Hardaway, 36, was sentenced to over 21 years in prison on Friday, October 2, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier for armed drug trafficking and illegal firearm possession charges. 

Hardaway was convicted in April 2026 of conspiring to distribute aggravated quantities of   fentanyl and methamphetamine; distributing fentanyl; possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, oxycodone, and methamphetamine; possessing a firearm as a convicted felon; and possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes. 

According to testimony at trial and items seized during a search warrant, Hardaway had large amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine throughout the apartment where he was staying. Law enforcement recovered numerous items of drug paraphernalia, including a hydraulic press, baggies, cutting agents, a blender, more than $5,000 in bundled cash, and digital scales. Evidence revealed that Hardaway was a large-scale drug trafficker in the Lexington community selling substantial amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and oxycodone. Hardaway also possessed firearms during drug transactions and another one in the bedroom where many drugs and paraphernalia was recovered. Further, Hardaway’s criminal history shows he is a convicted domestic violence aggressor. 

Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the DEA, KSP, and Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ron Walker and Aubrey McGuire Girouard, as well as Paralegal Jennifer Short prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

– END –

LONDON, Ky. – A Coldiron, Ky., man, Dustin Murphy, 35, was sentenced on Thursday to 168 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier for the production of child pornography.

On July 2, 2024, Murphy used his cell phone to record a video of himself engaging in sexual activity with a minor.

Under federal law, Murphy 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.

Jason Parman, 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 prosecuted 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.

– END –

LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Shelby County, Ky., man, James Shuck, 41, was sentenced on Tuesday to a total of 120 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for possession with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of fluorofentanyl and methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.  

In 2023, law enforcement began investigating Shuck’s drug trafficking activities, ultimately leading to a search of his residence on December 19, 2024. During that search, law enforcement found flurofentanyl, fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine that Shuck admitted he intended to distribute to others. He further admitted selling $300-$500 of drugs per day, most of which was methamphetamine, as well as fentanyl he obtained from Louisville. Agents also found a firearm that was located under Shuck’s mattress and in close proximity to the drugs. Shuck possessed the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.  

Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Bruce Gentry, Shelbyville Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Shelbyville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Morgan and James Chapman prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

-END-

LEXINGTON Ky. – A Virgie, Ky., man, Charles Hopkins, 35, was sentenced on Tuesday to 80 months by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for possession of child pornography.

On May 6, 2025, law enforcement received a tip that a sexually explicit video of a minor victim (who was under the age of 12) was uploaded to Hopkins’ internet-based Verizon cloud storage account. Law enforcement seized and searched Hopkins’ phone and discovered additional child pornography, including images depicting minors under the age of 12 and infants engaged in sexual activity. 

Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentence.

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 15 years. 

The investigation was conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship prosecuted 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.

– END –

LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man, Kevin Sanders, 48, was sentenced on Friday to 330 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier for several drug trafficking and firearms charges.

Sanders was convicted in May 2026 of four counts of distributing fentanyl, three counts of distributing methamphetamine, three counts of possessing with intent to distribute 600 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of cocaine, and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual). He was also convicted of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon

According to testimony at trial, beginning in February 2025, law enforcement officers with the HIDTA Task Force, began an investigation into the drug trafficking activities of Kevin D. Sanders. During the investigation, law enforcement officers purchased 49 grams of fentanyl and 83 grams of methamphetamine from Sanders. In April 2025, a search warrant was obtained for his residence, and law enforcement seized 3,705 grams of pure methamphetamine, 608 grams of fentanyl, and 500 grams of cocaine. Additionally, officers located and seized five firearms. Sanders has a prior conviction for Attempt First Degree Murder from Cook County, Illinois.    

Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Chief Rodney Richardson, Richmond Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the ATF, KSP, and Richmond Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

– END –

LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Big Springs, Texas, man, Mark Coulter, 35, was sentenced on Friday to 25 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for online enticement of a minor to engage in sexual conduct. 

In January 2025, Coulter "friended" a minor victim on Facebook and began an online “relationship,” consisting of communicating via online messaging platforms, such as Snapchat and Facebook. During the course of the conversations, Coulter admitted to knowingly enticing the minor victim to engage in sexual acts with him. In June 2025, Coulter traveled from his home in Texas to Kentucky to visit family and meet the victim to engage in sexual activity, in which some of the sexual acts were recorded using a cellphone. 

"Predators should understand this: the internet is not anonymous, and a screen will not shield you from law enforcement or the consequences of your actions.  This defendant used the internet to target a child and then traveled across state lines to engage in sexual activity with the child," said U.S. Attorney Jason Parman. "A 25-year federal prison sentence demonstrates the seriousness in which we treat these crimes."  

Jason Parman, 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 Erin Roth prosecuted 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.

– END –

COVINGTON, Ky. – A Georgetown, Ky., man, Brent Comstock, 45, was sentenced on Wednesday to 30 years in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for production of child pornography. 

According to his plea agreement, Comstock sexually abused a prepubescent minor with whom he had a quasi-familial relationship and created sexually explicit pictures/videos of the abuse. Law enforcement learned about the abuse when the victim’s mother discovered an image that had been inadvertently shared from Comstock’s Google account to another family member’s tablet. Law enforcement later executed a search warrant of Comstock’s residence, locating his cell phone and a tool bag containing children’s underwear in a safe in his bedroom. Law enforcement also located implements of sexual abuse that they would later observe in Comstock’s videos of the victim. A subsequent review of Comstock’s phone revealed at least 603 sexually explicit visual depictions of the victim. After his arrest, Comstock made several incriminating statements to his family members about his sexual abuse of the victim. 

