A Hopkinsville, Kentucky man, Robert Blaine, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison following his conviction for involvement in a methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking conspiracy and money laundering. The sentencing comes after a three-day jury trial held earlier this year.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky along with officials from several agencies including the DEA Louisville Field Division, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Pittsburgh Division, IRS Criminal Investigation Cincinnati Field Office, ATF Louisville Field Division, and the Hopkinsville Police Department.
According to court documents, Blaine was sentenced for conspiring to distribute controlled substances and seven counts of money laundering. At the time of these offenses, he was on supervised release for a previous federal drug trafficking conviction.
Court records indicate that between May 2020 and January 2022, Blaine conspired with Roderick Tutt of Hopkinsville and Jessica Ochoa of Phoenix to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine and over 400 grams of fentanyl mixture. During this period, Blaine wired money to Ochoa as payment for drugs and mailed $36,960 obtained from illegal drug sales to her. In January 2022, he arranged for Tutt to travel to Arizona to pick up drugs from Ochoa. Tutt was arrested while returning with fentanyl pills and methamphetamine.
Blaine's criminal history includes multiple prior convictions related to drug trafficking dating back to 2008.
Tutt received a sentence of two years in prison followed by three years supervised release after pleading guilty. Ochoa was sentenced to seven years and four months in prison followed by five years supervised release.
The investigation involved various law enforcement agencies including DEA Paducah Post of Duty, United States Postal Inspection Service Bowling Green Office, IRS Criminal Investigation Division Bowling Green Office, ATF Bowling Green Field Office, FBI Louisville Field Division among others.
Assistant United States Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus prosecuted the case under Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative targeting illegal immigration-related crimes—and coordinated efforts through OCDETFs and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
