An Ashland, Kentucky man, Jere Rason Black, 31, has been sentenced to 70 months in prison for methamphetamine trafficking. Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning delivered the sentence on Wednesday after Black was found guilty of three counts of distributing five grams or more of methamphetamine.
The case against Black stemmed from information law enforcement received about his activities in the Greenup County area. Authorities used a confidential informant to conduct three controlled purchases from Black, during which he distributed a total of 145.23 grams of methamphetamine.
Under federal law, Black is required to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before becoming eligible for release. After completing his prison term, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for an additional five years.
The sentencing was announced by Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge at the DEA's Louisville Field Division; and Director Scott Hardcorn from the Northeast Kentucky Drug Task Force.
The investigation that led to Black's conviction was conducted by the DEA and the Northeast Kentucky Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.