Todd County, Kentucky Man Sentenced To 30 Months In Prison For Selling Marijuana

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A Todd County, Kentucky man was sentenced to 30 month in prison followed by three years of supervised release by Senior District Judge Thomas B. Russell on May 2, 2014, for the manufacture, possession and distribution of marijuana announced David J. Hale, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.

Mervin Sears, age 64, of Elkton, Kentucky pleaded guilty to a two count federal indictment on August 6, 2013. Sears admitted in court that on January 8, 2013, he knowingly and intentionally sold approximately three pounds of marijuana to a confidential informant for $4500. The transaction was monitored and recorded by law enforcement officers from the Kentucky State Police and the South Central Kentucky Drug Task Force. A search warrant for the defendant's property in Elkton resulted in 307 marijuana plants and 452 pounds of processed marijuana being seized. Also, the search revealed $16,349.00 in U.S. currency, 10 firearms, indoor grow equipment and assorted drug paraphernalia including scales and baggies.

In addition to the prison term, Sears agreed to pay the United States $120,000 (in lieu of forfeiture of his residence), and to forfeit $16,000 in cash seized during his arrest, as well as numerous vehicles and firearms, with all forfeiture proceeds to be divided among the law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Larry Fentress and was investigated by KSP DESI West and South Central Kentucky Drug Task Force. KSP Post 2 and Pennyrile Narcotics task force assisted with the search.