LEXINGTON, Ky. - Michael D. Jackson, 37, and Brandi Stamper, 27, both of Lexington, pleaded guilty today, to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine; to being a convicted felons in possession of firearms; and to possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
In their guilty pleas, Jackson and Stamper both admitted that they maintained a residence, on Norway Street in Lexington, in January 2017. At that time, the Lexington Police Department executed a search warrant at the residence, locating more than 140 grams of fentanyl, more than 500 grams of powder cocaine, and more than an ounce of crack cocaine. Lexington Police also located three pistols, scales for weighing drugs, more than $80,000, and a vehicle purchased with drug proceeds. The firearms were found in close proximity to the drugs. Norway Street is three blocks from Lafayette High School.
“The drugs seized in this case represented an enormous risk to our community," said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Fentanyl can be lethal in the 2 milligram range, which means the fentanyl seized in this case constituted tens of thousands of potentially lethal doses. The great work of our law enforcement partners led to these convictions; made our community safer; and saved lives - perhaps many, many lives. We will continue to focus our efforts on combatting the opioid crisis and prosecuting this disgraceful conduct that endangers us all."
United States Attorney Duncan; Stuart Lowrey, Special Agent in Charge, ATF; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the guilty pleas.
The investigation was conducted by ATF and the Lexington Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Roger W. West represented the United States.
Both Jackson and Stamper are currently scheduled to appear for sentencing, before Chief United States District Judge Karen K. Caldwell, in Lexington, on July 26, 2018. Jackson faces a minimum sentence of 20 years and Stamper faces a minimum sentence of 15 years. Any sentence, however, will be imposed by the Court, after consideration of the United States Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal statutes governing imposition of sentences.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
