LEXINGTON, Ky. - Jeffery Ruggiero, 29, of Nicholasville, Kentucky, was sentenced today, to 132 months in federal prison, by United States District Judge Karen C. Caldwell, for conspiracy to distribute heroin and carfentanyl and distribution of carfentanyl resulting in serious physical injury.
Beginning in July 2016 and continuing through Jan. 19, 2017, Ruggiero conspired with several other people to distribute heroin and carfentanyl in Garrard, Jessamine and Fayette County. On Jan. 10, 2017, Ruggiero and another defendant distributed a quantity of carfentanyl, which resulted in an overdose. On September 5, 2018, Ruggiero pled guilty to the charge and admitted to distributing at least 120 grams of heroin in the Central Kentucky area during the five-month period of the conspiracy.
“The defendant put lives at risk by distributing deadly drugs, including carfentanyl," said United States Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr. “The defendant’s actions warranted the lengthy sentence he received today from the Court."
Under federal law, Ruggierio must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the United States Probation Office for five years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Christopher Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA, jointly made the announcement.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorneys Cynthia T. Rieker and Todd Bradbury.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