The court record shows that Comstock requested a psychological evaluation for sanity and competency. Being deemed both sane and competent, Comstock attempted to claim diminished capacity at sentencing based on a diagnosis of “delusional disorder”—his delusion being that he was in a “romantic relationship” with a prepubescent minor. Psychologists with the Bureau of Prisons’ Federal Correctional Complex in Butner, North Carolina, therefore provided significant assistance to Comstock’s prosecution.   

“One instance of child sexual abuse inflicts unspeakable harm to a child; protracted sexual abuse compounds that harm; and repeatedly capturing the child’s moments of sexual trauma exponentially increases the harm to the point of devastation,” said Jason Parman, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Apex predators deserve apex penalties to proportionally reflect the damage they have caused and to send a message to other would-be predators. While 30 years only minimally reflects the lifelong impact on this young victim, it will allow her to feel safe from her abuser well into her adulthood, protect the general public, and send a deterrent message.”  

Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Darin Allgood, Georgetown Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by FBI and Georgetown Police Department. Collaboration from Kelli Kearney, Commonwealth Attorney for Kentucky’s Fourteenth Judicial District, facilitated the federal adoption of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Melton prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

– END –

LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington, Ky., man, Martaveus Lee Bell Jr., 32, was sentenced on Friday to 240 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for two counts of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; one count of trafficking in firearms; one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  

Between February and March of 2025, law enforcement conducted a series of controlled drug and firearm transactions with Bell in Lexington, Kentucky. During this period, a confidential informant purchased multiple quantities of high‑purity methamphetamine from Bell, totaling more than 480 grams of methamphetamine. The informant also purchased two firearms from Bell after Bell agreed to supply weapons despite knowing the informant was a convicted felon. The investigation culminated in the execution of a federal search warrant in June at a residence occupied by Bell. During the search, law enforcement seized more than 1.5 kilograms of high‑purity methamphetamine, over 83 grams of fentanyl, two loaded stolen firearms, ammunition, and more than $20,000 in cash. Per his plea agreement, Bell admitted to possessing the seized narcotics with the intent to distribute them. He further admitted to possessing the recovered firearms to further his drug trafficking activities and despite knowing that he was prohibited as a convicted felon from possessing them.

Jason Parman, 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 Winchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paco Villalobos prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

– END –

COVINGTON, Ky. – A Cincinnati man, Nathaniel Ferguson, 47, was sentenced on Wednesday to 264 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.  

An investigation revealed that on May 21, 2025, Ferguson sold approximately 50 pressed pills containing fentanyl and xylazine to co-defendant, Ryan Cooley. Cooley then sold the pills to co-defendant Nicholas Sturgill, who brought them to his Kenton County residence and distributed them to the victim, who died the next day. Toxicology results and autopsy findings confirmed that the victim’s death resulted from an overdose involving fentanyl and xylazine.

During the investigation, agents recovered additional blue pills and drug paraphernalia from the residence, all of which tested positive for fentanyl and xylazine. Sturgill admitted to purchasing such pressed pills from Cooley for approximately one year, including those involved in the fatal incident, and provided text messages corroborating the transactions. Surveillance footage from the May 21 sale further confirmed Cooley’s involvement and showed him arriving at the scene of the drug transaction in a vehicle driven by Ferguson.

Cooley and Sturgill have pleaded guilty to their involvement in the fentanyl distribution resulting in death and are scheduled to be sentenced on October 8. 

Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Scott Hardcorn, Director of the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force, and Chief Matthew Hall, Villa Hills Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the DEA, the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force, and the Villa Hills Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. 

– END –

LONDON, Ky.- A Science Hill, Ky., man, Samuel Turner, 42, was convicted on Monday by a federal grand jury sitting in London for four counts of wire fraud. The jury returned the conviction after three hours of deliberation. 

According to evidence at trial, Turner gained access to an elderly family member’s bank accounts and credit cards and used the funds as his own. With the victim’s money, he bought, among other things, guns, concert tickets, items from Amazon, and items from a gun accessory store.  He also cashed out a certificate of deposit worth over $35,000 belonging to the victim. 

Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; jointly announced the conviction.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Mattingly Williams. 

Turner will appear for sentencing on January 6, 2027. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.

This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Mission, focusing on identifying and prosecuting those who facilitate elder financial exploitation.  The initiative is carried out locally through the Kentucky Elder Justice Task Force. Anyone who knows of someone who may be a victim of elder financial exploitation, is encouraged to contact law enforcement or get more information by visiting https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.

— END — 

LONDON, Ky.- A Science Hill, Ky., man, Samuel Turner, 42, was convicted on Monday by a federal grand jury sitting in London for four counts of wire fraud. The jury returned the conviction after three hours of deliberation. 

According to evidence at trial, Turner gained access to an elderly family member’s bank accounts and credit cards and used the funds as his own. With the victim’s money, he bought, among other things, guns, concert tickets, items from Amazon, and items from a gun accessory store.  He also cashed out a certificate of deposit worth over $35,000 belonging to the victim. 

Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; jointly announced the conviction.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Mattingly Williams. 

Turner will appear for sentencing on January 6, 2027. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.

This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Mission, focusing on identifying and prosecuting those who facilitate elder financial exploitation.  The initiative is carried out locally through the Kentucky Elder Justice Task Force. Anyone who knows of someone who may be a victim of elder financial exploitation, is encouraged to contact law enforcement or get more information by visiting https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.

— END — 

LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Louisville, Ky., man, Timothy Acker, 57, was sentenced on Thursday to 120 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for possession of child pornography.  

