LEXINGTON, Ky. — A wave of plea agreements and newly scheduled sentencings is reshaping several major federal drug prosecutions in the Eastern District of Kentucky, according to recent court filings.
In multiple unrelated cases involving allegations of opioid, fentanyl and cocaine trafficking, defendants who had been awaiting trial for months have instead moved toward guilty pleas, pushing a series of sentencings into late winter and spring.
Here’s a look at where several high-profile cases now stand:
Oxycodone conspiracy case heads toward plea
In United States v. Jabari Cortez Andrews, prosecutors allege Andrews conspired to distribute oxycodone and carried out multiple individual distributions in 2025, according to the indictment.
Andrews has been held in federal custody since his arrest last summer. His original trial date was postponed more than once. On Jan. 23, both a plea agreement and a motion for rearraignment were filed, signaling that Andrews is expected to formally change his plea in court soon.
A trial that had been scheduled for March is now unlikely to occur if the plea proceeds. Sentencing would follow preparation of a presentence investigation report.
Drug and gun case also moving toward plea
In United States v. Demetrius D. Green, Green is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute drugs, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Green was arrested out of state and later transferred to Kentucky. A federal judge ordered him detained pending trial. His case had been set for a February jury trial after multiple continuances.
On Jan. 23, defense counsel filed a motion for rearraignment, and a plea agreement was entered into the record the same day. That filing indicates Green is expected to plead guilty, though the change-of-plea hearing has not yet been held.
Earlier, Green had sought to suppress cellphone evidence. The court denied that motion as moot but ordered that prosecutors must seek permission if they later attempt to use the phone data.
Cocaine trafficking defendant set to change plea
In United States v. John W. Jackson, Jackson was charged with possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine under a superseding indictment.
Jackson had been released on conditions after a judge denied the government’s request to hold him without bond. His case saw repeated trial delays while the defense litigated a motion to suppress evidence from a vehicle search. In early January, a federal judge adopted a magistrate judge’s recommendation and denied that suppression motion.
Soon after, Jackson filed a motion for rearraignment, and a plea agreement was entered Jan. 23. A rearraignment hearing has been scheduled, at which Jackson is expected to formally enter a guilty plea.
Fentanyl conspiracy case shifts fully into sentencing phase
A large multi-defendant fentanyl case, United States v. Ramone Wells and others, has now largely moved past the trial stage.
Four defendants — Rodney Beard, Alaia Washington, Atlas Young and Ramone Wells — have all entered guilty pleas over the past several months.
- Beard pleaded guilty in September and is now scheduled to be sentenced in March.
- Washington pleaded guilty in October; her sentencing has been moved to February.
- Young entered a guilty plea in November and is set for sentencing in February.
- Wells, who faced the most extensive list of charges including firearm offenses, entered a guilty plea in January. His sentencing is scheduled for May.
The court has also entered preliminary forfeiture orders covering seized cash connected to the case. Those forfeitures typically become final at sentencing.
Newer case resolved quickly by information and plea
In a separate proceeding, United States v. Tarrone Dee Moss Jr., prosecutors bypassed a grand jury indictment by filing an information — a charging document that can be used when a defendant agrees to waive indictment.
Court records show Moss waived indictment and pleaded guilty to three counts at his arraignment on Jan. 21. His sentencing is scheduled for April.
What happens next
Across these cases, the next major steps are sentencing hearings. Before sentencing, the U.S. Probation Office prepares detailed reports outlining each defendant’s background and calculating recommended guideline ranges. Both sides may object to those reports and argue for higher or lower sentences.
Until judges formally accept the pleas in open court and impose sentences, all defendants are presumed innocent of the charges beyond the counts to which they have admitted guilt.
