A Harrodsburg man, Wayne Jerome Johnson, has received a 300-month prison sentence, as determined by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove. Johnson, aged 46, was sentenced for several charges including possession with intent to distribute cocaine and illegal firearm possession.
The events leading to Johnson's sentencing began on November 17, 2021. Law enforcement officials witnessed Johnson distributing narcotics from two rooms at the Economy Inn in Harrodsburg. A warranted search revealed more than 50 grams of a drug mixture containing methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl, in addition to 32 grams of cocaine. The search also uncovered a loaded pistol and various drug trafficking paraphernalia. Johnson acknowledged he possessed these drugs with the intent to distribute and admitted to having a firearm to further drug trafficking endeavors. He was aware of his prior felony convictions which prohibited him from possessing firearms.
Johnson's criminal record includes past convictions for drug trafficking. He was convicted on two counts of trafficking in a controlled substance first degree in October 2000 and one additional count in 2018, all in Mercer Circuit Court.
Under federal law, Johnson is required to serve 85 percent of his sentence. Following his release, Johnson will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for eight years.
The sentence was jointly announced by Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Chief Scott Elder of the Harrodsburg Police Department.
The investigation was a collaborative effort involving the ATF, Kentucky State Police, and Harrodsburg Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger West is prosecuting the case for the United States.