Two Men Indicted for Distributing Carfentanil that Caused Overdoses in Rowan County

COVINGTON, Ky. — A federal grand jury has charged a Cincinnati man and a Morehead, Ky., man with distributing carfentanil that resulted in multiple overdoses in Rowan County, Ky.

On Thursday, Travis Clark, 28, of Cincinnati, and Matthew Bowman, 27, of Morehead, were indicted for one count each of conspiring to distribute carfentanil, which is a fentanyl analogue, and distribution of carfentanil, resulting in serious bodily injury.

Carfentanil is an extremely powerful synthetic opioid that is 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl – which is itself 50 times more potent than heroin.  Carfentanil is a controlled substance typically used as a tranquilizing agent for elephants and other large mammals.  Recently, the Drug Enforcement Administration issued a warning to the general public and to law enforcement personnel nationwide about the health and safety risks associated with carfentanil.

According to the indictment, on September 7th and 8th of this year, Clark and Bowman illegally distributed carfentanil that resulted in seven drug overdoses.

Kerry B. Harvey, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Timothy J. Plancon, Special Agent in Charge, DEA; and Derrick Blevins, Chief of the Morehead Police Department, jointly announced the indictment.

The investigation was conducted by the DEA and the Morehead Police Department.

The overdose charge carries a minimum of 20 years and up to Life in prison, upon conviction; the conspiracy charge carries a minimum of five years and up to 40 years.  Any sentence following a conviction, however, would be imposed after the Court considers the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable law.

An indictment is an allegation only.  All defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial, at which the government must prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.