Lucien J. Lanier, Drug Trafficking Conspiracy, Kentucky 2019

COVINGTON, Ky - A Cincinnati man, Lucien J. Lanier, 35, has been sentenced to 137 months in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy.

Lanier, who previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and 10 grams or more of acetylfentanyl, admitted to conspiring with Dante Martin and Tomorrow Tuggle to distribute the illicit substances between May 23, 2018, and June 27, 2018.

According to court records, officers conducted a series of controlled buys from Martin in 2018 in Kenton County, with Tuggle driving Martin to each of the transactions. Lanier was a source of supply for the drugs and instructed Martin on how to "cut" the drugs for distribution.

Lanier was arrested at a residence in Cincinnati on June 28, 2018, where a search uncovered drug paraphernalia, drug packing materials, digital scales, marijuana, more than 100 grams of fentanyl, more than 100 grams of crack cocaine, four firearms, and ammunition, as well as bundles of United States currency.

At the time of his arrest for the drug trafficking conspiracy, Lanier was a fugitive wanted by the Cincinnati Police Department for the felonious assault of a female victim on June 10, 2018. Lanier was ultimately convicted on that charge in Hamilton County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas and sentenced to 5 years imprisonment.

Lanier pleaded guilty to the drug trafficking conspiracy charge in September 2019. He has four prior felony drug trafficking convictions. Lanier's co-defendants, Martin and Tuggle, were sentenced in March 2019 to 84 months and three months in prison, respectively.

Under federal law, Lanier and his co-defendants must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences. Judge David L. Bunning ordered that Lanier's sentence for the drug conspiracy charge be served consecutively to the sentence Lanier is serving for the felony assault. Lanier will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years following his release.

U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr. praised the dedicated work of the law enforcement officers involved in the investigation, saying, "The sentence imposed by the Court reflects the seriousness of Lanier's offense, and the significance of his criminal history, which includes convictions for drug offenses and violent conduct."

The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force, with the United States represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wade Napier.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edky/pr/cincinnati-man-sentenced-137-months-drug-trafficking-conspiracy