Lexington man tased, arrested on federal drug and gun charges at Hamburg area hotel

LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Lexington man was subdued with a Taser and arrested near a Hamburg area hotel Wednesday after federal agents and local police discovered drugs and a firearm in his vehicle.

Laurance D. Newby, 37, faces federal charges including possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, both Schedule II controlled substances, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to a sworn affidavit from Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent Christine McHugh, authorities identified Newby’s Range Rover parked at the Avid Hotel on Bryant Road in Lexington on June 25. Surveillance observed Newby placing bags inside the vehicle and briefly returning later to retrieve a water bottle. Shortly afterward, Newby left on foot toward the nearby Brighton East Rail Trail.

Kentucky State Police deployed a certified drug-sniffing dog, “Bella,” who alerted authorities to the odor of narcotics emanating from the Range Rover. When Newby returned to the trailhead near Bryant Road around noon, authorities approached him for a safety pat-down, prompting Newby to flee. Officers then used a Taser to subdue him, according to the affidavit.

During the arrest, authorities say approximately 8 grams of cocaine were found in Newby’s possession. Searches of his vehicle uncovered about 1 kilogram of cocaine, roughly 462 grams of fentanyl packaged for distribution, a loaded Glock 26 handgun, and digital scales. Authorities also executed a search warrant at a storage unit rented by Newby in Nicholasville, Kentucky, finding additional evidence including packaging materials and scales.

Newby had a previous felony conviction in Fayette County Circuit Court for trafficking cocaine in 2005, resulting in imprisonment after a probation violation in 2008. His initial appearance is scheduled for June 27 at 11:30 a.m. before Magistrate Judge Matthew A. Stinnett in Lexington.