A Lexington man accused of mistakenly selling fentanyl instead of cocaine to another man, causing his death, has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison.
Keon Lamont Lee, 32, “regularly sold cocaine to the victim,” identified in court documents as F.E., the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a news release.
The news release states that Lee had gotten a bag of cocaine and a bag of fentanyl from the person who sold drugs to him.
“Intending to distribute cocaine, Lee instead distributed fentanyl to the victim, who used the drug, overdosed, and died,” the release stated. “Text messages from both the victim’s and Lee’s phones confirmed these events, and Lee provided a full confession to law enforcement.”
Lexington police officers found F.E. dead in his home in February 2021, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
In January, during his jury trial, Lee pleaded guilty to distribution of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl resulting in an overdose death, which was one of six charges on which he had been indicted, court records show. The five remaining charges were dismissed.
Court records indicate that Lee later asked to withdraw his guilty plea, saying he did not understand at the time that he would be unable to appeal. Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves denied that request and on Friday sentenced him to 480 months in prison.
Lee will be required to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence, and he will be on probation for four years after release.
“This case illustrates the reasons why illicit drug trafficking remains such a threat to our community,” U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV said in the release. “It demonstrates just how dangerous fentanyl is – potentially lethal in the 2mg range – and highlights the common truth that drug users have no idea what they are buying.
“Whether by mistake, dangerous mixtures with other drugs, or counterfeit pills, users are often seeking one drug but receiving others, with grave results.”
He said the case also shows “that those who illegally traffic in these dangerous drugs face prosecution and real consequences for their conduct.”