A Laurel County man, Brandon Bustle, 39, has been sentenced to 13 years in federal prison for his role in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Robert Wier handed down the sentence on Monday in London, Kentucky.
According to court documents, Bustle and an associate obtained distribution quantities of methamphetamine from multiple sources between December 2023 and March 23, 2024. They traveled together to acquire the drugs from suppliers in areas including Louisville and transported them back to Laurel County for further distribution.
On February 28, 2024, while en route to deliver a methamphetamine mixture in Laurel County, Bustle crashed his vehicle. He attempted to hide the drugs in nearby woods before law enforcement arrived at the scene. Officers recovered over a kilogram of methamphetamine intended for distribution, as well as a loaded firearm, scales, and $2,223 in cash.
At the time of these offenses, Bustle was already on supervised release following a previous conviction for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. In 2013, he had been sentenced to eight years in prison for a similar crime.
Two co-conspirators have also been sentenced as part of this case. Josh Caldwell received a sentence of just over eleven years on June 16, 2025 for possessing with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and possessing firearms related to drug trafficking. Merinda Robinson was sentenced on July 10, 2025 to more than eight years for conspiring with Bustle.
Federal sentencing guidelines require that Bustle serve at least 85 percent of his term before becoming eligible for release. After completing his prison sentence, he will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for seven years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes from ATF’s Louisville Field Division; John Root from the Laurel County Sheriff’s Department; Winston Tye from Barbourville Police; and Rusty Hedrick from Corbin Police jointly announced the sentencing decision.
The investigation involved multiple agencies: ATF (Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives), Laurel County Sheriff’s Department, Barbourville Police Department and Corbin Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Trimble prosecuted the case.
