Inmate in Boone County Sentenced to 300 Months for Drug Trafficking that Resulted in Overdose Death

COVINGTON, Ky., — Chad H. Prodoehl, 35, of Independence, Ky., was sentenced today, to 300 months in federal prison, by United States District Judge David L. Bunning, for conspiracy to distribute carfentanil resulting in death.

Prodoehl was convicted in December 2017, following a three-day trial.  The evidence at trial established that, while he was an inmate at the Boone County Jail work camp, in Burlington, Ky., Prodoehl conspired with others to smuggle drugs into the work camp.  Prodoehl was permitted to leave the camp on work release; and on October 15, 2016, he brought drugs, including carfentanil, back to the camp and distributed them.  Several inmates used the drugs and one inmate, Timothy Marcum, overdosed and died as a result.

Under federal law, Prodoehl 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.

Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Timothy J. Plancon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), jointly made the announcement. 

The investigation was conducted jointly by the DEA and Boone County Sheriff’s Department.  The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorneys Elaine K. Leonhard and Anthony J. Bracke.