Acker was previously convicted in 2018 for distributing illegal material involving minors and was a registered sex offender. In 2024, law enforcement investigated and identified Acker as an online user operating multiple illicit content‑sharing groups on encrypted messaging platforms. In early 2025, a separate investigation by law enforcement led to the discovery of thousands of illicit images across multiple electronic devices in Acker’s possession. Some of these files corresponded to content distributed online through the earlier investigation. Acker admitted to knowingly possessing the child sexual abuse material that he obtained via the internet. 

Jason Parman, First Assistant 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 Chief Clint Aldridge, Owenton Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI, Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, Owenton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Melton prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. Collaboration from Leigh Ann Roberts, Commonwealth Attorney for Kentucky’s Fifteenth Judicial District, facilitated the federal adoption of the case. 

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.

– END –

FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Lexington, Ky., man, Darryl Anderson, Jr., 27, was sentenced to 245 months in prison on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Chad Meredith for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.  

On January 7, 2023, Lexington Police Department officers responded to a fatal overdose in Lexington. At the scene, investigators recovered the victim’s cellphone and, using a passcode provided by a friend, found recent messages showing that the victim had arranged to purchase marijuana and three “30” pills from a contact saved as “DJ,” whom police identified as Anderson. Law enforcement also discovered drug evidence, including fentanyl residue on a bathroom sink, a cut straw, and a counterfeit blue “M 30” pill; laboratory testing confirmed both items contained fentanyl. 

Anderson admitted selling pills to the victim on multiple occasions, including the night before his death, and noted that he purchased the pills for $10 each and sold them for $20. A search warrant executed at Anderson’s apartment led to the seizure of approximately eight pounds of marijuana, a digital scale, and $2,340 in suspected drug proceeds. Anderson acknowledged distributing fentanyl to the victim and that the victim’s use of that fentanyl resulted in his death.

“Fentanyl is a deadly poison, and those who knowingly distribute it must understand that their actions have consequences—especially when those actions result in the loss of a human life,” said Jason Parman, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “You don’t know what you’re getting on the street—counterfeit pills can contain deadly doses of fentanyl, as this case tragically demonstrates. This sentence holds Darryl Anderson accountable for selling fentanyl to a victim who ultimately paid the highest possible price. Our office, working alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue those who profit from this poison and hold them responsible for the devastation their drugs cause in our communities.”

Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and; Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Bradbury prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

– END –

COVINGTON, Ky. – A Cincinnati man, Juan Wesley McKenzie, Jr., 25, was sentenced to 300 months in prison on Friday by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.  

According to court documents, McKenzie supplied fentanyl pills to Andrew Rossi, who then distributed portions of those pills to Steffany Keene. Keene subsequently sold several pills to a victim, who consumed them and died from fentanyl toxicity.

Following the death, investigators used the victim’s cellphone to arrange controlled purchases that led to the arrests of Keene and Rossi on February 13, 2024. Both individuals admitted their roles in the distribution chain and confirmed the defendant as their supplier. Laboratory analysis verified that the seized pills contained fentanyl, and an autopsy confirmed fentanyl toxicity as the cause of death.

McKenzie also has a prior conviction for trafficking a fentanyl‑related compound. In 2025, while jailed, the defendant directed an associate to alter or destroy seized cellphones to impede the ongoing federal investigation.

After previously pleading guilty to distribution and possession of a fentanyl resulting in death, Rossi received 150 months in prison in July 2026, and Keene received 144 months in prison in June 2026.

Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and; Scott Hardcorn, Director of the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Spievack prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

– END –

FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Lexington, Ky., man, Darryl Anderson, Jr., 27, was sentenced to 245 months in prison on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Chad Meredith for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.  

On January 7, 2023, Lexington Police Department officers responded to a fatal overdose in Lexington. At the scene, investigators recovered the victim’s cellphone and, using a passcode provided by a friend, found recent messages showing that the victim had arranged to purchase marijuana and three “30” pills from a contact saved as “DJ,” whom police identified as Anderson. Law enforcement also discovered drug evidence, including fentanyl residue on a bathroom sink, a cut straw, and a counterfeit blue “M 30” pill; laboratory testing confirmed both items contained fentanyl. 

Anderson admitted selling pills to the victim on multiple occasions, including the night before his death, and noted that he purchased the pills for $10 each and sold them for $20. A search warrant executed at Anderson’s apartment led to the seizure of approximately eight pounds of marijuana, a digital scale, and $2,340 in suspected drug proceeds. Anderson acknowledged distributing fentanyl to the victim and that the victim’s use of that fentanyl resulted in his death.

“Fentanyl is a deadly poison, and those who knowingly distribute it must understand that their actions have consequences—especially when those actions result in the loss of a human life,” said Jason Parman, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “This sentence holds Darryl Anderson accountable for selling fentanyl to a victim who ultimately paid the highest possible price. Our office, working alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue those who profit from this poison and hold them responsible for the devastation their drugs cause in our communities.”

Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and; Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Bradbury prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

– END –

A Mexican national, Carlos Erick Vazquez Gonzalez, 48, pleaded guilty today for his role in the laundering of approximately $4 million in drug trafficking proceeds in the United States and the return of those proceeds via cryptocurrency to Mexico as part of a money laundering conspiracy.

According to court documents, Vazquez Gonzalez worked with “money brokers” who arranged for the collection of drug profits in cities throughout the United States, which he then laundered and returned through cryptocurrency to Mexico. Vazquez Gonzalez accepted the deposit of approximately $4 million of these narcotic proceeds into a cryptocurrency wallet that he controlled. Vazquez Gonzalez then quickly moved the money to conceal or obfuscate its origins. He also sold the cryptocurrency for U.S. dollars in Mexico and returned the bulk cash to the “money broker” who arranged the pick-up of drug proceeds in the United States. Vazquez Gonzalez received an estimated $40,000 in commission for his participation.

