Raymond Cong Duong, Fentanyl and Firearm Trafficking, Kentucky 2020

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Raymond Cong Duong, 35, a Lexington drug kingpin, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison on Friday by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and firearm possession in furtherance of drug trafficking.

Duong’s plea agreement, executed in January 2020, led to the execution of a search warrant at his residence on January 22, 2019. Lexingon Police uncovered 138 grams of fentanyl, 28 grams of methamphetamine, heroin, eight firearms, cash, and drug paraphernalia. Duong confessed to selling the illegal narcotics and possessing the firearm.

The defendant, who has two prior felony convictions for drug trafficking, admitted that his actions were in furtherance of his drug trafficking business. His plea came after the seizure of a significant amount of fentanyl, a deadly substance driving Kentucky’s overdose crisis.

United States Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr., along with DEA, ATF, KSP, and Lexington Police Department officials, announced Duong’s sentence. The investigation was led by these agencies, with Assistant U.S. Attorney David Kiebler representing the United States in court.

This case is part of three Department of Justice initiatives: Project Safe Neighborhoods, Project Guardian, and Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge. These programs aim to reduce violent crime, gun violence, and fentanyl distribution across Kentucky and beyond.

As Kentucky grapples with the opiate crisis, sentences like Duong’s serve as a stark reminder of the consequences of drug trafficking and firearm misuse. The Department of Justice celebrates its 150th anniversary by enforcing laws that protect citizens from the dangers posed by drug traffickers and gun criminals.

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