A Cincinnati man was convicted of distributing fentanyl that caused a serious bodily injury in northern Kentucky. Antoine Dudley, 32, pleaded guilty to distributing a controlled substance that caused serious bodily injury. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 1, 2016 and must serve at least 85 percent of his 25-year prison sentence.
The conviction stems from an incident on November 21, 2014, when Dudley distributed fentanyl in Kenton County, causing the user to overdose and stop breathing. Paramedics from the Covington Fire Department responded to the call and were able to revive the victim with the administration of naloxone, also known as Narcan.
Dudley was on trial for conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl and related distribution offenses. He was initially charged in September 2015. The case was prosecuted under the U.S. Attorney’s Office Overdose Prosecution Initiative, which has become an important tool in the battle against the heroin and opioid epidemic.
“The increasing use of naloxone saves lives that would otherwise be lost to drug overdoses,” said Kerry B. Harvey, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Happily, that was the case here, but the severe penalty for selling drugs that result in an overdose applies, even if the victim survives. We intend to use every tool available to us in order to combat Kentucky’s opioid epidemic – including the mandatory sentence of 20 to life in cases such as this one.”
Dudley also agreed to forfeit money and two cellular phones seized at the time of his arrest. The investigation was conducted by the F.B.I. Safe Streets Task Force and the Covington Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke.
U.S. District Judge Amul Thapar accepted a binding plea agreement that will require Dudley to serve 25 years in prison and 15 years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on December 1, 2016. Dudley’s conviction is a significant blow to the opioid epidemic in Kentucky, which has seen a surge in overdose deaths in recent years.
“We are committed to holding accountable those who contribute to this crisis,” said Jennifer Moore, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation. “This conviction is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
Related Federal Cases
- Stanford Duo Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution · Kentucky
- Lexington Dealer Joshua Ewing Sentenced to Life for Fentanyl Death · Kentucky
- Kentucky Man Sentenced for Meth Distribution Scheme · Kentucky
- Lexington Dealer Gets Life for Deadly Fentanyl · Kentucky
- Sinaloa Cartel’s Ohio Pipeline: 12 Charged in Fentanyl Ring · Washington
Key Facts
- State: Kentucky
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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