Lexington Man Sentenced to 290 Months in Prison for Trafficking in Fentanyl, Cocaine, and Heroin and Money Laundering

LEXINGTON, Ky.  — Ansar I. McIver, 46, of Lexington, was sentenced last week to 290 months in federal prison, by United States District Judge Danny C. Reeves, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin, and money laundering.  Judge Reeves also ordered McIver to pay a fine and to forfeit more than $586,000 in cash.

McIver previously admitted that, in early January 2017, he engaged in an agreement with others to obtain large quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin from the southwest United States.  Shipments of these controlled substances were made by passenger vehicle, with the substances concealed in various compartments within the vehicles, and were transported into Lexington.   Proceeds from the distribution of the drugs were then returned to the southwest.

On May 18, 2017, the Lexington Police Department (LPD) stopped a vehicle containing approximately 6 kilograms of cocaine.  On June 12, 2017, a search warrant was executed at McIver’s residence.  There, law enforcement agents seized cocaine, approximately 786 grams of fentanyl, heroin, and a combined quantity of drugs, as well as approximately $586,369 in drug proceeds.  At that time, it was the largest seizure of fentanyl in the Eastern District of Kentucky.

“This conspiracy involve the illegal distribution of enormous amounts of illegal drugs, drugs that continue to devastate our community,” said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky.  “This case represents a stark reminder that much work still needs to be done to combat this epidemic and that effective law enforcement partnerships can – and do – save lives.  Removing these drugs from our community was a team effort that almost certainly prevented overdoses and potential deaths in our community.”             

The Defendant has previously been convicted of several drug trafficking felonies, which qualified him as a Career Offender under federal law.   McIver pleaded guilty to the charges in January 2018.

Under federal law, McIver 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 ten years.

Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; James (Robert) Brown, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the FBI; Richard Sanders, Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, of the Lexington Police Department, jointly made the announcement.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI (Louisville and San Diego Field Offices), the Kentucky State Police, and the Lexington Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Roger W. West.