Vazquez Gonzalez pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 17 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jason Parman for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Louisville Field Division made the announcement.

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, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Birmingham, Chicago, Cincinnati, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Louisville, Baltimore, Des Moines, Milwaukee, Portland, Columbia, and Rapid City, with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation.

Deputy Chief Elizabeth R. Rabe of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) and Deputy Chief Todd Bradbury for the Eastern District of Kentucky are prosecuting the case.

MNF’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.

MNF’s Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering schemes involving financial facilitators, gatekeepers, and other individuals and entities laundering criminal proceeds, and litigates complex civil forfeiture cases to recover assets on behalf of victims.

This prosecution is also part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. 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, HSTF directs the full might of U.S. 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, HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. HSTF utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

LONDON, Ky. –Mufid Elfgeeh, 42, was sentenced on Tuesday to 230 months by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier for attempted murder.  

While serving a 270-month sentence for attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, United States Penitentiary McCreary staff observed Elfgeeh stabbing his cellmate. Elfgeeh, upset that BOP had not complied with his request for a private cell, used an improvised weapon to stab his cellmate dozens of times as he ignored numerous verbal commands to stop the attack. Elfgeeh continued the stabbing through three uses of OC spray, OC vapor grenades, multiple foam/rubber baton rounds, pepper balls, and hornet nest munitions. Elfgeeh was only stopped when staff outfitted with protective gear breached the cell, restrained him, and removed the weapon. 

A jury convicted found Elfgeeh guilty of the attempted murder charge on April 29, 2026, following a two-day trial.

Jason Parman, 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 Pearce Nesbitt prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

– END –

LONDON, Ky. –Franklin Delano Campbell, 67, was sentenced on Wednesday to 236 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Chad Meredith, on a charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine (powder) and cocaine base (crack).  

The investigation revealed that, beginning sometime around January 2022, and continuing through November 2025, Campbell was regularly obtaining one-half to one-kilogram quantities of powder cocaine from and out-of-state source of supply. Campbell would then turn a large portion of this cocaine into crack, which he would sell to various upper-, mid-, and low-level drug traffickers, as well as end drug users in the Perry County, Kentucky area. Campbell and his co-conspirators sold the majority of these drugs from his home in the Bonnyman, Kentucky. Campbell paid others in drugs and/or money to drive to Ohio and meet with his source to pick up these drugs and bring them back to Kentucky.

 As part of his plea, Campbell forfeited several pieces of real property, two vehicles, multiple firearms, and approximately $119,684.00 in U.S. currency that were seized as part of the investigation. 

Under federal law, Campbell 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.

Jason Parman, 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 the Kentucky State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys W. Samuel Dotson and Haley Trogden McCauley prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

– END –

LEXINGTON, KY- The Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Louisville brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutors to identify, investigate, and dismantle transnational criminal organizations. By working as one team and combining the strengths and resources of multiple agencies, HSTF Louisville can more effectively combat complex crimes including drug and weapons trafficking, fraud and money laundering, and human trafficking and smuggling. 

As part of an ongoing investigation into a transnational criminal enterprise, FBI Louisville Special Agents obtained a federal indictment charging multiple individuals located throughout the United States with fraud-related offenses. Today, HSTF Louisville, in coordination with FBI New York, Newark and Baltimore, and HSI Newark alongside New York Police Department, New York State Police, Port Authority of New York, New Jersey Police Department, New Jersey State Police, and Elizabeth (New Jersey) Police Department, carried out a coordinated enforcement operation resulting in the arrests of multiple individuals charged in the investigation. Due to the sensitive nature of the ongoing investigation, the identity of the indicted defendants is temporarily being withheld. 

“This coordinated operation reflects the strength of our partnerships and our shared commitment to protecting communities across the United States. By bringing together federal, state, and local agencies, the Homeland Security Task Force Louisville is able to more effectively identify and disrupt the transnational criminal networks that jeopardize public safety,” said Jason Parman, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “We are grateful for the dedication and cooperation of all our partners as we work together to advance this investigation and uphold the rule of law.”

“HSTF Louisville’s investigation illustrates the importance of federal, state, and local agencies partnering together to tackle and crush criminal activity with global implications. The HSTF leverages multiple law enforcement agencies and their resources,” said Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Louisville Field Office. “In matters crossing international borders and impacting multiple states, our partnerships are critical and show the significant impact our law enforcement actions have for the American people.”

— END — 

LEXINGTON, KY- A Kentucky medical biller and owner of AA’s Medical Coding and Billing Services, LLC., Jacqueline Sanders, age 60, from Louisville, Ky., was indicted for one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, 25 counts of health care fraud, and four counts of money laundering. 

According to the indictment, Sanders recruited individuals unfamiliar with Medicaid requirements to open behavioral health service entities, handled their credentialing and enrollment with Kentucky Medicaid, and then directed the submission of fraudulent Medicaid claims across ten behavioral health providers. Sanders allegedly billed for services that were never provided—including claims submitted for incarcerated, hospitalized, or deceased Medicaid members.

The indictment further alleges Sanders used National Provider Identifiers (NPIs) of licensed professionals without authorization to submit thousands of fraudulent claims, fabricated assessments and treatment plans, and billed Medicaid for excessive hours of treatment regardless of medical need or documentation. Between 2020 and 2026, Sanders and her co‑conspirators allegedly caused Medicaid to pay tens of millions of dollars in fraudulent reimbursements.

