Knott County Man Sentenced to 298 Months for Armed Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking

PIKEVILLE, Ky. – A Pippa Passes, Ky., man, Tony Minor, 44, was sentenced on Tuesday to 298 months in federal prison, by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

According to Minor’s plea agreement, on February 10, 2022, law enforcement attempted to stop a vehicle in which Minor was an occupant.  Minor ran from law enforcement, who eventually apprehended him and found baggies, a scale, and over 100 grams of methamphetamine on his person.  Law enforcement then searched Minor’s residence and found additional drugs, including over 40 grams of fentanyl and a loaded firearm.  Minor possessed this firearm to protect himself from the dangers of drug trafficking and was not legally permitted to possess the firearm because he was a convicted felon.

Minor pleaded guilty to the current charges in August 2022.  Minor was previously convicted of a drug trafficking felony in the Knott County Circuit Court.

Under federal law, Minor must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence.  He will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for eight years after his release from prison. 

Carlton S. Shier IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Louisville Field Office; and Sheriff Dale Richardson, Knott County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence. 

The investigation was conducted by the FBI, KSP, and Knott County Sheriff’s Office.  The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Trimble.

This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities.  It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts.  In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Shier coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

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