Fred Rebmann, Fentanyl Distribution, KY 2023

A Lexington man who sold fentanyl to a visibly pregnant woman, leading directly to her fatal overdose, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison. Fred Rebmann, 31, admitted to distributing what he believed was heroin—but was in fact fentanyl, a synthetic opioid up to 50 times stronger—resulting in the woman’s death in February of this year.

On Tuesday, Senior U.S. District Judge Joseph Hood handed down the 360-month sentence to Rebmann, who pled guilty to one count of distributing a controlled substance that resulted in death. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Rebmann must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence—meaning he will spend over 25 years behind bars with no chance of early release.

Court records show Rebmann sold the drug for less than $100. The woman, whose identity has not been released, consumed the substance shortly after the transaction and was later found dead. Toxicology reports revealed she had five times the therapeutic dose of fentanyl in her system—and no trace of heroin or any other controlled substance. Medical examiners concluded the overdose would not have been fatal absent the fentanyl.

“This case demonstrates why we use tough federal laws to prosecute drug dealers who sell poison that kills,” said Kerry B. Harvey, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “For less than $100, the Defendant sold an obviously pregnant woman one of the deadliest drugs commonly available on our streets. The tragic result was all too predictable.”

The investigation was a joint effort between the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Lexington Police Department. Mark Barnard, Chief of Police, emphasized the growing threat of fentanyl-laced street drugs, noting that dealers often don’t even know what they’re selling—yet the consequences are lethal and the accountability is absolute.

U.S. Attorney Harvey, DEA Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. Plancon, and Chief Barnard jointly announced the sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Bradbury prosecuted the case for the federal government, underscoring a zero-tolerance stance on drug distribution that leads to death—especially when vulnerable victims are involved.