The indictment alleges Sanders personally received more than $3.6 million in payments from the fraudulent billing operations and used the proceeds to purchase luxury goods, vehicles, jewelry, travel, plastic surgery, and real estate.

“The indictment alleges an astonishing level of fraud: fabricated assessments, nonexistent treatment, unauthorized use of licensed providers’ identities, causing millions of dollars in false claims to be submitted for services that were never performed,” Jason Parman, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Medicaid exists to support Kentucky’s most vulnerable residents, and this scheme exploited that mission at every turn. Our office will continue to hold accountable anyone who abuses taxpayer‑funded programs for personal gain.”

"The charges should send a clear message to anyone looking to enrich themselves at the expense of our most vulnerable citizens: don't,” said Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Louisville Field Office. “Public resources exist for the public good, and the FBI will do everything in its power to ensure those resources go to those legally entitled to them." 

“This criminal defrauded a system intended to care for some of the most vulnerable Kentuckians,” said Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman.  “Those who steal from the program will face consequences, and we will continue working with our partners like U.S. Attorney Parman to protect Medicaid for those it serves.”

Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Russell Coleman, Kentucky Attorney General, jointly announced the indictment.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate K. Smith and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Linsey Hogg are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. 

Sanders appeared for her initial appearance on August 26.

            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. 

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky has appointed Jason Parman to serve as the United States Attorney for the District.

Mr. Parman has been a member of the U.S. Attorney’s Office since 2008. He served as the Branch Manager of the London Branch Office from 2013 until March 2026. 

U.S. Attorney Parman is a native Kentuckian. Mr. Parman graduated from Eastern Kentucky University, with a degree in police administration, and from the University of Kentucky College of Law.  Prior to joining the Office, Mr. Parman worked as a criminal defense lawyer in both federal and state court, before serving as a United States Probation Officer for five years.

U.S. Attorney Parman said, “I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky. Having spent my entire career serving the people of Kentucky, including more than 18 years with this Office, I understand the responsibility that comes with this position. I am proud of the work our attorneys and staff do every day to uphold the rule of law, protect our communities, and seek justice. I look forward to working alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners as we continue that important mission across the Eastern District.”

– END –

LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington, man, Jeremy Cowan, 35, was sentenced on Thursday to 10 years by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for being a felon in possession of a firearm and distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. 

According to his plea agreement, in late 2025, law enforcement identified Cowan as a Lexington-area drug dealer. Law enforcement then conducted a series of controlled buys of drugs and firearms from Cowan. On four occasions, from December 15, 2025, to January 12, 2026, law enforcement used a confidential informant to purchase over 330 grams of methamphetamine, over 58 grams of fentanyl, and two firearms from Cowan. Cowan admitted to possessing the firearms and knew he had been convicted of a felony and was prohibited from possessing firearms. 

Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by ATF and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Chapman and Amanda Morgan prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

– END –

LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Winchester, Ky., man, Christopher Brookshire, 51, was sentenced on Wednesday to 180 months by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom for possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.  

On October 30, 2024, while driving from Fayette County to Clark County, Brookshire was stopped by law enforcement. During the traffic stop, law enforcement located approximately a half pound of methamphetamine that Brookshire intended to distribute to others. Brookshire also knowingly possessed a firearm. Prior to his possession of the firearm, Brookshire had been convicted of a felony and was aware that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm.  

Jason Parman, 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 ATF and Winchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Greenfield prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

– END –

LONDON, Ky. – A Booneville, Ky., man, Berlin Hollan, 52, was sentenced to 60 months on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier for receiving child pornography. 

On September 13, 2024, Hollan received an image of child pornography. Specifically, law enforcement located sexually explicit Facebook Messenger conversations between Hollan and a minor victim. In one of those conversations, Hollan received a sexually explicit image of a minor. 

Jason Parman, 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 sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. 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.

– END –

COVINGTON, Ky. – A Hebron, Ky., man, William Mason Fryman, 26, was sentenced on Monday to 150 months by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for the distribution of child pornography.  

In May 2025, Fryman began communicating with undercover agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over Telegram in an effort to trade sexually explicit videos of minors. During the conversations, which spanned several months, Fryman sent over 15 videos of child sexual abuse material to the undercover agent. On December 9, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Fryman’s residence and arrested him. When he was interviewed, he admitted that he was the individual communicating on Telegram and that he had used other online platforms to communicate with other individuals who were interested in trading child sexual abuse material. 

Jason Parman, 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 sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine Leonhard prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s 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.

– END –

COVINGTON, Ky. – A Maysville, Ky., man, Kevin Thomas Lawrence, 34, was sentenced on Wednesday to 130 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Chad Meredith for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.  

On August 15, 2025, law enforcement arrested Lawernce at a traffic stop in Maysville, Ky. During that stop, officers observed a large item concealed on the person of the vehicle’s driver, Jeannie Riley. Officers found that the large item was a bag containing 105 grams of methamphetamine. A search of the vehicle in revealed numerous small plastic baggies and other drug paraphernalia. Riley admitted that the methamphetamine belonged to Lawerence and that she had hidden it in her pants during the traffic stop to help Lawrence.  

Riley, Lawrence’s co-defendant, is scheduled to be sentenced on August 19. 

Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Patrick Boggs, Maysville Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Maysville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Spievack prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

– END –

The Justice Department announced today that Danny Bell, the owner and manager of residential rental properties in Somerset, Kentucky, agreed to pay $150,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that he sexually harassed female tenants in violation of the Fair Housing Act.

