A Lexington man, Michael Smitha, 52, has been sentenced to 140 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell.
Court documents state that law enforcement received information in December 2023 indicating that Smitha was distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl in Central Kentucky. Between December 29, 2023, and May 9, 2024, authorities used a confidential source to conduct controlled purchases of both drugs from Smitha.
Smitha has a previous federal conviction related to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone from May 2014.
Federal regulations require Smitha to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before becoming eligible for release. After completing his prison term, he will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for eight years.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge at the ATF Louisville Field Division; and Commander Kalan Perdue of the Gateway High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force jointly announced the sentencing decision.
The investigation involved the ATF and Gateway HIDTA Task Force. The prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker.
