Wolfe County man gets 10 years for drug trafficking

Undercover agents made buys from him during November 2020, cash, guns seized

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) — A 34-year-old Campton, Ky., man was sentenced Monday to 120 months in federal prison by Senior U.S. District Judge Joseph Hood, after pleading guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, distribution of 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine, and distribution of fentanyl.

According to his plea agreement, Johnathan E. Garland admitted that  between November 3 and November 27, 2020, law enforcement made multiple controlled drug buys from him. During four separate transactions, Garland sold various amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl, prosecutors said.

After Garland was arrested, a search warrant was served on his residence and agents found more methamphetamine, tablets marked as “M 30” containing fentanyl , scales, baggies, more than $4,700 in cash, three shotguns, a rifle, and seven handguns, according to prosecutors.

Garland pleaded guilty to the charges in October 2021.

Under federal law, Garland must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.

Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Office; Colonel Phillip Burnett, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police; and Sheriff Berl Purdue, Clark County Sheriff’s Office, announced the sentencing.

The investigation was conducted by the ATF, KSP, and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.  The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco Villalobos.