“Tenants should not be forced to choose between safety and keeping a roof over their heads,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This case involved a landlord’s sexual harassment of female tenants, including threats to evict tenants who refused his advances. The Justice Department will continue to hold landlords accountable for using their power to violate the rights of vulnerable women.”

“Housing should never be used as a tool to exploit vulnerable people in our community,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Parman for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “This settlement sends a clear message that our office will not tolerate sexual harassment in housing and will vigorously protect the rights of tenants to feel safe in their homes.”

The Justice Department’s lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky in April 2023, alleges that Bell sexually harassed female tenants for over a decade, including in their homes. The suit alleges that Bell offered to forgive rent in exchange for sexual contact, subjected tenants to unwelcome sexual touching, made unwelcome sexual comments and sexual advances, let himself into female tenants’ homes without notice or permission, and threatened to evict tenants who refused his demands.

Pursuant to the proposed consent order, which still must be entered by the court, the defendant must pay $140,000 to tenants who were harmed by his harassment and a $10,000 civil penalty to the United States. The consent order governs the sale of Bell’s current residential rental properties, and bars Bell from managing any future residential rental properties and from contacting tenants harmed by his harassment. It also mandates training and the adoption of policies and procedures to prevent future discrimination in his rental properties.

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 53 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered over $19 million for victims of such harassment.

The Justice Department announced today that Danny Bell, the owner and manager of residential rental properties in Somerset, Kentucky, agreed to pay $150,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that he sexually harassed female tenants in violation of the Fair Housing Act.

“Tenants should not be forced to choose between safety and keeping a roof over their heads,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This case involved a landlord’s sexual harassment of female tenants, including threats to evict tenants who refused his advances. The Justice Department will continue to hold landlords accountable for using their power to violate the rights of vulnerable women.”

“Housing should never be used as a tool to exploit vulnerable people in our community,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Parman for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “This settlement sends a clear message that our office will not tolerate sexual harassment in housing and will vigorously protect the rights of tenants to feel safe in their homes.”

The Justice Department’s lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky in April 2023, alleges that Bell sexually harassed female tenants for over a decade, including in their homes. The suit alleges that Bell offered to forgive rent in exchange for sexual contact, subjected tenants to unwelcome sexual touching, made unwelcome sexual comments and sexual advances, let himself into female tenants’ homes without notice or permission, and threatened to evict tenants who refused his demands.

Pursuant to the proposed consent order, which still must be entered by the court, the defendant must pay $140,000 to tenants who were harmed by his harassment and a $10,000 civil penalty to the United States. The consent order governs the sale of Bell’s current residential rental properties, and bars Bell from managing any future residential rental properties and from contacting tenants harmed by his harassment. It also mandates training and the adoption of policies and procedures to prevent future discrimination in his rental properties.

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 53 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered over $19 million for victims of such harassment.

ASHLAND, Ky. – A Salyersville, Ky man and former Magoffin County High School teacher, Jason Back, 44, was sentenced on Monday to 17 years in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for online enticement.

According to his plea agreement, on March 6, 2023, through March 9, 2023, Back enticed a minor to engage in sexual activity. Specifically, during that time period, Back, a high school teacher, engaged in a text message conversation with a minor and sent a series of sexually explicit messages, including a series of messages that included plans to engage in sexual intercourse. Through the messages sent by Back, in his position as teacher, a position of authority or trust, Back enticed the minor to engage in sexual intercourse.

“Teachers are entrusted with the safety and well-being of their students, and that trust must never be exploited. When an adult in a position of authority uses that trust to target or entice a child for sexual purposes, the consequences are serious,” said Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky.  “We will continue to hold accountable those who prey upon children and abuse positions of trust.”

Jason Parman, 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 sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship prosecuted 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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ASHLAND, Ky. – An Ashland man, Nathaniel Parsons, 46, was sentenced on Monday to 15 years by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for receiving a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. 

Law enforcement identified an IP address located in Ashland that was sharing child sexual abuse material on peer-to-peer software, EMule. A search warrant was executed at the address, which was Parsons’ residence, and multiple digital devices were seized and searched. In total 84,000 images and 500 videos containing minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct were discovered on the devices. Also, discovered on Parson’s electronic devices were sexually explicit images of a minor known to Parsons. The minor admitted that the images were not created at the request of Parsons and were taken from the minor’s phone, who was unaware that Parsons was in possession of the images.

Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Todd Kelley, Ashland Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Ashland Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth prosecuted 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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A Mexican national pleaded guilty today for his role in the collection of more than $1.9 million in drug proceeds in the United States and the return of those proceeds via cryptocurrency or wire transfers to Mexico as part of a money laundering conspiracy. 

According to court documents, Daniel Gordiano Valenzuela, 60, who was residing in Mexico at the time of his arrest, served as a “money broker” in an organization that conspired with drug traffickers to launder money for them in Mexico. Gordiano Valenzuela personally arranged for the laundering of $1, 973,076 from the sale of drugs and used a network of co-conspirators to pick up the drug proceeds throughout the United States. After delivery of the bulk cash, he provided instructions for the transfer of those funds via cryptocurrency or wire transfer and then received a “commission,” or percentage of the money laundered successfully. 

Gordiano Valenzuela pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 19 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Parman for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph O. Dixon of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Detroit Field Division made the announcement.

The DEA Detroit Field Division and IRS Criminal Investigation Detroit investigated the case, working closely with the DEA Austin Residence Office and Lexington Residence Office with assistance from DEA’s Special Operations Division and DEA offices in Mexico, Houston, Tulsa, Chicago, and Youngstown, Ohio. 

Deputy Chief Elizabeth R. Rabe of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and Deputy Chief Gary Todd Bradbury of the Eastern District of Kentucky are prosecuting the case. 

