Lexington Man Sentenced for Distribution of Controlled Substances

LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington, Ky., man, Michael Smitha, 52, was sentenced on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell to 140 months for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine. 

According to his plea agreement, in December 2023, law enforcement received information that Smitha was distributing quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in Central Kentucky. From December 29, 2023, through May 9, 2024, law enforcement used a confidential source to make controlled purchases of fentanyl and methamphetamine from Smitha. 

Smitha has a prior federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute oxycodone in May 2014.

Under federal law, Smitha must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 8 years. 

Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Commander Kalan Perdue, Gateway High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by ATF and Gateway HIDTA Task Force. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker.

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