A federal jury in Paducah, Kentucky, has found Robert Blaine guilty of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, along with seven counts of money laundering. The conviction follows a three-day trial and was announced by U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett alongside several law enforcement officials.
Court documents revealed that between May 2020 and January 2022, Blaine conspired with Roderick Tutt and Jessica Ochoa to distribute significant quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl. During this period, Blaine sent money to Ochoa as payment for drugs and mailed $36,960 obtained from drug sales. On January 21, 2022, Tutt was apprehended returning from Arizona with fentanyl pills and methamphetamine intended for Blaine.
Both Tutt and Ochoa pled guilty on July 20, 2023. They are scheduled for sentencing on March 25, 2025. Meanwhile, Blaine is set to be sentenced on May 5, 2025, facing a minimum of 25 years in prison.
The case involved multiple agencies including the DEA Paducah Post of Duty and the United States Postal Inspection Service among others. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus with paralegal support from Cristy Crockett.
This operation is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) initiative aimed at dismantling high-level criminal organizations through a collaborative approach.