LEXINGTON, Ky. – Damon Bristol Hardy, of Versailles, Kentucky, was sentenced on Friday to 190 months in federal prison, by Chief United States District Judge Danny C. Reeves, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin.

In his guilty plea agreement, Hardy admitted that on April 2, 2019, in Woodford County, he possessed and intended to distribute 6.8 grams of a mixture that contained fentanyl and heroin.  Hardy also agreed to abandon $587 in cash and various drug paraphernalia seized from him.  Hardy admitted that he threw the controlled substances away, as he fled from the police.

Due to his prior criminal history, which included convictions for third-degree assault (police / probation officer) and first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (heroin), Hardy was subject to an enhanced sentence.

Under federal law, Hardy must serve a minimum of 85 percent of his prison sentence.  He will be under the supervision of the United States Probation Office for six years after being released.

Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Dan Dodds, Acting Special Agent in Charge, DEA Louisville Field Division; and Chief Mike Murray, Versailles Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was directed by the Versailles Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.  The United States was represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James T. Chapman.

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LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Versailles, Ky., man admitted in federal court Monday possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin.

Damon Bristol Hardy, 33, pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, before Chief United States District Judge Danny C. Reeves. As part of his guilty plea, Hardy confessed that on April 2, 2019, in Woodford County, he possessed and intended to distribute 6.8 grams of a mixture that contained fentanyl and heroin.  Hardy also agreed to abandon $587 in cash and various drug paraphernalia seized from him.  Hardy admitted that he threw the object that contained the controlled substances away from his body as he fled police.

Hardy also agreed that he has at least one prior felony drug conviction.  According to the plea agreement, Hardy has been convicted for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (heroin) in Woodford Circuit Court.  Due to his serious criminal history, Hardy is subject to an enhanced sentence.

Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Dan Dodds, Acting Special Agent in Charge, DEA Louisville Field Division; and Chief Mike Murray, Versailles Police Department, jointly announced the guilty plea.

The investigation was directed by the Versailles Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The United States was represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James T. Chapman.

Hardy is scheduled to be sentenced on December 20, 2019, at 10:15 a.m., before Chief Judge Reeves in federal court in Lexington.  Based on Hardy’s criminal history, he faces up to 30 years in prison, as well as a maximum fine of $2,000,000.  However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.

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