A London, Kentucky man has been sentenced to 76 months in federal prison for drug trafficking offenses. Edward Albert Ernsting, 39, received the sentence from U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute fluorofentanyl and heroin, as well as a mixture containing methamphetamine.
According to court documents, law enforcement found Ernsting passed out in his vehicle at a gas station on April 9, 2024. Officers recovered about 16 grams of a substance containing fluorofentanyl, fentanyl, and heroin, along with 14 grams of methamphetamine. Digital scales, baggies, and $504 in cash were also seized from Ernsting’s person and vehicle. He admitted to engaging in significant heroin and fentanyl trafficking activity for over a year prior to his arrest.
Federal sentencing guidelines require Ernsting to serve at least 85 percent of his prison term before becoming eligible for release. After completing his sentence, he will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Louisville Field Division; Chief Rusty Hedrick of the Corbin Police Department; and Sheriff William ‘Bill’ Elliotte of the Whitley County Sheriff’s Office announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Corbin Police Department, and Whitley County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Pearce Nesbitt prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that coordinates law enforcement efforts across agencies to reduce violent crime and gun violence nationwide. The program emphasizes community trust-building strategies and targeted enforcement priorities as part of its approach since May 2021.
