A Nicholasville man, Jacob Clem, 37, received a sentence of 228 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The sentence was issued by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove.
Court documents state that on September 11, 2024, law enforcement officers stopped Clem's vehicle due to expired registration tags. He was arrested on an active warrant. During the arrest, Clem acknowledged carrying a firearm holster and knives. Officers discovered a loaded magazine and two small fentanyl pills on him. A subsequent search of his vehicle revealed another loaded magazine and a pistol. In addition, officers found a backpack containing nearly one kilogram of methamphetamine and two digital scales. Clem admitted to owning the drugs and knowingly possessing the firearm as part of his drug trafficking activities.
Under federal sentencing guidelines, Clem will be required to serve at least 85 percent of his prison term before being eligible for release. After completing his sentence, he will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge with the DEA Louisville Field Division; Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Sheriff Kevin Grimes from Jessamine County jointly announced the outcome.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Kentucky State Police (KSP), and Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Melton prosecuted the case.
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