A Martin, Kentucky man has been sentenced to 192 months in federal prison for armed drug trafficking involving methamphetamine and fentanyl. Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning handed down the sentence to Justin Bryant, 35, on Monday. Bryant was convicted of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, Bryant was stopped by law enforcement on December 11, 2023. During the stop, officers found him in possession of 22.76 grams of methamphetamine, 3.57 grams of fentanyl and fluorofentanyl, as well as a loaded handgun. Bryant admitted that he carried the weapon for protection related to his drug activities. Due to prior felony convictions, he was not legally allowed to possess a firearm.
After being arrested and later released, authorities reported that Bryant continued his involvement in drug trafficking. On March 1, 2025, law enforcement encountered him again and discovered he had an additional 81.256 grams of methamphetamine.
Federal sentencing rules require Bryant to serve at least 85 percent of his prison term before becoming eligible for release. After completing his sentence, he will be subject to three years of supervised release under the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was announced by Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge at the FBI Louisville Field Division; Col. Phillip J. Burnett Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Sheriff John Hunt from the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation was conducted jointly by the FBI, Kentucky State Police (KSP), and Floyd County Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Trimble.
