Ohio Man Gets 20 Years for Gun, Drug Crimes in Ky.

Bryant Lamar Monie, 37, of Dayton, Ohio, is headed to federal prison for 20 years after being convicted of being an Armed Career Criminal and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. The sentence, handed down Friday by U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves in Lexington, Kentucky, marks the end of a long-fought case tied to Monie’s brief but violent foray into the Mount Sterling drug trade.

Convicted by a jury in April 2016, Monie began distributing cocaine in the Mount Sterling area after relocating from Ohio in late 2015. His criminal activity came to a halt on August 13, 2015, when law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence. Inside, they seized a loaded pistol and a distribution-level quantity of crack cocaine—evidence that sealed his fate at trial.

Prosecutors emphasized Monie’s extensive criminal history, which includes four prior felony drug convictions. That record triggered the Armed Career Criminal Act, a federal law that imposes harsh mandatory minimum sentences on repeat offenders caught with firearms. The government argued he posed a clear and present danger to the community.

Monie will serve 85% of his 20-year sentence before becoming eligible for release—a minimum of 17 years behind bars. Upon release, he will be placed under the supervision of the United States Probation Office, with strict conditions designed to prevent reoffending.

The case was jointly announced by Robert M. Duncan, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Stuart J. Lowery, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Louisville Field Division; and David Charles, Chief of the Mount Sterling Police Department. The investigation was conducted by ATF and local police, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger W. West prosecuting the case.

This prosecution was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal initiative aimed at reducing violent crime through coordinated law enforcement action. Under directives from former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide reinvigorated PSN efforts to target repeat offenders and stem rising violent crime trends. Monie’s case exemplifies the program’s focus on taking guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals.

RELATED: Dayton Man Stashed 11 Kilos of Deadly Drugs

RELATED: Fentanyl Killed Him: Lorain Dealer Indicted