Prosecution involved more than five kilograms of cocaine, 200 grams of fentanyl, and $100,000 in seized currency
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Three people have pleaded guilty, in the U.S. District Court in Lexington, for their roles in distributing cocaine and fentanyl. Shontail M. Hocker, 42, of Lexington, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and to distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl. David Dewayne Morris, 48, and Kim Davis, 47, both of Louisville, Kentucky, pleaded guilty to distributing 2 kilograms of cocaine.
On February 9, 2018, while they were conducting surveillance of the defendants, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) observed a drug transaction. With the assistance of the Kentucky State Police, agents seized 2 kilograms of cocaine from the defendants in Shelby County, Kentucky. DEA agents and Lexington Police then obtained a search warrant for the residence of Shontail Hocker in Fayette County, where they seized more than 200 grams of fentanyl, $105,880.00 in U.S. currency, and metal presses used to process large quantities of controlled substances.
“The defendants in this case were dealing in massive quantities of dangerous drugs," said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Without the outstanding work of our law enforcements partners, this prosecution would not have been possible. Their efforts removed these drugs from our streets, made our communities safer, and saved lives. Prosecuting those who deal in this scourge to our community will continue to be a core priority of our Office."
Robert M. Duncan, Jr, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Darrell Christopher Evans, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Louisville; Richard Sanders, Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, and Lawrence Weathers, Chief of Police, Lexington-Fayette County Division of Police, jointly made the announcement.
Sentencing hearings for all three defendants are scheduled for Dec. 10, 2018 at the federal courthouse in Lexington. Hocker and Morris each face 10 years to life in prison, while Davis faces 5 years to life. The U.S. District Court will impose their sentences, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal statutes.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