The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s (MNF) mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.

MNF’s Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering schemes involving financial facilitators, gatekeepers, and other individuals and entities laundering criminal proceeds, and litigates complex civil forfeiture cases to recover assets on behalf of victims.

This prosecution is also 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 U.S. 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.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Harrodsburg, Ky., man, Mitchell Lee Hensley, 52, was sentenced on Friday to 15 years by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier 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.  

On May 24, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant of Hensley’s residence and located various drug trafficking paraphernalia, including bags and digital scales in Hensley’s bedroom. In a space between the mattress and headboard, law enforcement located a pouch containing 108.742 grams of fentanyl and an additional 53.809 grams of methamphetamine. Near the drugs, law enforcement also found a loaded revolver. During a subsequent search of the premises, law enforcement located and seized an additional four firearms stored under Hensley’s bed. 

Hensley admitted to possessing the fentanyl and methamphetamine that was seized and that he planned to distribute them to others. He further admitted that he possessed the firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. Hensley also admitted he was aware that he had been convicted of multiple felonies and was prohibited from possessing a firearm. 

Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Scott Elder, Harrodsburg Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the ATF and Harrodsburg Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paco Villalobos prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

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FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Flemingsburg, Ky., man, Michael La Porta, 30, was sentenced Friday to 30 years by U.S. District Judge Chad Meredith for the production of child pornography. 

According to his plea agreement, La Porta entered into a "relationship" with a minor and engaged in sexual activity with that minor and communicated via various forms of electronic messaging, particularly using Snapchat. During those communications, La Porta would discuss various forms of sexual activities that he wanted to engage with the victim, as well as requesting the victim send sexually explicit videos to him. The victim’s trusted adults discovered the “relationship” and reported to law enforcement who were able to confirm the communications and production of sexually explicit videos. 

Jason Parman, 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. 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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LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Junction City, Ky., man, Darion Ford, 26, was sentenced on Thursday to 10 years by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. 

In December 2024, law enforcement began investigating that Ford had recently re-upped a large supply of narcotics from Lexington. On December 18, 2024, Ford was observed leaving his residence and was stopped by law enforcement. When law enforcement talked with Ford, he stated that he had a gun and placed it on his console. He also had three bags containing powder and tablet forms of fentanyl. Ford told law enforcement that he had approximately 1,000 fentanyl pills and seven grams of fentanyl powder at his residence. Law enforcement seized approximately 85.146 grams of fentanyl that Ford intended to distribute. Ford also possessed the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.   

Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Tony Gray, Danville Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Danville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Chapman and Amanda Morgan prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

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LEXINGTON, Ky. – An Orlando, Fl., man, Ivory Joe Pruitt, 61, was sentenced on Friday to 63 months imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Pruitt was also ordered to pay $137,392.74 in restitution. 

More than a dozen university, hospital, and local police agencies across the country took part in the investigation.  The collaboration and sharing of investigation revealed that     

between August 2022 and May 2024, Pruitt and several co‑conspirators carried out an organized, multi‑state fraud scheme. The group traveled to hospitals and university buildings across the country to steal wallets containing credit cards, debit cards, and personal identifying information. After the group stole the wallets, they then used the stolen cards—and fraudulent Sam’s Club accounts created with victims’ identities—to make, or attempt to make, more than $179,000 in purchases at retailers including Sam’s Club, Walmart, Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Target. Pruitt played a central role by directing aspects of the operation, personally stealing numerous wallets, and repeatedly using stolen identities. The conspiracy spanned at least a dozen states and involved more than 30 victims whose financial information was used without authorization.

Pruitt’s co-conspirators have previously been sentenced for their role in the wire fraud conspiracy. They received the following sentences: 

• Yoshi Keori Williams was sentenced to 112 months in prison, and supervised release of 2 years.
• Daniel Rashaud Sanchious was sentenced to credit for time served, or 21 months, and supervised release of 2 years.
• Tashawn Shamal Canegata was sentenced to 30 months, and supervised release of 2 years.
• Kellie Marie Miller was sentenced to a total of 45 months, and supervised release of 2 years. 

Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Joe Monroe, University of Kentucky Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI, the University of Kentucky Police Department, and dozens of police agencies across the country. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Mattingly Williams prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

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FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Junction City, Ky., woman, Ashley Nicole Lear, 43, was sentenced on Wednesday to 13 months imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Chad Merdith for three counts of wire fraud and one count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds. 

According to her plea agreement, Lear engaged in multiple acts of financial misconduct during her tenure as Executive Director of Stanford Housing Authority (SHA) in Lincoln County. From July 2023 to March 2025, Lear, whose contracted salary was $58,000, paid herself unauthorized bonuses and inflated her salary. Investigators found that Lear provided forged board meeting minutes to auditors to support the falsified salary increases and bonuses.

Lear also used SHA’s credit card for personal purchases including restaurant bills, salon services, retail shopping, travel accommodations, and concert tickets. She also used the agency’s vehicle for personal travel. Specific incidents detailed in the charges include unauthorized wire transfers from SHA’s bank account to her personal Chime account which were labeled as bonuses and using the SHA credit card at a tanning salon.  During the period of the misconduct, SHA received more than $10,000 in federal funds, including a $138,528 payment from HUD Treasury. Lear embezzled or misapplied more than $5,000 in SHA property while serving as an agent of the federally funded organization.

As part of her sentence, Lear was also ordered to pay $120,358.21 in restitution. 

Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Shawn Rice, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by HUD-OIG. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Mattingly Williams prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ('Fraud Division'). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

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LONDON, Ky. – A Lexington, Ky., man, Robert Dale Conley, 46, was sentenced on Wednesday to 192 months by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. 

