Pike County man arrested after large drug bust in Hardy community

PIKE COUNTY, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – Kentucky State Police arrested a man in the Hardy community of Pike County after finding a large amount of illegal drugs during a search of a residence.

Troopers took 35-year-old James Hardesty into custody, and he was booked into the Pike County Detention Center.

During the search, officers seized substances suspected to be marijuana and fentanyl, psilocybin mushrooms, liquid THC, THC edible dosage units, drug paraphernalia, firearms, and about $1,500 in cash.

Hardesty faces multiple charges, including first- and second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, trafficking in marijuana, first-offense trafficking in a legend drug, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Kentucky State Police are encouraging the public to report suspected drug activity.