Garrard County Man Sentenced to 156 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin and Carfentanyl

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Jerrod Doolin, 37, of Lancaster, Kentucky, was sentenced yesterday to 156 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Karen C. Caldwell for conspiracy to distribute heroin and carfentanyl and distribution of carfentanyl resulting in serious physical injury.

Beginning in July 2016 and continuing through January 19, 2017, Doolin conspired with several other people to distribute heroin and carfentanyl in Garrard, Jessamine and Fayette County.  On January 10, 2017, Doolin and Jeffrey Ruggiero, 29, of Nicholasville, another defendant distributed a quantity of carfentanyl, which resulted in an overdose. 

On April 9, 2019, Doolin pled guilty to the charge and admitted to distributing carfentanyl in an amount no less than 1100 grams of heroin in the Central Kentucky area during the five-month period of the conspiracy. Ruggiero was previously sentenced to 132 months imprisonment for his participation in the conspiracy.  

“A critical component of our drug enforcement effort is the prosecution of drug dealers who cause overdoses.  We are committed to prosecuting these important cases,” said United States Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr.  The defendant’s distribution of heroin and carfentanyl endangered lives and contributed to addiction in Central Kentucky.   “His actions warranted the lengthy sentence he received from the Court.”  

Under federal law, Doolin must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the United States Probation Office for five years.

United States Attorney Duncan and Christopher Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA, jointly made the announcement.

The investigation was conducted by the DEA.  The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorneys Cynthia T. Rieker and Todd Bradbury.