Lexington man sentenced to 65 years in federal prison for firearms and drug trafficking crimes

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) — A Lexington man has been sentenced to decades behind bars after federal prosecutors say he was involved in both drug trafficking and illegal machine gun possession.

According to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky, 41-year-old Keith Lamont Stallworth was sentenced Thursday to 65 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell.

Officials say Stallworth was previously convicted in August 2025 of several firearms offenses, including carrying and using a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, possessing a machine gun in furtherance of drug trafficking, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and failing to register a machine gun. Prosecutors say he also pleaded guilty to multiple drug trafficking charges involving fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Details from the federal case

According to testimony cited in the federal release, Stallworth was arrested in August 2023 while carrying a .57 caliber Palmetto Arms pistol loaded with high-velocity rifle rounds and an extended magazine.

Investigators say a search warrant at his downtown Lexington apartment uncovered large amounts of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, a 9mm handgun, and a modified .40 caliber pistol fitted with a machine gun conversion device — sometimes called a “Glock switch,” which converts a firearm into a fully automatic weapon under federal law.

What happens next

Under federal sentencing rules, Stallworth must serve at least 85 percent of his 65-year sentence. After his release, he will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.