LOUISVILLE, Ky. - United States Attorney Russell M. Coleman today announced the sentencing of John Robert Boone, in United States District Court, by Senior Judge Charles R. Simpson III, to 57 months in prison, having pleaded guilty to manufacture and possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute. There is no parole in the federal system.
"Manufacture, possession, and distribution of marijuana are violations of federal criminal law - plain and simple. As the Chief Federal Prosecutor for the Western District of Kentucky, I want to make it very clear that this office remains committed to enforcing all federal criminal laws associated with marijuana," stated U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. “Our Commonwealth is in the throes of a deadly addiction to heroin and illicit drugs and Marijuana is a young person’s gateway to a lifetime of drug abuse and associated crime."
John Robert Boone a/k/a Johnny Boone, 74, formerly of Marion County, Kentucky, pled guilty to a Superseding Information, containing a single charge, on Dec. 19, 2017. Boone admitted that on May 27, 2008, in Washington County, Kentucky, he conspired with other persons to possess more than 1000 marijuana plants, intending to cultivate and grow the plants and distribute the marijuana when the plants were harvested. In furtherance of the conspiracy, Boone watered and fertilized the plants, and concealed them on a farm in Washington County on Walker Lane near his residence.
According to the Criminal Complaint, in May of 2008, the plants were spotted during an aerial operation in the Springfield and Washington County area of Kentucky, by Kentucky State Police, for the purpose of spotting outdoor marijuana propagation activities.
Boone was a fugitive for nearly eight years until his arrest in Montreal, Canada in December of 2016. He’s remained in the custody of the United States Marshals service since being deported in April of 2017.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Larry Fentress and was investigated by the DEA and Kentucky State Police.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
