Lexington Man Sentenced to 87 Months for Armed Drug Trafficking

LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Fayette County man has been sentenced to 87 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges related to armed drug trafficking and firearms possession.

Marquis Benjamin Lewis, 41, of Lexington, was sentenced to 87 months by United States District Judge Danny C. Reeves after pleading guilty to possessing cocaine and mixtures of heroin and fentanyl with the intent to distribute them, possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

The charges stem from a search warrant executed by the Lexington Police Department on October 24, 2018, at Lewis’s residence in Lexington. During the search, officers located quantities of cocaine and mixtures of heroin and fentanyl, packaged separately for distribution, along with various items of drug paraphernalia.

In addition to the narcotics, officers also located a total of four firearms, two of which were stolen, dispersed throughout Lewis’s residence and vehicle. Lewis had a prior felony conviction and was prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm.

Under federal law, Lewis must serve 85 percent of his sentence. Upon completion of his imprisonment, he will be under the supervision of the United States Probation Office for a period of three years.

The investigation was conducted by the ATF and the Lexington Police Department, with the United States represented by Assistant United States Attorney Francisco Villalobos II.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and making neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

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