Mercer Co. Felon Gets 408-Month Sentence for Meth, Heroin Trafficking

LEXINGTON, Ky. — In a stunning blow to the drug trade in Mercer County, John Michael Essex, 58, of Harrodsburg, was sentenced to 408 months in federal prison for his role in distributing methamphetamine and heroin, along with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to evidence presented at trial, on July 7, 2019, Mercer County Sheriff’s Office deputies executed a search warrant at a property rented by Essex. They discovered nearly 354 grams of meth and 69 grams of a heroin-fentanyl mixture, all packaged for distribution. A Remington rifle was also found in the suspect’s vehicle, despite Essex being prohibited from possessing firearms due to previous felony convictions.

Essex was convicted in August 2021, and under federal law, he is required to serve 85 percent of his sentence before becoming eligible for release. Upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for a decade.

The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Carlton S. Shier IV; DEA Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott; and Mercer County Sheriff Ernie Kelty jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was a collaborative effort between DEA, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, the Danville Police Department, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kentucky State Police Special Response Team, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco Villalobos representing the United States.

Prosecuted under the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program, this case is part of a nationwide effort to reduce violent crime by investigating, prosecuting, and preventing such offenses in communities across the country. In Kentucky’s Eastern District, PSN efforts are coordinated by Acting U.S. Attorney Shier, working with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners.

– END –