A Dayton, Ohio man has been sentenced to more than 18 years in federal prison for his role in trafficking a fentanyl analogue. Germel Hughes, 45, received a sentence of 222 months from Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning on Friday for conspiracy to distribute at least 100 grams of a fentanyl analogue and aiding and abetting the intended distribution of a mixture containing the substance.
Court documents state that law enforcement used a confidential informant on January 2, 2024, to arrange a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Earnest Bryson. Bryson agreed to sell one kilogram of fentanyl to the informant. The next day, Bryson and co-defendants Julius Cole and Gerald Young traveled from Dayton, Ohio to Fort Wright, Kentucky to deliver the drugs. Upon arrival, law enforcement intervened by parking behind their vehicle and forcibly removing them. A search revealed an attempt had been made to destroy the drugs by mixing them with Coca-Cola. Testing showed the mixture contained both fentanyl and fluorofentanyl.
Further investigation found that Hughes supplied over 100 grams of drugs intended for distribution during this transaction.
Co-defendants Cole and Young pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges. Cole was sentenced to 132 months in prison while Young received an 18-month sentence.
Hughes is required under federal law to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before becoming eligible for release. After leaving prison, he will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for ten years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge at ATF Louisville Field Division; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge at DEA Louisville Field Division; Director Scott Hardcorn of Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force; and Phillip J. Burnett Jr., Commissioner of Kentucky State Police jointly announced the sentencing.
The case was investigated by ATF, DEA, Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force and Kentucky State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Winslow prosecuted the case.