On December 12, 2025, law enforcement utilized a confidential informant to make a video-recorded controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Conley in Pulaski County. In the video, Conley—armed with a pistol—can be seen weighing out 92.34 grams of methamphetamine and ultimately providing the same to the confidential information.  

Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Sheriff Bobby Jones, Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Pearce Nesbitt prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

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ASHLAND, Ky. – Addiction Recovery Care, LLC (“ARC”), and its affiliates Pioneer Health Group, LLC and Science Hill Family Care, LLC, have agreed to a civil judgment of $16,205,774.05 in favor of the United States to resolve allegations that they defrauded the Kentucky Medicaid program. ARC, headquartered in Louisa, Kentucky, operates residential and outpatient drug rehabilitation facilities throughout the state. Along with its affiliates, ARC offers behavioral healthcare and medical healthcare services to patients at their rehabilitation facilities. 

The judgment, announced today by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Office of the Kentucky Attorney General, is part of a civil settlement resolving allegations that ARC and its affiliates violated the False Claims Act, a federal statute that prohibits the submission of false claims for payment to Government programs, including the Medicaid program. 

In April 2023, current and former employees of ARC filed a qui tam complaint alleging that ARC defrauded the Kentucky Medicaid program by submitting fraudulent claims for payment for behavioral health services provided in their drug rehabilitation programs. Under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, a citizen can file a civil action on behalf of the United States to bring allegations of fraud to the Government’s attention. The United States thereafter opened a civil investigation into whether ARC violated the False Claims Act. During the Government’s investigation, ARC self-disclosed to the Government that it should not have billed for some of its services, including services identified by the whistleblowers in the qui tam complaint.

According to the settlement agreement, the Government alleged that ARC falsely represented the qualifications of some of their clinicians on claims to Kentucky Medicaid in order to receive higher reimbursements. From January 2018 to March 2024, some of ARC’s behavioral health services, such as psychotherapy, psychiatric evaluations, and mental health assessments, allegedly were provided by lower-level healthcare workers but billed as if ARC’s employees had higher-level licenses. Similarly, from July 2019 to mid-June 2021, the Government alleged that ARC falsely represented that it provided individual group therapy sessions, which Kentucky paid at a higher rate, when ARC in fact provided less expensive group therapy sessions. These alleged overstatements of provider qualifications and individualized care, which are commonly referred to as “upcoding,” are not allowed by federal health insurance programs and caused ARC and its affiliates to receive higher payments to which they were not entitled.

In addition to ARC’s purported upcoding practices, the Government alleged that, from January 2019 to December 2024, ARC’s affiliates billed duplicate office visits to Kentucky Medicaid and billed for office visits that were already reimbursed under an inclusive per diem rate. One of ARC’s affiliates also allegedly charged for care management services that did not meet Kentucky Medicaid’s coverage requirements, including services performed by ARC employees who lacked the necessary credentials. 

The civil judgment and settlement agreement resolve the qui tam case captioned United States ex rel. Rikki Pope, et al. v. Addiction Recovery Care, LLC, Case No. 0:23-cv-51-DLB, which was recently unsealed by the Court. The amount of the judgment, which will be paid over several years, was negotiated and reduced due to Defendants’ financial condition and prospects for ongoing operations. As part of this resolution, the individuals who filed the qui tam complaint are eligible to receive a portion of the settlement proceeds. 

This matter was investigated by the Affirmative Civil Enforcement section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, with assistance from the U.S. Department for Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the Kentucky Office of Attorney General, Office of Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Control, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Stubblebine and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Sheridan represented the United States.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.

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LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lily, Ky., man, Daniel Hoskins, 56, was sentenced on Thursday to 28 years by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for two counts of production of child pornography. 

According to Hoskins’ plea agreement, on June 2 and June 3, 2025, Hoskins produced child pornography with a minor victim while he was incarcerated in the Madison County Detention Center. He instructed the minor to produce child pornography using the detention center’s video jail call system.  

Jason Parman, 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 FBI, KSP, and Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

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FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Frankfort man, Donald Demil Clay, 50, was sentenced on Thursday to 240 months by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. 

According to testimony at trial, the investigation as to Clay began with numerous tips to law enforcement that Clay was renting a commercial property in Frankfort that he used to store and to distribute cocaine. After several months of surveillance, law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant at the property used and maintained by Clay. Police seized approximately 4 ounces of cocaine that was concealed in a box affixed to a custom poker table. 

Clay was previously convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky in July 2014. 

Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Dennis M. Fetting, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Derrick Napier, Frankfort Police Department, jointly announced the sentencing.

The investigation was conducted by HSI, DEA, and the Frankfort Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Bradbury prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 

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LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Kimper, Ky., woman, Pamela Denise Sargent, 45, was sentenced on Thursday to 45 years by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for two counts of production of child pornography.

According to Sargent’s plea agreement, on or before December 30, 2023, through June 4, 2024, Sargent produced child pornography with two toddler victims. Specifically, Sargent filmed herself engaging in sexual activity with the minor victims and filmed child sexual abuse material with each other. Sargent then uploaded the videos and used the internet to distribute them to an individual in Missouri.

“The conduct in this case represents a profound betrayal of one of society’s most basic duties — to protect its children,” said Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Our office will zealously pursue anyone who exploits or endangers children, and we will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to bring offenders to justice. This prosecution underscores our unwavering resolve to safeguard the most vulnerable members of our community.”

Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Dennis M. Fetting, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security; Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Sheriff Mike Coyle, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by HSI, KSP, and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

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