A Nicholasville, Kentucky man, Billy Wilkins, aged 44, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for drug trafficking and firearms possession. U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove handed down the sentence following Wilkins' convictions for possessing methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine with intent to distribute. He was also convicted of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The case against Wilkins stemmed from a search conducted on November 4, 2021. Law enforcement officers from the DEA and Jessamine County Sheriff's Department executed a warrant at his residence in Nicholasville. During the search, they found large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine along with two firearms and multiple rounds of ammunition. A third firearm was discovered under the crawl space of the residence. Officers confirmed that Wilkins had previous convictions for drug trafficking in Kentucky.
Federal law requires Wilkins to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before becoming eligible for release. After serving his time in prison, he will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for an additional ten years.
The sentencing announcement was made jointly by Carlton S. Shier IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge at the DEA's Louisville Field Division; and Sheriff Kevin Grimes from the Jessamine County Sheriff's Office.
The investigation leading to this conviction was carried out by both the DEA and Jessamine County Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paco Villalobos is handling prosecution duties on behalf of the United States.